diff --git a/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md b/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md
index a40cfc7fd..f0803d5bf 100644
--- a/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md
+++ b/doc/man/man1/ncls.1.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ ncls - List paths with rendering of multimedia
 
 # SYNOPSIS
 
-**ncls** [**-h**] [**-d**] [**-l**] [**-R**] [ paths ]
+**ncls** [**-h**] [**-d**] [**-l**] [**-L**] [**-R**] [ paths ]
 
 # DESCRIPTION
 
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ ncls - List paths with rendering of multimedia
 
 **-l**: use a long listing format.
 
+**-L**: when showing file information for a symbolic link, show information for  the file the link references rather than for the link itself.
+
 **-R**: list subdirectories recursively.
 
 **-h**: Print help information, and exit with success.
diff --git a/src/ls/main.cpp b/src/ls/main.cpp
index 751d164d3..2d921d0ff 100644
--- a/src/ls/main.cpp
+++ b/src/ls/main.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <ncpp/NotCurses.hh>
 
@@ -8,18 +10,77 @@ usage(std::ostream& os, const char* name, int code){
   os << "usage: " << name << " -h | [ -lR ] paths...\n";
   os << " -d: list directories themselves, not their contents\n";
   os << " -l: use a long listing format\n";
+  os << " -L: dereference symlink arguments\n";
   os << " -R: list subdirectories recursively\n";
   os << " -h: print usage information\n";
   os << std::flush;
   exit(code);
 }
 
-int main(int argc, char** argv){
+// handle a single inode of arbitrary type
+static int
+handle_inode(const char* p, const struct stat* st, bool longlisting){
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// if |directories| is true, only print details of |p|, and return. otherwise,
+// if |recursedirs| or |toplevel| is set, we will recurse, passing false as
+// toplevel (but preserving |recursedirs|).
+static int
+handle_dir(const char* p, const struct stat* st, bool longlisting,
+           bool recursedirs, bool directories, bool toplevel){
+  if(directories){
+    return handle_inode(p, st, longlisting);
+  }
+  std::cout << "DIRECTORY: " << p << std::endl; // FIXME handle directory (recursedirs, directories)
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// handle a directory path *listed on the command line*.
+static inline int
+handle_cmdline_dir(const char* p, const struct stat* st, bool longlisting,
+                   bool recursedirs, bool directories){
+  return handle_dir(p, st, longlisting, recursedirs, directories, true);
+}
+
+static int
+handle_path(const char* p, bool longlisting, bool recursedirs,
+            bool directories, bool dereflinks){
+  struct stat st;
+  if(stat(p, &st)){
+    std::cerr << "Error running stat(" << p << "): " << strerror(errno) << std::endl;
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if((st.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFDIR){
+    return handle_cmdline_dir(p, &st, longlisting, recursedirs, directories);
+  }else if((st.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFLNK){
+    std::cout << p << std::endl; // FIXME handle symlink (dereflinks)
+  }else if((st.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFREG){
+    std::cout << p << std::endl; // FIXME handle normal file
+  }else{
+    // FIXME handle weirdo
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static int
+list_paths(const char* const * argv, bool longlisting, bool recursedirs,
+           bool directories, bool dereflinks){
+  int ret = 0;
+  while(*argv){
+    ret |= handle_path(*argv, longlisting, recursedirs, directories, dereflinks);
+    ++argv;
+  }
+  return ret;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char* const * argv){
   bool longlisting = false;
   bool recursedirs = false;
   bool directories = false;
+  bool dereflinks = false;
   int c;
-  while((c = getopt(argc, argv, "dhlR")) != -1){
+  while((c = getopt(argc, argv, "dhlLR")) != -1){
     switch(c){
       case 'd':
         directories = true;
@@ -27,6 +88,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv){
       case 'l':
         longlisting = true;
         break;
+      case 'L':
+        dereflinks = true;
+        break;
       case 'R':
         recursedirs = true;
         break;
@@ -38,10 +102,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv){
         break;
     }
   }
-  // FIXME if argv[optind] == nullptr, pass "."
-  while(argv[optind]){
-    std::cout << "arg: " << argv[optind] << std::endl;
-    ++optind;
-  }
+  static const char* const default_args[] = { ".", nullptr };
+  list_paths(argv[optind] ? argv + optind : default_args, longlisting,
+             recursedirs, directories, dereflinks);
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }