diff --git a/src/cmd/query.rs b/src/cmd/query.rs
index 6539c2e..17690b7 100644
--- a/src/cmd/query.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/query.rs
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ impl Query {
             options = options.with_exists(true).with_resolve_symlinks(resolve_symlinks);
         }
 
+        if config::prefer_exact_match() {
+            options = options.with_prefer_exact_match(true);
+        }
+
         let stream = Stream::new(db, options);
         Ok(stream)
     }
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 0aeda5c..7f32458 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -60,3 +60,7 @@ pub fn maxage() -> Result<Rank> {
 pub fn resolve_symlinks() -> bool {
     env::var_os("_ZO_RESOLVE_SYMLINKS").is_some_and(|var| var == "1")
 }
+
+pub fn prefer_exact_match() -> bool {
+    env::var_os("_ZO_PREFER_EXACT_MATCH").is_some_and(|var| var == "1")
+}
diff --git a/src/db/dir.rs b/src/db/dir.rs
index 5d6d62c..d3a1ac2 100644
--- a/src/db/dir.rs
+++ b/src/db/dir.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::fmt::{self, Display, Formatter};
+use std::path::Path;
 
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
-use crate::util::{DAY, HOUR, WEEK};
+use crate::util::{DAY, HOUR, WEEK, to_lowercase};
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct Dir<'a> {
@@ -31,6 +32,11 @@ impl Dir<'_> {
             self.rank * 0.25
         }
     }
+
+    pub fn is_exact_match(&self, keyword: &str) -> bool {
+        let last = Path::new(self.path.as_ref()).file_name().and_then(|s| s.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
+        to_lowercase(last) == keyword
+    }
 }
 
 pub struct DirDisplay<'a> {
diff --git a/src/db/mod.rs b/src/db/mod.rs
index 1856fda..91be1bd 100644
--- a/src/db/mod.rs
+++ b/src/db/mod.rs
@@ -180,6 +180,24 @@ impl Database {
         self.with_dirty_mut(|dirty| *dirty = true);
     }
 
+    pub fn sort_by_score_with_keywords(&mut self, keywords: &[String], now: Epoch) {
+        self.with_dirs_mut(|dirs| {
+            dirs.sort_unstable_by(|dir1: &Dir, dir2: &Dir| {
+                let score = |dir: &Dir| {
+                    if keywords.last().is_some_and(|kw| dir.is_exact_match(kw)) {
+                        f64::MAX
+                    } else {
+                        dir.score(now)
+                    }
+                };
+                score(dir1)
+                    .total_cmp(&score(dir2))
+                    .then(dir1.score(now).total_cmp(&dir2.score(now)))
+            })
+        });
+        self.with_dirty_mut(|dirty| *dirty = true);
+    }
+
     pub fn dirty(&self) -> bool {
         *self.borrow_dirty()
     }
@@ -260,6 +278,56 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn sort_by_score_with_keywords_exact_match_wins() {
+        let now = util::current_time().unwrap();
+        let mut db = Database::new(PathBuf::default(), Vec::default(), |_| Vec::new(), false);
+
+        db.add_unchecked("/foo/baz", 100.0, now);
+        db.add_unchecked("/foo/bar", 1.0, now);
+
+        let keywords = vec!["bar".to_string()];
+
+        let baz = db.dirs()[0].score(now);
+        let bar = db.dirs()[1].score(now);
+        assert!(baz > bar);
+
+        db.sort_by_score_with_keywords(&keywords, now);
+
+        let dirs = db.dirs();
+        assert_eq!(dirs.last().unwrap().path.as_ref(), "/foo/bar");
+        assert!((dirs.last().unwrap().rank - 1.0).abs() < 0.01);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn sort_by_score_with_keywords_highest_score_wins_without_exact_match() {
+        let now = util::current_time().unwrap();
+        let mut db = Database::new(PathBuf::default(), Vec::default(), |_| Vec::new(), false);
+
+        db.add_unchecked("/foo/baz", 100.0, now);
+        db.add_unchecked("/foo/bar", 1.0, now);
+
+        let keywords = vec!["foo".to_string()];
+        db.sort_by_score_with_keywords(&keywords, now);
+
+        let dirs = db.dirs();
+        assert_eq!(dirs.last().unwrap().path.as_ref(), "/foo/baz");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn sort_by_score_with_keywords_both_exact_match_frecency_breaks_tie() {
+        let now = util::current_time().unwrap();
+        let mut db = Database::new(PathBuf::default(), Vec::default(), |_| Vec::new(), false);
+
+        db.add_unchecked("/foo/bar", 1.0, now);
+        db.add_unchecked("/baz/bar", 100.0, now);
+
+        let keywords = vec!["bar".to_string()];
+        db.sort_by_score_with_keywords(&keywords, now);
+
+        assert_eq!(db.dirs().last().unwrap().path.as_ref(), "/baz/bar");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn remove() {
         let data_dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
diff --git a/src/db/stream.rs b/src/db/stream.rs
index 24c84e0..febd43c 100644
--- a/src/db/stream.rs
+++ b/src/db/stream.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,14 @@ pub struct Stream<'a> {
 
 impl<'a> Stream<'a> {
     pub fn new(db: &'a mut Database, options: StreamOptions) -> Self {
-        db.sort_by_score(options.now);
+        let now = options.now;
+        let keywords = &options.keywords;
+
+        if options.prefer_exact_match {
+            db.sort_by_score_with_keywords(keywords, now);
+        } else {
+            db.sort_by_score(now);
+        }
         let idxs = (0..db.dirs().len()).rev();
         Stream { db, idxs, options }
     }
@@ -129,6 +136,9 @@ pub struct StreamOptions {
     /// Only return directories within this parent directory
     /// Does not check if the path exists
     base_dir: Option<String>,
+
+    /// Whether to prefer exact matches over the match with higher score.
+    prefer_exact_match: bool,
 }
 
 impl StreamOptions {
@@ -141,6 +151,7 @@ impl StreamOptions {
             resolve_symlinks: false,
             ttl: now.saturating_sub(3 * MONTH),
             base_dir: None,
+            prefer_exact_match: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -172,6 +183,11 @@ impl StreamOptions {
         self.base_dir = base_dir;
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn with_prefer_exact_match(mut self, prefer_exact_match: bool) -> Self {
+        self.prefer_exact_match = prefer_exact_match;
+        self
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]