diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 5efe485..9fdfab1 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ def cmd_compare(opts, tmp):
                 same = False
             cnt += 1
 
-    if _workdir_enum(opts) > 0:
+    if opts.compare_workdir and _workdir_enum(opts) > 0:
         same = False
 
     LOG.log('\n{} dotfile(s) compared.'.format(cnt))
diff --git a/dotdrop/settings.py b/dotdrop/settings.py
index 54554d2..eb36cbd 100644
--- a/dotdrop/settings.py
+++ b/dotdrop/settings.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
     key_chmod_on_import = 'chmod_on_import'
     key_check_version = 'check_version'
     key_clear_workdir = 'clear_workdir'
+    key_compare_workdir = 'compare_workdir'
 
     # import keys
     key_import_actions = 'import_actions'
@@ -67,7 +68,8 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
                  template_dotfile_default=True,
                  ignore_missing_in_dotdrop=False,
                  force_chmod=False, chmod_on_import=False,
-                 check_version=False, clear_workdir=False):
+                 check_version=False, clear_workdir=False,
+                 compare_workdir=False):
         self.backup = backup
         self.banner = banner
         self.create = create
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
         self.chmod_on_import = chmod_on_import
         self.check_version = check_version
         self.clear_workdir = clear_workdir
+        self.compare_workdir = compare_workdir
 
     def _serialize_seq(self, name, dic):
         """serialize attribute 'name' into 'dic'"""
@@ -127,6 +130,7 @@ class Settings(DictParser):
             self.key_chmod_on_import: self.chmod_on_import,
             self.key_check_version: self.check_version,
             self.key_clear_workdir: self.clear_workdir,
+            self.key_compare_workdir: self.compare_workdir,
         }
         self._serialize_seq(self.key_default_actions, dic)
         self._serialize_seq(self.key_import_actions, dic)
diff --git a/tests-ng/workdir-compare.sh b/tests-ng/workdir-compare.sh
index 2be1873..ddcfe9f 100755
--- a/tests-ng/workdir-compare.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/workdir-compare.sh
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ config:
   create: true
   dotpath: dotfiles
   workdir: ${tmpw}
+  workdir_compare: true
 dotfiles:
   f_a:
     dst: ${tmpd}/a