diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 6fda5da6..e8e5564f 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ void register_options()
                        "The ncurses ui supports the following options:\n"
                        "    <key>:                        <value>:\n"
                        "    ncurses_assistant             clippy|cat|dilbert|none|off\n"
+                       "    ncurses_menu_layout           horizontal|vertical\n"
                        "    ncurses_status_on_top         bool\n"
                        "    ncurses_set_title             bool\n"
                        "    ncurses_enable_mouse          bool\n"
diff --git a/src/ncurses_ui.cc b/src/ncurses_ui.cc
index e830c012..bf4517aa 100644
--- a/src/ncurses_ui.cc
+++ b/src/ncurses_ui.cc
@@ -741,16 +741,31 @@ void NCursesUI::draw_menu()
     const LineCount mark_height = min(div_round_up(sq(win_height), menu_lines),
                                       win_height);
     const LineCount top_line = m_menu.first_item / m_menu.columns;
-    const LineCount mark_line = (win_height - mark_height) * top_line / max(1_line, menu_lines - win_height);
+
+    const int menu_cols = div_round_up(item_count, (int)m_menu.size.line);
+    const int first_col = m_menu.first_item / (int)m_menu.size.line;
+
+    const LineCount mark_line = m_menu_vertical ? (win_height - mark_height) * first_col / max(1, menu_cols - m_menu.columns) :
+                                                  (win_height - mark_height) * top_line / max(1_line, menu_lines - win_height);
+
     for (auto line = 0_line; line < win_height; ++line)
     {
         wmove(m_menu.win, (int)line, 0);
         for (int col = 0; col < m_menu.columns; ++col)
         {
-            const int item_idx = (int)(top_line + line) * m_menu.columns
-                                 + col;
-            if (item_idx >= item_count)
-                break;
+            int item_idx;
+            if (m_menu_vertical)
+            {
+                item_idx = (first_col + col) * (int)m_menu.size.line + (int)line;
+                if (item_idx >= item_count)
+                    continue;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                item_idx = (int)(top_line + line) * m_menu.columns + col;
+                if (item_idx >= item_count)
+                    break;
+            }
 
             const DisplayLine& item = m_menu.items[item_idx];
             draw_line(m_menu.win, item, 0, column_width,
@@ -883,15 +898,28 @@ void NCursesUI::menu_select(int selected)
     else
     {
         m_menu.selected_item = selected;
-        const LineCount win_height = m_menu.size.line;
-        const LineCount top_line = m_menu.first_item / m_menu.columns;
-        const LineCount menu_lines = div_round_up(item_count, m_menu.columns);
-        const LineCount selected_line = m_menu.selected_item / m_menu.columns;
-        kak_assert(menu_lines >= win_height);
-        if (selected_line < top_line)
-            m_menu.first_item = (int)selected_line * m_menu.columns;
-        if (selected_line >= top_line + win_height)
-            m_menu.first_item = (int)min(selected_line, menu_lines - win_height) * m_menu.columns;
+        if (m_menu_vertical)
+        {
+            const int menu_cols = div_round_up(item_count, (int)m_menu.size.line);
+            const int first_col = m_menu.first_item / (int)m_menu.size.line;
+            const int selected_col = m_menu.selected_item / (int)m_menu.size.line;
+            if (selected_col < first_col)
+                m_menu.first_item = selected_col * (int)m_menu.size.line;
+            if (selected_col >= first_col + m_menu.columns)
+                m_menu.first_item = min(selected_col, menu_cols - m_menu.columns) * (int)m_menu.size.line;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            const LineCount menu_lines = div_round_up(item_count, m_menu.columns);
+            const LineCount win_height = m_menu.size.line;
+            const LineCount top_line = m_menu.first_item / m_menu.columns;
+            const LineCount selected_line = m_menu.selected_item / m_menu.columns;
+            kak_assert(menu_lines >= win_height);
+            if (selected_line < top_line)
+                m_menu.first_item = (int)selected_line * m_menu.columns;
+            if (selected_line >= top_line + win_height)
+                m_menu.first_item = (int)min(selected_line, menu_lines - win_height) * m_menu.columns;
+        }
     }
     draw_menu();
 }
@@ -1229,6 +1257,11 @@ void NCursesUI::set_ui_options(const Options& options)
         m_wheel_down_button = wheel_down_it != options.end() ?
             str_to_int_ifp(wheel_down_it->value).value_or(5) : 5;
     }
+
+    {
+        auto it = options.find("ncurses_menu_layout"_sv);
+        m_menu_vertical = it != options.end() and it->value == "vertical";
+    }
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/ncurses_ui.hh b/src/ncurses_ui.hh
index 69eee61c..76b70c5b 100644
--- a/src/ncurses_ui.hh
+++ b/src/ncurses_ui.hh
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ private:
     bool m_set_title = true;
     bool m_change_colors = true;
 
+    bool m_menu_vertical = false;
+
     bool m_dirty = false;
 
     bool m_resize_pending = false;