diff --git a/doc/rg.1 b/doc/rg.1
index 1b437b94..375b4662 100644
--- a/doc/rg.1
+++ b/doc/rg.1
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ Suppress line numbers.
 .TP
 .B \-q, \-\-quiet
 Do not print anything to stdout.
+If a match is found in a file, stop searching that file.
 .RS
 .RE
 .TP
diff --git a/doc/rg.1.md b/doc/rg.1.md
index ddc563dc..4c38ddf7 100644
--- a/doc/rg.1.md
+++ b/doc/rg.1.md
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ the raw speed of grep.
 : Suppress line numbers.
 
 -q, --quiet
-: Do not print anything to stdout.
+: Do not print anything to stdout. If a match is found in a file, stop
+  searching that file.
 
 -r, --replace *ARG*
 : Replace every match with the string given. Capture group indices (e.g., $5)
diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index 72d4fdd8..5c3376a6 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ Common options:
     -n, --line-number          Show line numbers (1-based). This is enabled
                                by default at a tty.
     -N, --no-line-number       Suppress line numbers.
-    -q, --quiet                Do not print anything to stdout.
+    -q, --quiet                Do not print anything to stdout. If a match is
+                               found in a file, stop searching that file.
     -r, --replace ARG          Replace every match with the string given.
                                Capture group indices (e.g., $5) and names
                                (e.g., $foo) are supported.
diff --git a/src/printer.rs b/src/printer.rs
index 999e078a..a690eaa0 100644
--- a/src/printer.rs
+++ b/src/printer.rs
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ impl<W: Terminal + Send> Printer<W> {
         self.has_printed
     }
 
+    /// Returns true if the printer has been configured to be quiet.
+    pub fn is_quiet(&self) -> bool {
+        self.quiet
+    }
+
     /// Flushes the underlying writer and returns it.
     pub fn into_inner(mut self) -> W {
         let _ = self.wtr.flush();
diff --git a/src/search_buffer.rs b/src/search_buffer.rs
index a3edbcb0..efc66cd7 100644
--- a/src/search_buffer.rs
+++ b/src/search_buffer.rs
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ impl<'a, W: Send + Terminal> BufferSearcher<'a, W> {
                 self.print_match(m.start(), m.end());
             }
             last_end = m.end();
-            if self.opts.files_with_matches {
+            if self.printer.is_quiet() || self.opts.files_with_matches {
                 break;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/search_stream.rs b/src/search_stream.rs
index 7b661808..0b5bfaf6 100644
--- a/src/search_stream.rs
+++ b/src/search_stream.rs
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ impl<'a, R: io::Read, W: Terminal + Send> Searcher<'a, R, W> {
 
     #[inline(always)]
     fn terminate(&self) -> bool {
-        return self.opts.files_with_matches && self.match_count > 0;
+        self.match_count > 0
+        && (self.printer.is_quiet() || self.opts.files_with_matches)
     }
 
     #[inline(always)]