diff --git a/cmd/micro/cellview.go b/cmd/micro/cellview.go
index c33d2925..9c50856e 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/cellview.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/cellview.go
@@ -73,9 +73,20 @@ func (c *CellView) Draw(buf *Buffer, top, height, left, width int) {
 	// bracePairs is defined in buffer.go
 	if buf.Settings["matchbrace"].(bool) {
 		for _, bp := range bracePairs {
-			r := buf.Cursor.RuneUnder(buf.Cursor.X)
-			if r == bp[0] || r == bp[1] {
+			if buf.Cursor.RuneUnder(buf.Cursor.X) == bp[0] {
 				matchingBrace = buf.FindMatchingBrace(bp, buf.Cursor.Loc)
+				break
+			}
+			left := buf.Cursor.Loc.X
+			if buf.Settings["matchbraceleft"].(bool) {
+				left -= 1
+				if left < 0 {
+					left = 0
+				}
+			}
+			if buf.Cursor.RuneUnder(left) == bp[1] {
+				matchingBrace = buf.FindMatchingBrace(
+					bp, Loc{X: left, Y: buf.Cursor.Loc.Y})
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/micro/settings.go b/cmd/micro/settings.go
index cf1b2093..9466227e 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/settings.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/settings.go
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ func DefaultGlobalSettings() map[string]interface{} {
 		"keepautoindent": false,
 		"keymenu":        false,
 		"matchbrace":     false,
+		"matchbraceleft": false,
 		"mouse":          true,
 		"pluginchannels": []string{"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/micro-editor/plugin-channel/master/channel.json"},
 		"pluginrepos":    []string{},
@@ -257,6 +258,7 @@ func DefaultLocalSettings() map[string]interface{} {
 		"indentchar":     " ",
 		"keepautoindent": false,
 		"matchbrace":     false,
+		"matchbraceleft": false,
 		"rmtrailingws":   false,
 		"ruler":          true,
 		"savecursor":     false,
diff --git a/runtime/help/options.md b/runtime/help/options.md
index 3ef67a06..a767f5bd 100644
--- a/runtime/help/options.md
+++ b/runtime/help/options.md
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@ Here are the options that you can set:
 
     default value: `false`
 
+* `matchbraceleft`: when matching a closing brace, should matching match the
+   brace directly under the cursor, or the character to the left? only matters
+   if `matchbrace` is true
+
+    default value: `false`
+
 * `syntax`: turns syntax on or off.
 
 	default value: `true`