diff --git a/nav.go b/nav.go
index f9d6452..04dabfc 100644
--- a/nav.go
+++ b/nav.go
@@ -101,12 +101,29 @@ func readdir(path string) ([]*file, error) {
 		// i.e. directories, filenames without extensions
 		ext := filepath.Ext(fpath)
 
+		dirCount := -1
+		if lstat.IsDir() && gOpts.dircounts {
+			d, err := os.Open(fpath)
+			if err != nil {
+				dirCount = -2
+			}
+
+			names, err := d.Readdirnames(1000)
+			d.Close()
+
+			if names == nil && err != io.EOF {
+				dirCount = -2
+			} else {
+				dirCount = len(names)
+			}
+		}
+
 		files = append(files, &file{
 			FileInfo:   lstat,
 			linkState:  linkState,
 			linkTarget: linkTarget,
 			path:       fpath,
-			dirCount:   -1,
+			dirCount:   dirCount,
 			dirSize:    -1,
 			accessTime: at,
 			changeTime: ct,
diff --git a/ui.go b/ui.go
index f147043..8e2b3aa 100644
--- a/ui.go
+++ b/ui.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -287,8 +286,6 @@ func infotimefmt(t time.Time) string {
 func fileInfo(f *file, d *dir) string {
 	var info string
 
-	path := filepath.Join(d.path, f.Name())
-
 	for _, s := range gOpts.info {
 		switch s {
 		case "size":
@@ -303,23 +300,9 @@ func fileInfo(f *file, d *dir) string {
 				continue
 			}
 
-			if f.dirCount == -1 {
-				d, err := os.Open(path)
-				if err != nil {
-					f.dirCount = -2
-				}
-
-				names, err := d.Readdirnames(1000)
-				d.Close()
-
-				if names == nil && err != io.EOF {
-					f.dirCount = -2
-				} else {
-					f.dirCount = len(names)
-				}
-			}
-
 			switch {
+			case f.dirCount < -1:
+				info = fmt.Sprintf("%s    !", info)
 			case f.dirCount < 0:
 				info = fmt.Sprintf("%s    ?", info)
 			case f.dirCount < 1000: