README.md | 6 ++++++
 nnn.1     | 6 ++++++
 nnn.c     | 6 +++++-

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index acc500ef858cabbf442fdbccc4ea6b1567465623..5540e6965ca47f90bcacecb70165a46a5fb3c090 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -353,6 +353,12 @@ #### set idle timeout
 
 The terminal screensaver is disabled by default. To set the wait time in seconds, use environment variable `NNN_IDLE_TIMEOUT`.
 
+#### open file in new process and make the nnn not block
+
+The desktop file opener should take care of opening files in new processes without causing `nnn` to block.
+If `nnn` does block/freeze when a file is open, then set the environment variable `NNN_NOWAIT` to any
+non-zero value.
+
 ### Why fork?
 
 I chose to fork because:
diff --git a/nnn.1 b/nnn.1
index 9ad5c824245021b4f4a8c71ccab25c2cf92bb82e..13d7c35168199095174457ac2edda733f1ea4871 100644
--- a/nnn.1
+++ b/nnn.1
@@ -207,6 +207,12 @@
         echo -n $1 | xsel --clipboard --input
         -------------------------------------
 .Ed
+.Pp
+\fBNNN_NOWAIT:\fR make nnn not block while a file is open. Only necessary if
+nnn is blocking while a file is open.
+.Bd -literal
+	export NNN_NOWAIT=1
+.Ed
 .Sh KNOWN ISSUES
 If you are using urxvt you might have to set backspacekey to DEC.
 .Sh AUTHORS
diff --git a/nnn.c b/nnn.c
index 3b0ac02a5448ae8f46518880f99f34ae089a9275..1b1ba40898587e1540417fb2e439f1947b5045e3 100644
--- a/nnn.c
+++ b/nnn.c
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ static char *player;
 static char *copier;
 static char *editor;
 static char *desktop_manager;
+static char nowait;
 static blkcnt_t ent_blocks;
 static blkcnt_t dir_blocks;
 static ulong num_files;
@@ -2211,7 +2212,7 @@ 					}
 				}
 
 				/* Invoke desktop opener as last resort */
-				spawn(utils[2], newpath, NULL, NULL, F_NOTRACE);
+				spawn(utils[2], newpath, NULL, NULL, nowait);
 				continue;
 			}
 			default:
@@ -2862,6 +2863,9 @@ 		idletimeout = abs(atoi(copier));
 
 	/* Get the default copier, if set */
 	copier = getenv("NNN_COPIER");
+
+	/* Get nowait flag */
+	nowait = F_NOTRACE | (getenv("NNN_NOWAIT") ? F_NOWAIT : 0);
 
 	signal(SIGINT, SIG_IGN);