diff --git a/beets/config_default.yaml b/beets/config_default.yaml
index 5bc921167..dfe31ade8 100644
--- a/beets/config_default.yaml
+++ b/beets/config_default.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import:
 
 clutter: ["Thumbs.DB", ".DS_Store"]
 ignore: [".*", "*~", "System Volume Information"]
+ignore_hidden: yes
 replace:
     '[\\/]': _
     '^\.': _
diff --git a/beets/importer.py b/beets/importer.py
index e73a9e08f..f9cd138f4 100644
--- a/beets/importer.py
+++ b/beets/importer.py
@@ -1451,8 +1451,11 @@ def albums_in_dir(path):
     """
     collapse_pat = collapse_paths = collapse_items = None
     ignore = config['ignore'].as_str_seq()
+    ignore_hidden = config['ignore_hidden'].get(bool)
 
-    for root, dirs, files in sorted_walk(path, ignore=ignore, logger=log):
+    for root, dirs, files in sorted_walk(path, ignore=ignore,
+                                         ignore_hidden=ignore_hidden,
+                                         logger=log):
         items = [os.path.join(root, f) for f in files]
         # If we're currently collapsing the constituent directories in a
         # multi-disc album, check whether we should continue collapsing
diff --git a/beets/util/__init__.py b/beets/util/__init__.py
index 4d46aecd2..327b312fa 100644
--- a/beets/util/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/util/__init__.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import traceback
 import subprocess
 import platform
 import shlex
+from beets.util import hidden
 
 
 MAX_FILENAME_LENGTH = 200
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ def ancestry(path):
     return out
 
 
-def sorted_walk(path, ignore=(), logger=None):
+def sorted_walk(path, ignore=(), ignore_hidden=False, logger=None):
     """Like `os.walk`, but yields things in case-insensitive sorted,
     breadth-first order.  Directory and file names matching any glob
     pattern in `ignore` are skipped. If `logger` is provided, then
@@ -185,10 +186,11 @@ def sorted_walk(path, ignore=(), logger=None):
 
         # Add to output as either a file or a directory.
         cur = os.path.join(path, base)
-        if os.path.isdir(syspath(cur)):
-            dirs.append(base)
-        else:
-            files.append(base)
+        if (ignore_hidden and not hidden.is_hidden(cur)) or not ignore_hidden:
+            if os.path.isdir(syspath(cur)):
+                dirs.append(base)
+            else:
+                files.append(base)
 
     # Sort lists (case-insensitive) and yield the current level.
     dirs.sort(key=bytes.lower)
@@ -199,7 +201,7 @@ def sorted_walk(path, ignore=(), logger=None):
     for base in dirs:
         cur = os.path.join(path, base)
         # yield from sorted_walk(...)
-        for res in sorted_walk(cur, ignore, logger):
+        for res in sorted_walk(cur, ignore, ignore_hidden, logger):
             yield res