diff --git a/weed/command/scaffold.go b/weed/command/scaffold.go
index a76466ed6..8519598b3 100644
--- a/weed/command/scaffold.go
+++ b/weed/command/scaffold.go
@@ -59,16 +59,25 @@ const (
 #    $HOME/.seaweedfs/filer.toml
 #    /etc/seaweedfs/filer.toml
 
+####################################################
+# Customizable filer server options
+####################################################
+[filer.options]
+# with http DELETE, by default the filer would check whether a folder is empty.
+# recursive_delete will delete all sub folders and files, similar to "rm -Rf"
+recursive_delete = false
+
+
+####################################################
+# The following are filer store options
+####################################################
+
 [leveldb2]
 # local on disk, mostly for simple single-machine setup, fairly scalable
 # faster than previous leveldb, recommended.
 enabled = true
 dir = "."					# directory to store level db files
 
-####################################################
-# multiple filers on shared storage, fairly scalable
-####################################################
-
 [mysql]  # or tidb
 # CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS filemeta (
 #   dirhash     BIGINT         COMMENT 'first 64 bits of MD5 hash value of directory field',
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server.go b/weed/server/filer_server.go
index 41ba81366..c703b8c6f 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server.go
@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/operation"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/pb/master_pb"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/stats"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/util"
-	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/filer2"
 	_ "github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/filer2/cassandra"
@@ -30,7 +33,6 @@ import (
 	_ "github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/notification/kafka"
 	_ "github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/notification/log"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/security"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 type FilerOption struct {
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ type FilerOption struct {
 	DefaultLevelDbDir  string
 	DisableHttp        bool
 	Port               int
+	recursiveDelete    bool
 }
 
 type FilerServer struct {
@@ -80,6 +83,7 @@ func NewFilerServer(defaultMux, readonlyMux *http.ServeMux, option *FilerOption)
 	}
 	util.LoadConfiguration("notification", false)
 
+	fs.option.recursiveDelete = v.GetBool("filer.options.recursive_delete")
 	fs.filer.LoadConfiguration(v)
 
 	notification.LoadConfiguration(v.Sub("notification"))
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server_handlers_write.go b/weed/server/filer_server_handlers_write.go
index 236e7027d..a7dcc39a0 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server_handlers_write.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server_handlers_write.go
@@ -284,6 +284,11 @@ func (fs *FilerServer) uploadToVolumeServer(r *http.Request, u *url.URL, auth se
 func (fs *FilerServer) DeleteHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	isRecursive := r.FormValue("recursive") == "true"
+	if !isRecursive && fs.option.recursiveDelete {
+		if r.FormValue("recursive") != "false" {
+			isRecursive = true
+		}
+	}
 	ignoreRecursiveError := r.FormValue("ignoreRecursiveError") == "true"
 	skipChunkDeletion := r.FormValue("skipChunkDeletion") == "true"