diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index 95ed228bd..c0d1d74e3 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -492,6 +492,18 @@ Unicode database will be matched.
 '''
     )
 
+opt('select_by_word_characters_forward', '',
+    ctype='!select_by_word_characters_forward',
+    long_text='''
+Characters considered part of a word when extending the selection forward on
+double clicking. In addition to these characters any character that is marked
+as an alphanumeric character in the Unicode database will be matched.
+
+If empty (default) :opt:`select_by_word_characters` will be used for both
+directions.
+'''
+    )
+
 opt('click_interval', '-1.0',
     option_type='float', ctype='time',
     long_text='''
diff --git a/kitty/options/parse.py b/kitty/options/parse.py
index 9eb4e557b..9037a12a0 100644
--- a/kitty/options/parse.py
+++ b/kitty/options/parse.py
@@ -1163,6 +1163,9 @@ class Parser:
     def select_by_word_characters(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['select_by_word_characters'] = str(val)
 
+    def select_by_word_characters_forward(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
+        ans['select_by_word_characters_forward'] = str(val)
+
     def selection_background(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['selection_background'] = to_color_or_none(val)
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h b/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
index 566e02aa8..ace890ccd 100644
--- a/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
+++ b/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
@@ -304,6 +304,19 @@ convert_from_opts_select_by_word_characters(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts) {
     Py_DECREF(ret);
 }
 
+static void
+convert_from_python_select_by_word_characters_forward(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
+    select_by_word_characters_forward(val, opts);
+}
+
+static void
+convert_from_opts_select_by_word_characters_forward(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts) {
+    PyObject *ret = PyObject_GetAttrString(py_opts, "select_by_word_characters_forward");
+    if (ret == NULL) return;
+    convert_from_python_select_by_word_characters_forward(ret, opts);
+    Py_DECREF(ret);
+}
+
 static void
 convert_from_python_click_interval(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
     opts->click_interval = parse_s_double_to_monotonic_t(val);
@@ -1067,6 +1080,8 @@ convert_opts_from_python_opts(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts) {
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
     convert_from_opts_select_by_word_characters(py_opts, opts);
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
+    convert_from_opts_select_by_word_characters_forward(py_opts, opts);
+    if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
     convert_from_opts_click_interval(py_opts, opts);
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) return false;
     convert_from_opts_focus_follows_mouse(py_opts, opts);
diff --git a/kitty/options/to-c.h b/kitty/options/to-c.h
index 78b09f202..0a80e8226 100644
--- a/kitty/options/to-c.h
+++ b/kitty/options/to-c.h
@@ -187,6 +187,12 @@ select_by_word_characters(PyObject *chars, Options *opts) {
     opts->select_by_word_characters = list_of_chars(chars);
 }
 
+static void
+select_by_word_characters_forward(PyObject *chars, Options *opts) {
+    free(opts->select_by_word_characters_forward);
+    opts->select_by_word_characters_forward = list_of_chars(chars);
+}
+
 static void
 tab_bar_style(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
     opts->tab_bar_hidden = PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(val, "hidden") == 0 ? true: false;
diff --git a/kitty/options/types.py b/kitty/options/types.py
index 348600484..01a4bf5a7 100644
--- a/kitty/options/types.py
+++ b/kitty/options/types.py
@@ -411,6 +411,7 @@ option_names = (  # {{{
  'scrollback_pager',
  'scrollback_pager_history_size',
  'select_by_word_characters',
+ 'select_by_word_characters_forward',
  'selection_background',
  'selection_foreground',
  'shell',
@@ -561,6 +562,7 @@ class Options:
     scrollback_pager: typing.List[str] = ['less', '--chop-long-lines', '--RAW-CONTROL-CHARS', '+INPUT_LINE_NUMBER']
     scrollback_pager_history_size: int = 0
     select_by_word_characters: str = '@-./_~?&=%+#'
+    select_by_word_characters_forward: str = ''
     selection_background: typing.Optional[kitty.fast_data_types.Color] = Color(255, 250, 205)
     selection_foreground: typing.Optional[kitty.fast_data_types.Color] = Color(0, 0, 0)
     shell: str = '.'
diff --git a/kitty/screen.c b/kitty/screen.c
index 43c7076b4..ad13e38f0 100644
--- a/kitty/screen.c
+++ b/kitty/screen.c
@@ -3222,7 +3222,15 @@ screen_selection_range_for_line(Screen *self, index_type y, index_type *start, i
 }
 
 static bool
-is_opt_word_char(char_type ch) {
+is_opt_word_char(char_type ch, bool forward) {
+    if (forward && OPT(select_by_word_characters_forward)) {
+        for (const char_type *p = OPT(select_by_word_characters_forward); *p; p++) {
+            if (ch == *p) return true;
+        }
+        if (*OPT(select_by_word_characters_forward)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
     if (OPT(select_by_word_characters)) {
         for (const char_type *p = OPT(select_by_word_characters); *p; p++) {
             if (ch == *p) return true;
@@ -3232,9 +3240,9 @@ is_opt_word_char(char_type ch) {
 }
 
 static bool
-is_char_ok_for_word_extension(Line* line, index_type x) {
+is_char_ok_for_word_extension(Line* line, index_type x, bool forward) {
     char_type ch = line->cpu_cells[x].ch;
-    if (is_word_char(ch) || is_opt_word_char(ch)) return true;
+    if (is_word_char(ch) || is_opt_word_char(ch, forward)) return true;
     // pass : from :// so that common URLs are matched
     if (ch == ':' && x + 2 < line->xnum && line->cpu_cells[x+1].ch == '/' && line->cpu_cells[x+2].ch == '/') return true;
     return false;
@@ -3247,26 +3255,26 @@ screen_selection_range_for_word(Screen *self, const index_type x, const index_ty
     Line *line = visual_line_(self, y);
     *y1 = y;
     *y2 = y;
-#define is_ok(x) is_char_ok_for_word_extension(line, x)
-    if (!is_ok(x)) {
+#define is_ok(x, forward) is_char_ok_for_word_extension(line, x, forward)
+    if (!is_ok(x, false)) {
         if (initial_selection) return false;
         *s = x; *e = x;
         return true;
     }
     start = x; end = x;
     while(true) {
-        while(start > 0 && is_ok(start - 1)) start--;
+        while(start > 0 && is_ok(start - 1, false)) start--;
         if (start > 0 || !line->attrs.continued || *y1 == 0) break;
         line = visual_line_(self, *y1 - 1);
-        if (!is_ok(self->columns - 1)) break;
+        if (!is_ok(self->columns - 1, false)) break;
         (*y1)--; start = self->columns - 1;
     }
     line = visual_line_(self, *y2);
     while(true) {
-        while(end < self->columns - 1 && is_ok(end + 1)) end++;
+        while(end < self->columns - 1 && is_ok(end + 1, true)) end++;
         if (end < self->columns - 1 || *y2 >= self->lines - 1) break;
         line = visual_line_(self, *y2 + 1);
-        if (!line->attrs.continued || !is_ok(0)) break;
+        if (!line->attrs.continued || !is_ok(0, true)) break;
         (*y2)++; end = 0;
     }
     *s = start; *e = end;
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 23d6b2f04..21f42a019 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ typedef struct {
     unsigned int scrollback_pager_history_size;
     bool scrollback_fill_enlarged_window;
     char_type *select_by_word_characters;
+    char_type *select_by_word_characters_forward;
     color_type url_color, background, foreground, active_border_color, inactive_border_color, bell_border_color, tab_bar_background, tab_bar_margin_color;
     color_type mark1_foreground, mark1_background, mark2_foreground, mark2_background, mark3_foreground, mark3_background;
     monotonic_t repaint_delay, input_delay;