diff --git a/pandoc.hs b/pandoc.hs
index 72a7592d8..59277690a 100644
--- a/pandoc.hs
+++ b/pandoc.hs
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ data Opt = Opt
     , optExtractMedia      :: Maybe FilePath -- ^ Path to extract embedded media
     , optTrace             :: Bool       -- ^ Print debug information
     , optTrackChanges      :: TrackChanges -- ^ Accept or reject MS Word track-changes.
+    , optFileScope        :: Bool         -- ^ Parse input files before combining
     , optKaTeXStylesheet   :: Maybe String     -- ^ Path to stylesheet for KaTeX
     , optKaTeXJS           :: Maybe String     -- ^ Path to js file for KaTeX
     }
@@ -278,6 +279,7 @@ defaultOpts = Opt
     , optExtractMedia          = Nothing
     , optTrace                 = False
     , optTrackChanges          = AcceptChanges
+    , optFileScope            = False
     , optKaTeXStylesheet       = Nothing
     , optKaTeXJS               = Nothing
     }
@@ -387,6 +389,11 @@ options =
                   "accept|reject|all")
                  "" -- "Accepting or reject MS Word track-changes.""
 
+    , Option "" ["file-scope"]
+                 (NoArg
+                  (\opt -> return opt { optFileScope = True }))
+                 "" -- "Parse input files before combining"
+
     , Option "" ["extract-media"]
                  (ReqArg
                   (\arg opt ->
@@ -1117,6 +1124,7 @@ convertWithOpts opts args = do
               , optExtractMedia          = mbExtractMedia
               , optTrace                 = trace
               , optTrackChanges          = trackChanges
+              , optFileScope            = fileScope
               , optKaTeXStylesheet       = katexStylesheet
               , optKaTeXJS               = katexJS
              } = opts
@@ -1269,6 +1277,7 @@ convertWithOpts opts args = do
                       , readerDefaultImageExtension = defaultImageExtension
                       , readerTrace = trace
                       , readerTrackChanges = trackChanges
+                      , readerFileScope   = fileScope
                       }
 
   when (not (isTextFormat format) && outputFile == "-") $
@@ -1301,13 +1310,23 @@ convertWithOpts opts args = do
                                then handleIncludes
                                else return . Right
 
-  (doc, media) <- fmap handleError $
-      case reader of
+  let sourceToDoc :: [FilePath] -> IO (Pandoc, MediaBag)
+      sourceToDoc sources' = fmap handleError $
+        case reader of
           StringReader r-> do
-            srcs <- convertTabs . intercalate "\n" <$> readSources sources
+            srcs <- convertTabs . intercalate "\n" <$> readSources sources'
             doc <- handleIncludes' srcs
             either (return . Left) (\s -> fmap (,mempty) <$> r readerOpts s) doc
-          ByteStringReader r -> readFiles sources >>= r readerOpts
+          ByteStringReader r -> readFiles sources' >>= r readerOpts
+
+  -- We parse first if fileScope is set OR if the reader is a
+  -- BSReader. So, if it's a StringReader AND not fileScope, we
+  -- don't.
+  (doc, media) <- case reader of
+    (StringReader _) | not fileScope -> sourceToDoc sources
+    _                                   -> do
+      pairs <- mapM (\s -> sourceToDoc [s]) sources
+      return (mconcat $ map fst pairs, mconcat $ map snd pairs)
 
   let writerOptions = def { writerStandalone       = standalone',
                             writerTemplate         = templ,
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/Options.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/Options.hs
index 333f499fb..b5736c63d 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/Options.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/Options.hs
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ data ReaderOptions = ReaderOptions{
        , readerDefaultImageExtension :: String -- ^ Default extension for images
        , readerTrace           :: Bool -- ^ Print debugging info
        , readerTrackChanges    :: TrackChanges
+       , readerFileScope      :: Bool -- ^ Parse before combining
 } deriving (Show, Read, Data, Typeable, Generic)
 
 instance Default ReaderOptions
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ instance Default ReaderOptions
                , readerDefaultImageExtension = ""
                , readerTrace                 = False
                , readerTrackChanges          = AcceptChanges
+               , readerFileScope             = False
                }
 
 --