diff --git a/rc/bin/man b/rc/bin/man
--- a/rc/bin/man
+++ b/rc/bin/man
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ fn page {
 
 
 search=yes
+fpath=no
 while(~ $d 0) {
 	if(~ $#* 0) {
 		echo 'Usage: man [-bntpPSw] [0-9] [0-9] ... name1 name2 ...' >[1=2]
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ while(~ $d 0) {
 	if not
 		switch($1) {
 		case -b ; cmd=b ; shift
+		case -f ; fpath=yes ; shift
 		case -n ; cmd=n ; shift
 		case -P ; cmd=P ; shift
 		case -p ; cmd=p ; shift
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ ix=$S/$sec/INDEX
 if(~ $#* 1) pat='^'^$1^' '
 if not pat='^('^`{echo $* | sed 's/ /|/g'}^') '
 fils=()
-if(~ $search yes)
+if(~ $search yes && ~ $fpath no)
 for(i in $S/$sec){
 	if(/bin/test -f $i/INDEX){
 		try=`{grep -i $pat $i/INDEX | sed 's/^[^ ]* //' | sort -u}
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ for(i in $S/$sec){
 	}
 }
 # bug: should also do following loop if not all pages found
-if(~ $#fils 0) {
+if(~ $#fils 0 && ~ $fpath no) {
 	# nothing in INDEX. try for file of given name
 	for(i) {
 		if(~ $i intro) i=0intro
@@ -104,10 +106,14 @@ if(~ $#fils 0) {
 				fils=($fils $try)
 		}
 	}
-	if(~ $#fils 0) {
-		echo 'man: no manual page' >[1=2]
-		exit 'no man'
-	}
+}
+if(~ $fpath yes)
+	for(i)
+		if(/bin/test -f $i)
+			fils=($fils $i)
+if(~ $#fils 0) {
+	echo 'man: no manual page' >[1=2]
+	exit 'no man'
 }
 switch($cmd) {
 case p; out=proof