diff --git a/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c b/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c
index 7266ff591d722404af9131939d79fbf06eba519c..6ac2ac0ebabe27a4c67b50258a6daf71355a2e27 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c
+++ b/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c
@@ -918,6 +918,19 @@ thunar_preferences_dialog_init (ThunarPreferencesDialog *dialog)
   /* next row */
   row++;
 
+  button = gtk_check_button_new_with_mnemonic (_("Split panes vertically instead of horizontally"));
+  g_object_bind_property (G_OBJECT (dialog->preferences),
+                          "misc-vertical-split-pane",
+                          G_OBJECT (button),
+                          "active",
+                          G_BINDING_BIDIRECTIONAL | G_BINDING_SYNC_CREATE);
+  gtk_widget_set_tooltip_text (button, _("Select this option to split panes vertically instead of horizontally."));
+  gtk_grid_attach (GTK_GRID (grid), button, 0, row, 1, 1);
+  gtk_widget_show (button);
+
+  /* next row */
+  row++;
+
   button = gtk_check_button_new_with_mnemonic (_("Open new thunar instances as tabs"));
   g_object_bind_property (G_OBJECT (dialog->preferences),
                           "misc-open-new-window-as-tab",
diff --git a/thunar/thunar-preferences.c b/thunar/thunar-preferences.c
index 3d97d22d34c5e58e38ca4394388a132fac2ce470..fbc00d2f311bf1a52789adf0eb6c1e2a5701616f 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-preferences.c
+++ b/thunar/thunar-preferences.c
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ enum
   PROP_TREE_ICON_EMBLEMS,
   PROP_TREE_ICON_SIZE,
   PROP_MISC_SWITCH_TO_NEW_TAB,
+  PROP_MISC_VERTICAL_SPLIT_PANE,
   N_PROPERTIES,
 };
 
@@ -1035,6 +1036,21 @@ thunar_preferences_class_init (ThunarPreferencesClass *klass)
                             TRUE,
                             EXO_PARAM_READWRITE);
 
+
+
+  /**
+   * ThunarPreferences:misc-vertical-split-pane
+   *
+   * If true, split the thunar window vertically instead of horizontally
+   * when splitting the thunar window into two panes.
+   **/
+  preferences_props[PROP_MISC_VERTICAL_SPLIT_PANE] =
+    g_param_spec_boolean ("misc-vertical-split-pane",
+                          "MiscVerticalSplitPane",
+                          NULL,
+                          FALSE,
+                          EXO_PARAM_READWRITE);
+
   /* install all properties */
   g_object_class_install_properties (gobject_class, N_PROPERTIES, preferences_props);
 }
diff --git a/thunar/thunar-window.c b/thunar/thunar-window.c
index 52cd62cd4faa0cc4f1087209bfdec57a5692d731..812b5c43237e3160dfe0fcf46cd9322ff3a3151c 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-window.c
+++ b/thunar/thunar-window.c
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ static void      thunar_window_trash_selection_updated         (ThunarWindow
 static void      thunar_window_recent_reload                   (GtkRecentManager       *recent_manager,
                                                                 ThunarWindow           *window);
 static void      thunar_window_catfish_dialog_configure        (GtkWidget              *entry);
+static gboolean  thunar_window_paned_notebooks_update_orientation (ThunarWindow *window);
 
 
 
@@ -849,6 +850,9 @@ thunar_window_init (ThunarWindow *window)
 
   /* split view: Create panes where the two notebooks */
   window->paned_notebooks = gtk_paned_new (GTK_ORIENTATION_HORIZONTAL);
+  g_signal_connect_swapped (window->preferences, "notify::misc-vertical-split-pane", G_CALLBACK (thunar_window_paned_notebooks_update_orientation), window);
+  thunar_window_paned_notebooks_update_orientation (window);
+
   gtk_paned_add2 (GTK_PANED (window->paned), window->view_box);
   gtk_widget_add_events (window->paned_notebooks, GDK_ENTER_NOTIFY_MASK | GDK_LEAVE_NOTIFY_MASK | GDK_BUTTON_PRESS_MASK);
   gtk_grid_attach (GTK_GRID (window->view_box), window->paned_notebooks, 0, 1, 1, 2);
@@ -2561,6 +2565,22 @@ thunar_window_split_view_is_active (ThunarWindow *window)
   return (window->notebook_left && window->notebook_right);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+thunar_window_paned_notebooks_update_orientation (ThunarWindow *window)
+{
+  gboolean vertical_split_panes;
+
+  _thunar_return_val_if_fail (THUNAR_IS_WINDOW (window), FALSE);
+
+  g_object_get (G_OBJECT (window->preferences), "misc-vertical-split-pane", &vertical_split_panes, NULL);
+
+  if (vertical_split_panes)
+    gtk_orientable_set_orientation (GTK_ORIENTABLE (window->paned_notebooks), GTK_ORIENTATION_VERTICAL);
+  else
+    gtk_orientable_set_orientation (GTK_ORIENTABLE (window->paned_notebooks), GTK_ORIENTATION_HORIZONTAL);
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
 
 
 void