diff --git a/internal/buffer/buffer.go b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
index ca287d0b18..077ec8c935 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/buffer.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
@@ -765,9 +765,15 @@ func (b *Buffer) UpdateRules() {
 		if length > 0 {
 			signatureMatch := false
 			if length > 1 {
+				detectlimit := util.IntOpt(b.Settings["detectlimit"])
+				lineCount := len(b.lines)
+				limit := lineCount
+				if detectlimit > 0 && lineCount > detectlimit {
+					limit = detectlimit
+				}
 				for i := 0; i < length && !signatureMatch; i++ {
 					if syntaxFiles[i].header.HasFileSignature() {
-						for j := 0; j < 100 && !signatureMatch; j++ {
+						for j := 0; j < limit && !signatureMatch; j++ {
 							if syntaxFiles[i].header.MatchFileSignature(b.lines[j].data) {
 								syntaxFile = syntaxFiles[i].fileName
 								b.SyntaxDef = syntaxFiles[i].syntaxDef
diff --git a/internal/config/settings.go b/internal/config/settings.go
index 78db9427b0..393c084e23 100644
--- a/internal/config/settings.go
+++ b/internal/config/settings.go
@@ -44,14 +44,15 @@ func init() {
 var optionValidators = map[string]optionValidator{
 	"autosave":     validateNonNegativeValue,
 	"clipboard":    validateClipboard,
-	"tabsize":      validatePositiveValue,
-	"scrollmargin": validateNonNegativeValue,
-	"scrollspeed":  validateNonNegativeValue,
-	"colorscheme":  validateColorscheme,
 	"colorcolumn":  validateNonNegativeValue,
-	"fileformat":   validateLineEnding,
+	"colorscheme":  validateColorscheme,
+	"detectlimit":  validateNonNegativeValue,
 	"encoding":     validateEncoding,
+	"fileformat":   validateLineEnding,
 	"multiopen":    validateMultiOpen,
+	"scrollmargin": validateNonNegativeValue,
+	"scrollspeed":  validateNonNegativeValue,
+	"tabsize":      validatePositiveValue,
 }
 
 func ReadSettings() error {
@@ -279,6 +280,7 @@ var defaultCommonSettings = map[string]interface{}{
 	"basename":       false,
 	"colorcolumn":    float64(0),
 	"cursorline":     true,
+	"detectlimit":    float64(100),
 	"diffgutter":     false,
 	"encoding":       "utf-8",
 	"eofnewline":     true,
diff --git a/runtime/help/options.md b/runtime/help/options.md
index da3f0bd4f6..37260f6bef 100644
--- a/runtime/help/options.md
+++ b/runtime/help/options.md
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ Here are the available options:
 
 	default value: `true`
 
+* `detectlimit`: if this is not set to 0, it will limit the amount of first
+   lines in a file that are matched to determine the filetype.
+   A higher limit means better accuracy of guessing the filetype, but also
+   taking more time.
+
+   default value: `100`
+
 * `diffgutter`: display diff indicators before lines.
 
 	default value: `false`
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/README.md b/runtime/syntax/README.md
index e97a4f77ed..5bcbf1380e 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/README.md
+++ b/runtime/syntax/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Here are micro's syntax files.
 
-Each yaml file specifies how to detect the filetype based on file extension or given signature. The signature can be matched to a maximum of 100 lines (to limit parse times) for a best "guess".
+Each yaml file specifies how to detect the filetype based on file extension or given signature. The signature can be matched to all available lines of the file or to the value defined with the option `detectlimit` (to limit parse times) for a best "guess".
 Then there are patterns and regions linked to highlight groups which tell micro how to highlight that filetype.
 
 Making your own syntax files is very simple. I recommend you check the file after you are finished with the