diff --git a/memo.conf b/memo.conf
index 9abcab6..f384afb 100644
--- a/memo.conf
+++ b/memo.conf
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ timestamp_format=%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S
 # Display titles instead of filenames when available
 use_titles=yes
 
+# For files within an archive, only show the most recent entry per archive
+# This also opens the archive itself, not the file within the archive, when opened from memo's menu
+# In other words, memo won't track files within archives, but the archive itself instead
+collapse_archive_entries=no
+
 # Truncate titles to n characters, 0 to disable
 truncate_titles=60
 
@@ -49,4 +54,4 @@ close_binding=LEFT ESC
 #   Opening the file "/data/TV Shows/Comedy/Curb Your Enthusiasm/S4/E06.mkv" will
 #   lead to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" to be shown in the directory menu. Opening
 #   of that entry will then open that file again.
-path_prefixes=pattern:.*
\ No newline at end of file
+path_prefixes=pattern:.*
diff --git a/memo.lua b/memo.lua
index 9eebda7..3b48c27 100644
--- a/memo.lua
+++ b/memo.lua
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ local options = {
     --   Opening the file "/data/TV Shows/Comedy/Curb Your Enthusiasm/S4/E06.mkv" will
     --   lead to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" to be shown in the directory menu. Opening
     --   of that entry will then open that file again.
-    path_prefixes = "pattern:.*"
+    path_prefixes = "pattern:.*",
+
+    -- Only show the most-recent entry per archive
+    -- and open the archive itself (no inner-file) when selected.
+    collapse_archive_entries = false
 }
 
 function parse_path_prefixes(path_prefixes)
@@ -939,6 +943,31 @@ function show_history(entries, next_page, prev_page, update, return_items)
         local full_path = file_info:sub(title_length + 2)
 
         local display_path, save_path, effective_path, effective_protocol, is_remote, file_options = path_info(full_path)
+
+        -- detect archive base file from the raw history full_path string
+        local archive_base = nil
+        if full_path and full_path:find("^archive://") then
+            archive_base = full_path:match("^archive://(.+)")
+            if archive_base then
+                archive_base = archive_base:gsub("%%7C", "|")
+                archive_base = archive_base:match("^(.-)|") or archive_base
+            end
+        end
+
+        -- if collapse_archive_entries is enabled and this entry is from an archive:
+        -- 1. existence checks apply to the archive file (not inner file)
+        -- 2. duplicates are collapsed per-archive (not per-inner-file)
+        if options.collapse_archive_entries and archive_base then
+            local ok_normalized = pcall(function()
+                effective_path = normalize(archive_base)
+            end)
+            if not ok_normalized then
+                effective_path = archive_base
+            end
+            save_path = effective_path
+            display_path = archive_base
+        end
+        
         local cache_key = effective_path .. display_path .. (file_options or "")
 
         if options.hide_duplicates and state.known_files[cache_key] then
@@ -1017,6 +1046,13 @@ function show_history(entries, next_page, prev_page, update, return_items)
             title = ""
         end
 
+        -- if collapsing archive entries, prefer the archive's filename as the title
+        if options.collapse_archive_entries and archive_base then
+            local _, archive_basename = mp.utils.split_path(archive_base)
+            archive_basename = archive_basename and archive_basename ~= "" and archive_basename or title
+            title = archive_basename
+        end
+
         if dir_menu then
             title = basename
         elseif title == "" then
@@ -1100,6 +1136,13 @@ function show_history(entries, next_page, prev_page, update, return_items)
 
         local command = {"loadfile", full_path, "replace"}
 
+        -- if collapse_archive_entries is enabled, open the archive file itself (no inner path / no archive://)
+        if options.collapse_archive_entries and archive_base then
+            local archive_to_open = archive_base
+            local ok_norm = pcall(function() archive_to_open = normalize(archive_to_open) end)
+            command = {"loadfile", archive_to_open, "replace"}
+        end
+
         if file_options then
             command[2] = display_path
             for _, arg in ipairs(loadfile_compat(file_options)) do