diff --git a/menu_block.admin.inc b/menu_block.admin.inc
index 2717b45..df83b72 100644
--- a/menu_block.admin.inc
+++ b/menu_block.admin.inc
@@ -411,6 +411,12 @@ function menu_block_configure_form($form, &$form_state) {
       ),
     ),
   );
+  $form['include_parent'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'checkbox',
+    '#title' => t('Include Parent'),
+    '#default_value' => $config['include_parent'],
+    '#description' => t('Should this block include the parent as the starting level?'),
+  );
   $form['depth'] = array(
     '#type' => 'select',
     '#title' => t('Maximum depth'),
@@ -501,6 +507,7 @@ function _menu_block_block_save($delta = '', $edit = array()) {
     variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_title_link", $edit['title_link']);
     variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_admin_title", $edit['admin_title']);
     variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_parent", $edit['parent']);
+    variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_include_parent", $edit['include_parent']);
     variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_level", $edit['level']);
     variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_follow", $edit['follow']);
     variable_set("menu_block_{$delta}_depth", $edit['depth']);
diff --git a/menu_block.module b/menu_block.module
index 951db07..400ecee 100644
--- a/menu_block.module
+++ b/menu_block.module
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ function menu_block_get_config($delta = NULL) {
     'parent_mlid' => 0,
     'title_link'  => 0,
     'admin_title' => '',
+    'include_parent' => 0,
     'level'       => 1,
     'follow'      => 0,
     'depth'       => 0,
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ function menu_block_get_config($delta = NULL) {
     $config['depth']       = variable_get("menu_block_{$delta}_depth",       $config['depth']);
     $config['expanded']    = variable_get("menu_block_{$delta}_expanded",    $config['expanded']);
     $config['sort']        = variable_get("menu_block_{$delta}_sort",        $config['sort']);
+    $config['include_parent'] = variable_get("menu_block_{$delta}_include_parent", $config['include_parent']);
     list($config['menu_name'], $config['parent_mlid']) = explode(':', variable_get("menu_block_{$delta}_parent", $config['menu_name'] . ':' . $config['parent_mlid']));
   }
 
@@ -265,10 +267,10 @@ function menu_tree_build($config) {
   if ($config['level'] > 1 || $config['parent_mlid']) {
     if ($config['parent_mlid']) {
       $parent_item = menu_link_load($config['parent_mlid']);
-      menu_tree_prune_tree($tree, $config['level'], $parent_item);
+      menu_tree_prune_tree($tree, $config['level'], $parent_item, $config['include_parent']);
     }
     else {
-      menu_tree_prune_tree($tree, $config['level']);
+      menu_tree_prune_tree($tree, $config['level'], false, $config['include_parent']);
     }
   }
 
@@ -458,7 +460,7 @@ function menu_tree_sort_active_path(&$tree) {
  * @return
  *   void
  */
-function menu_tree_prune_tree(&$tree, $level, $parent_item = FALSE) {
+function menu_tree_prune_tree(&$tree, $level, $parent_item = FALSE, $include_parent = FALSE) {
   if (!empty($parent_item)) {
     // Prune the tree along the path to the menu item.
     for ($i = 1; $i <= MENU_MAX_DEPTH && $parent_item["p$i"] != '0'; $i++) {
@@ -468,8 +470,12 @@ function menu_tree_prune_tree(&$tree, $level, $parent_item = FALSE) {
       foreach ($tree AS $key => &$value) {
         if ($tree[$key]['link']['mlid'] == $plid) {
           menu_block_set_title($tree[$key]['link']);
-          // Prune the tree to the children of this ancestor.
-          $tree = $tree[$key]['below'] ? $tree[$key]['below'] : array();
+          // Prune the tree to the children of this ancestor, unless configured to include the parent
+          if (!empty($include_parent)) {
+            $tree = array($key=>$tree[$key]);
+          } else {
+            $tree = $tree[$key]['below'] ? $tree[$key]['below'] : array();
+          }
           $found_active_trail = TRUE;
           break;
         }
@@ -490,8 +496,12 @@ function menu_tree_prune_tree(&$tree, $level, $parent_item = FALSE) {
       if ($tree[$key]['link']['in_active_trail']) {
         // Get the title for the pruned tree.
         menu_block_set_title($tree[$key]['link']);
-        // Prune the tree to the children of the item in the active trail.
-        $tree = $tree[$key]['below'] ? $tree[$key]['below'] : array();
+        // Prune the tree to the children of the item in the active trail, unless configured to include the parent
+        if (!empty($include_parent)) {
+          $tree = array($key=>$tree[$key]);
+        } else {
+          $tree = $tree[$key]['below'] ? $tree[$key]['below'] : array();
+        }
         $found_active_trail = TRUE;
         break;
       }