diff --git a/eval.go b/eval.go
index e54dabf..603444b 100644
--- a/eval.go
+++ b/eval.go
@@ -18,15 +18,15 @@ func (e *setExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 	case "dircounts!":
 		gOpts.dircounts = !gOpts.dircounts
 	case "dirfirst":
-		gOpts.dirfirst = true
+		gOpts.sortType.option |= dirfirstSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "nodirfirst":
-		gOpts.dirfirst = false
+		gOpts.sortType.option &= ^dirfirstSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "dirfirst!":
-		gOpts.dirfirst = !gOpts.dirfirst
+		gOpts.sortType.option ^= dirfirstSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "drawbox":
@@ -48,15 +48,15 @@ func (e *setExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 	case "globsearch!":
 		gOpts.globsearch = !gOpts.globsearch
 	case "hidden":
-		gOpts.hidden = true
+		gOpts.sortType.option |= hiddenSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "nohidden":
-		gOpts.hidden = false
+		gOpts.sortType.option &= ^hiddenSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "hidden!":
-		gOpts.hidden = !gOpts.hidden
+		gOpts.sortType.option ^= hiddenSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "ignorecase":
@@ -72,15 +72,15 @@ func (e *setExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 	case "preview!":
 		gOpts.preview = !gOpts.preview
 	case "reverse":
-		gOpts.reverse = true
+		gOpts.sortType.option |= reverseSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "noreverse":
-		gOpts.reverse = false
+		gOpts.sortType.option &= ^reverseSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "reverse!":
-		gOpts.reverse = !gOpts.reverse
+		gOpts.sortType.option ^= reverseSort
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "smartcase":
@@ -132,7 +132,16 @@ func (e *setExpr) eval(app *app, args []string) {
 			app.ui.print("sortby: value should either be 'natural', 'name', 'size' or 'time'")
 			return
 		}
-		gOpts.sortby = e.val
+		switch e.val {
+		case "natural":
+			gOpts.sortType.method = naturalSort
+		case "name":
+			gOpts.sortType.method = nameSort
+		case "size":
+			gOpts.sortType.method = sizeSort
+		case "time":
+			gOpts.sortType.method = timeSort
+		}
 		app.nav.sort()
 		app.ui.sort()
 	case "timefmt":
diff --git a/nav.go b/nav.go
index 650da57..4aad832 100644
--- a/nav.go
+++ b/nav.go
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ type dir struct {
 	path     string    // full path of directory
 	fi       []*file   // displayed files in directory including or excluding hidden ones
 	all      []*file   // all files in directory including hidden ones (same array as fi)
+	sortType sortType  // sort method and options from last sort
 }
 
 func newDir(path string) *dir {
@@ -126,36 +127,36 @@ func (dir *dir) renew() {
 }
 
 func (dir *dir) sort() {
+	dir.sortType = gOpts.sortType
+
 	dir.fi = dir.all
 
-	switch gOpts.sortby {
-	case "natural":
+	switch gOpts.sortType.method {
+	case naturalSort:
 		sortFilesStable(dir.fi, func(i, j int) bool {
 			return naturalLess(strings.ToLower(dir.fi[i].Name()), strings.ToLower(dir.fi[j].Name()))
 		})
-	case "name":
+	case nameSort:
 		sortFilesStable(dir.fi, func(i, j int) bool {
 			return strings.ToLower(dir.fi[i].Name()) < strings.ToLower(dir.fi[j].Name())
 		})
-	case "size":
+	case sizeSort:
 		sortFilesStable(dir.fi, func(i, j int) bool {
 			return dir.fi[i].Size() < dir.fi[j].Size()
 		})
-	case "time":
+	case timeSort:
 		sortFilesStable(dir.fi, func(i, j int) bool {
 			return dir.fi[i].ModTime().Before(dir.fi[j].ModTime())
 		})
-	default:
-		log.Printf("unknown sorting type: %s", gOpts.sortby)
 	}
 
-	if gOpts.reverse {
+	if gOpts.sortType.option&reverseSort != 0 {
 		for i, j := 0, len(dir.fi)-1; i < j; i, j = i+1, j-1 {
 			dir.fi[i], dir.fi[j] = dir.fi[j], dir.fi[i]
 		}
 	}
 
-	if gOpts.dirfirst {
+	if gOpts.sortType.option&dirfirstSort != 0 {
 		sortFilesStable(dir.fi, func(i, j int) bool {
 			if dir.fi[i].IsDir() == dir.fi[j].IsDir() {
 				return i < j
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ func (dir *dir) sort() {
 	// when hidden option is disabled, we move hidden files to the
 	// beginning of our file list and then set the beginning of displayed
 	// files to the first non-hidden file in the list
-	if !gOpts.hidden {
+	if gOpts.sortType.option&hiddenSort == 0 {
 		sortFilesStable(dir.fi, func(i, j int) bool {
 			if dir.fi[i].Name()[0] == '.' && dir.fi[j].Name()[0] == '.' {
 				return i < j
@@ -333,6 +334,11 @@ func (nav *nav) loadDir(path string) *dir {
 		nav.dirCache[path] = d
 		return d
 	}
+	if d.sortType != gOpts.sortType {
+		name := d.name()
+		d.sort()
+		d.find(name, nav.height)
+	}
 	return d
 }
 
diff --git a/opts.go b/opts.go
index d6cbbc2..707c76b 100644
--- a/opts.go
+++ b/opts.go
@@ -2,15 +2,34 @@ package main
 
 import "time"
 
+type sortMethod byte
+
+const (
+	naturalSort sortMethod = iota
+	nameSort
+	sizeSort
+	timeSort
+)
+
+type sortOption byte
+
+const (
+	dirfirstSort sortOption = 1 << iota
+	hiddenSort
+	reverseSort
+)
+
+type sortType struct {
+	method sortMethod
+	option sortOption
+}
+
 var gOpts struct {
 	dircounts  bool
-	dirfirst   bool
 	drawbox    bool
 	globsearch bool
-	hidden     bool
 	ignorecase bool
 	preview    bool
-	reverse    bool
 	smartcase  bool
 	wrapscan   bool
 	scrolloff  int
@@ -20,24 +39,21 @@ var gOpts struct {
 	previewer  string
 	promptfmt  string
 	shell      string
-	sortby     string
 	timefmt    string
 	ratios     []int
 	info       []string
 	keys       map[string]expr
 	cmdkeys    map[string]expr
 	cmds       map[string]expr
+	sortType   sortType
 }
 
 func init() {
 	gOpts.dircounts = false
-	gOpts.dirfirst = true
 	gOpts.drawbox = false
 	gOpts.globsearch = false
-	gOpts.hidden = false
 	gOpts.ignorecase = true
 	gOpts.preview = true
-	gOpts.reverse = false
 	gOpts.smartcase = true
 	gOpts.wrapscan = true
 	gOpts.scrolloff = 0
@@ -45,10 +61,10 @@ func init() {
 	gOpts.filesep = "\n"
 	gOpts.promptfmt = "\033[32;1m%u@%h\033[0m:\033[34;1m%w/\033[0m\033[1m%f\033[0m"
 	gOpts.shell = gDefaultShell
-	gOpts.sortby = "natural"
 	gOpts.timefmt = time.ANSIC
 	gOpts.ratios = []int{1, 2, 3}
 	gOpts.info = nil
+	gOpts.sortType = sortType{naturalSort, dirfirstSort}
 
 	gOpts.keys = make(map[string]expr)