diff --git a/cmdline/elem.c b/cmdline/elem.c
index 0e82f214..9f1ee5f9 100644
--- a/cmdline/elem.c
+++ b/cmdline/elem.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ static int filter_recurse(struct snapraid_filter* filter, struct snapraid_filter
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int filter_element(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub, int is_dir)
+static int filter_element(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub, int is_dir, int is_def_include)
 {
 	tommy_node* i;
 
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ static int filter_element(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reaso
 
 	/* directories are always included by default, otherwise we cannot apply rules */
 	/* to the contained files */
-	if (is_dir)
+	if (is_def_include)
 		return 0;
 
 	/* files are excluded/included depending of the last rule processed */
@@ -279,12 +279,17 @@ static int filter_element(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reaso
 
 int filter_path(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub)
 {
-	return filter_element(filterlist, reason, disk, sub, 0);
+	return filter_element(filterlist, reason, disk, sub, 0, 0);
 }
 
-int filter_dir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub)
+int filter_subdir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub)
 {
-	return filter_element(filterlist, reason, disk, sub, 1);
+	return filter_element(filterlist, reason, disk, sub, 1, 1);
+}
+
+int filter_emptydir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub)
+{
+	return filter_element(filterlist, reason, disk, sub, 1, 0);
 }
 
 int filter_existence(int filter_missing, const char* dir, const char* sub)
diff --git a/cmdline/elem.h b/cmdline/elem.h
index ebbe78c0..fefabaae 100644
--- a/cmdline/elem.h
+++ b/cmdline/elem.h
@@ -412,8 +412,8 @@ struct snapraid_disk {
 	tommy_hashdyn stampset; /**< Hashtable by stamp (size and time) of all the files. */
 	tommy_list linklist; /**< List of all the links. */
 	tommy_hashdyn linkset; /**< Hashtable by name of all the links. */
-	tommy_list dirlist; /**< List of all the dirs. */
-	tommy_hashdyn dirset; /**< Hashtable by name of all the dirs. */
+	tommy_list dirlist; /**< List of all the empty dirs. */
+	tommy_hashdyn dirset; /**< Hashtable by name of all the empty dirs. */
 
 	/* nodes for data structures */
 	tommy_node node;
@@ -554,9 +554,17 @@ int filter_correctness(int filter_error, tommy_arrayblkof* infoarr, struct snapr
 /**
  * Filter a dir using a list of filters.
  * For each element of the path all the filters are applied, until the first one that matches.
+ * Thesesdir are always by included by default, to allow to apply rules at the contained files.
  * Return !=0 if should be excluded.
  */
-int filter_dir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub);
+int filter_subdir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub);
+
+/**
+ * Filter a dir using a list of filters.
+ * For each element of the path all the filters are applied, until the first one that matches.
+ * Return !=0 if should be excluded.
+ */
+int filter_emptydir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, const char* disk, const char* sub);
 
 /**
  * Filter a path if it's a content file.
diff --git a/cmdline/scan.c b/cmdline/scan.c
index df9dc1d3..37f28876 100644
--- a/cmdline/scan.c
+++ b/cmdline/scan.c
@@ -1369,7 +1369,7 @@ static int scan_dir(struct snapraid_scan* scan, int level, int is_diff, const ch
 				msg_verbose("Excluding link '%s' for rule '%s'\n", path_next, filter_type(reason, out, sizeof(out)));
 			}
 		} else if (type == 2) { /* DIR */
-			if (filter_dir(&state->filterlist, &reason, disk->name, sub_next) == 0) {
+			if (filter_subdir(&state->filterlist, &reason, disk->name, sub_next) == 0) {
 #ifndef _WIN32
 				/* late stat, if not yet called */
 				if (!st)
diff --git a/cmdline/search.c b/cmdline/search.c
index 82a1c5bc..3d543faf 100644
--- a/cmdline/search.c
+++ b/cmdline/search.c
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ static void search_dir(struct snapraid_state* state, struct snapraid_disk* disk,
 				msg_verbose("Excluding link '%s' for rule '%s'\n", path_next, filter_type(reason, out, sizeof(out)));
 			}
 		} else if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
-			if (disk == 0 || filter_dir(&state->filterlist, &reason, disk->name, sub_next) == 0) {
+			if (disk == 0 || filter_subdir(&state->filterlist, &reason, disk->name, sub_next) == 0) {
 				pathslash(path_next, sizeof(path_next));
 				pathslash(sub_next, sizeof(sub_next));
 				search_dir(state, disk, path_next, sub_next);
diff --git a/cmdline/state.c b/cmdline/state.c
index 353d7d71..0c54b600 100644
--- a/cmdline/state.c
+++ b/cmdline/state.c
@@ -3971,12 +3971,12 @@ void state_filter(struct snapraid_state* state, tommy_list* filterlist_file, tom
 			}
 		}
 
-		/* for each dir */
+		/* for each empty dir */
 		for (j = tommy_list_head(&disk->dirlist); j != 0; j = j->next) {
 			struct snapraid_dir* dir = j->data;
 
-			if (filter_dir(filterlist_disk, 0, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
-				|| filter_dir(filterlist_file, 0, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
+			if (filter_emptydir(filterlist_disk, 0, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
+				|| filter_emptydir(filterlist_file, 0, disk->name, dir->sub) != 0
 				|| filter_existence(filter_missing, disk->dir, dir->sub) != 0
 			) {
 				dir_flag_set(dir, FILE_IS_EXCLUDED);