diff --git a/autoload/indent_guides.vim b/autoload/indent_guides.vim
index 3a4b86d..3843a15 100644
--- a/autoload/indent_guides.vim
+++ b/autoload/indent_guides.vim
@@ -47,14 +47,18 @@ function! indent_guides#enable()
   for l:level in range(s:start_level, s:indent_levels)
     let l:group = 'IndentGuides' . ((l:level % 2 == 0) ? 'Even' : 'Odd')
     let l:column_start = (l:level - 1) * s:indent_size + 1
-    let l:soft_pattern = indent_guides#indent_highlight_pattern(g:indent_guides_soft_pattern, l:column_start, s:guide_size)
-    let l:hard_pattern = indent_guides#indent_highlight_pattern('\t', l:column_start, s:indent_size)
 
     " define the higlight patterns and add to matches list
     if g:indent_guides_space_guides
+      let l:soft_pattern = indent_guides#indent_highlight_pattern(
+            \ g:indent_guides_soft_pattern, l:column_start, s:guide_size)
       call add(w:indent_guides_matches, matchadd(l:group, l:soft_pattern))
     end
-    call add(w:indent_guides_matches, matchadd(l:group, l:hard_pattern))
+    if g:indent_guides_tab_guides
+      let l:hard_pattern = indent_guides#indent_highlight_pattern(
+            \ '\t', l:column_start, s:indent_size)
+      call add(w:indent_guides_matches, matchadd(l:group, l:hard_pattern))
+    end
   endfor
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/doc/indent_guides.txt b/doc/indent_guides.txt
index fe50cb8..6294a7f 100644
--- a/doc/indent_guides.txt
+++ b/doc/indent_guides.txt
@@ -142,6 +142,15 @@ Default: 1. Values: 0 or 1.
   let g:indent_guides_space_guides = 0
 <
 
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+                                                    *'indent_guides_tab_guides'*
+Use this option to control whether the plugin considers tabs as indention.
+
+Default: 1. Values: 0 or 1.
+>
+  let g:indent_guides_tab_guides = 0
+
+
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   *'indent_guides_soft_pattern'*
 Use this option to explicitly specify a pattern for soft indentation. For
diff --git a/plugin/indent_guides.vim b/plugin/indent_guides.vim
index 8a6dee3..c94079b 100644
--- a/plugin/indent_guides.vim
+++ b/plugin/indent_guides.vim
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_start_level', 1)
 call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_enable_on_vim_startup', 0)
 call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_debug', 0)
 call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_space_guides', 1)
+call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_tab_guides', 1)
 call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_soft_pattern', '\s')
 call s:InitVariable('g:indent_guides_default_mapping', 1)