diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
index ec8465c25..e60b7550c 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ asInit d reset ui@UIState{
                         as = map asItemAccountName displayitems
 
     uopts' = uopts{cliopts_=copts{reportopts_=ropts'}}
-    ropts' = ropts{accountlistmode_=if flat_ ropts then ALFlat else ALTree}
+    ropts' = ropts{accountlistmode_=if tree_ ropts then ALTree else ALFlat}
 
     q = queryFromOpts d ropts
 
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ asInit d reset ui@UIState{
     displayitem (fullacct, shortacct, indent, bal) =
       AccountsScreenItem{asItemIndentLevel        = indent
                         ,asItemAccountName        = fullacct
-                        ,asItemDisplayAccountName = replaceHiddenAccountsNameWith "All" $ if flat_ ropts' then fullacct else shortacct
+                        ,asItemDisplayAccountName = replaceHiddenAccountsNameWith "All" $ if tree_ ropts' then shortacct else fullacct 
                         ,asItemRenderedAmounts    = map showAmountWithoutPrice amts -- like showMixedAmountOneLineWithoutPrice
                         }
       where
@@ -219,10 +219,10 @@ asDraw UIState{aopts=UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts}}
                ,if ishistorical
                 then selectedstr "historical" <+> str "/period"
                 else str "historical/" <+> selectedstr "period")
-              ,("F"
-               ,if flat_ ropts
-                then str "tree/" <+> selectedstr "flat"
-                else selectedstr "tree" <+> str "/flat")
+              ,("T"
+               ,if tree_ ropts
+                then str "flat/" <+> selectedstr "tree" 
+                else selectedstr "flat" <+> str "/tree")
               ,("-+", str "depth")
               --,("/", "filter")
               --,("DEL", "unfilter")
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ asHandle ui0@UIState{
 
         -- display mode/query toggles
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'H') []) -> asCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleHistorical ui
-        VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'F') []) -> asCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleFlat ui
+        VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'T') []) -> asCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleTree ui
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'Z') []) -> asCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleEmpty ui
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'R') []) -> asCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleReal ui
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'U') []) -> asCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleUnmarked ui
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
index 64b127109..c8508f20f 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/RegisterScreen.hs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ rsInit d reset ui@UIState{aopts=UIOpts{cliopts_=CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts}}, ajo
   where
     -- gather arguments and queries
     -- XXX temp
-    inclusive = not (flat_ ropts) || rsForceInclusive
+    inclusive = tree_ ropts || rsForceInclusive
     thisacctq = Acct $ (if inclusive then accountNameToAccountRegex else accountNameToAccountOnlyRegex) rsAccount
     ropts' = ropts{
                depth_=Nothing
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ rsDraw UIState{aopts=UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts}}
 
       where
         ishistorical = balancetype_ ropts == HistoricalBalance
-        inclusive = not (flat_ ropts) || rsForceInclusive
+        inclusive = tree_ ropts || rsForceInclusive
 
         toplabel =
               withAttr ("border" <> "bold") (str $ T.unpack $ replaceHiddenAccountsNameWith "All" rsAccount)
@@ -233,10 +233,10 @@ rsDraw UIState{aopts=UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts}}
                ,if ishistorical
                 then selectedstr "historical" <+> str "/period"
                 else str "historical/" <+> selectedstr "period")
-              ,("F"
+              ,("T"
                ,if inclusive
-                then selectedstr "inclusive" <+> str "/exclusive"
-                else str "inclusive/" <+> selectedstr "exclusive")
+                then str "this/" <+> selectedstr "+subs" 
+                else selectedstr "this" <+> str "/+subs")
 --               ,("a", "add")
 --               ,("g", "reload")
 --               ,("q", "quit")
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ rsHandle ui@UIState{
 
         -- display mode/query toggles
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'H') []) -> rsCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleHistorical ui
-        VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'F') []) -> rsCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleFlat ui
+        VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'T') []) -> rsCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleTree ui
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'Z') []) -> rsCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleEmpty ui
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'R') []) -> rsCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleReal ui
         VtyEvent (EvKey (KChar 'U') []) -> rsCenterAndContinue $ regenerateScreens j d $ toggleUnmarked ui
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIOptions.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIOptions.hs
index daa0e1ec4..cc989ee7b 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIOptions.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIOptions.hs
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ uiflags = [
   --   "show balance change accumulated across periods (in multicolumn reports)"
   -- ,flagNone ["historical","H"] (\opts -> setboolopt "historical" opts)
   --   "show historical ending balance in each period (includes postings before report start date)\n "
-  ,flagNone ["flat"] (\opts -> setboolopt "flat" opts) "show full account names, unindented"
+  ,flagNone ["flat","F"] (\opts -> setboolopt "flat" opts) "show full account names, unindented (default)"
+  ,flagNone ["tree","T"] (\opts -> setboolopt "tree" opts) "show accounts as a tree"
   -- ,flagReq ["drop"] (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "drop" s opts) "N" "with --flat, omit this many leading account name components"
   -- ,flagReq  ["format"] (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "format" s opts) "FORMATSTR" "use this custom line format"
   -- ,flagNone ["no-elide"] (\opts -> setboolopt "no-elide" opts) "don't compress empty parent accounts on one line"
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs
index 45ebbf1a0..d03cf4e43 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIState.hs
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ toggleEmpty ui@UIState{aopts=uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportopts_=rop
   where
     toggleEmpty ropts = ropts{empty_=not $ empty_ ropts}
 
--- | Toggle between flat and tree mode. If in the third "default" mode, go to flat mode.
-toggleFlat :: UIState -> UIState
-toggleFlat ui@UIState{aopts=uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts}}} =
-  ui{aopts=uopts{cliopts_=copts{reportopts_=toggleFlatMode ropts}}}
+-- | Toggle between flat and tree mode. If current mode is unspecified/default, assume it's flat.
+toggleTree :: UIState -> UIState
+toggleTree ui@UIState{aopts=uopts@UIOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts}}} =
+  ui{aopts=uopts{cliopts_=copts{reportopts_=toggleTreeMode ropts}}}
   where
-    toggleFlatMode ropts@ReportOpts{accountlistmode_=ALFlat} = ropts{accountlistmode_=ALTree}
-    toggleFlatMode ropts = ropts{accountlistmode_=ALFlat}
+    toggleTreeMode ropts@ReportOpts{accountlistmode_=ALTree} = ropts{accountlistmode_=ALFlat}
+    toggleTreeMode ropts = ropts{accountlistmode_=ALTree}
 
 -- | Toggle between historical balances and period balances.
 toggleHistorical :: UIState -> UIState
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs
index fa79cd44d..b325f9afb 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/UIUtils.hs
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ helpDialog copts =
                   ,str "accounts screen:"
                   ,renderKey ("-+0123456789", "set depth limit")
                   ,renderKey ("H", "toggle period balance (shows change) or\nhistorical balance (includes older postings)")
-                  ,renderKey ("F", "toggle tree (amounts include subaccounts) or\nflat mode (amounts exclude subaccounts\nexcept when account is depth-clipped)")
+                  ,renderKey ("T", "toggle tree (amounts include subaccounts) or\nflat mode (amounts exclude subaccounts\nexcept at depth limit)")
                   ,str " "
                   ,str "register screen:"
                   ,renderKey ("H", "toggle period or historical total")
-                  ,renderKey ("F", "toggle subaccount transaction inclusion\n(and tree/flat mode)")
+                  ,renderKey ("T", "toggle inclusion of subaccount transactions\n(and tree/flat mode on accounts screen)")
                 ]
              ]
 --           ,vBox [
diff --git a/hledger-ui/hledger-ui.m4.md b/hledger-ui/hledger-ui.m4.md
index 1b17fd127..a8106b2e1 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/hledger-ui.m4.md
+++ b/hledger-ui/hledger-ui.m4.md
@@ -66,8 +66,11 @@ Any QUERYARGS are interpreted as a hledger search query which filters the data.
 `--change`
 : show period balances (changes) at startup instead of historical balances 
 
-`--flat`
-: show full account names, unindented
+`-F --flat`
+: show full account names, unindented (default)
+
+`-T --tree`
+: show accounts as a tree
 
 hledger input options:
 
@@ -156,15 +159,14 @@ It lists accounts and their balances, like hledger's balance command.
 By default, it shows all accounts and their latest ending balances (including the balances of subaccounts).
 if you specify a query on the command line, it shows just the matched accounts and the balances from matched transactions.
 
-Account names are normally indented to show the hierarchy (tree mode).
-To see less detail, set a depth limit by pressing a number key, `1` to `9`.
-`0` shows even less detail, collapsing all accounts to a single total.
-`-` and `+` (or `=`) decrease and increase the depth limit.
-To remove the depth limit, set it higher than the maximum account depth, or press `ESCAPE`.
+Account names are shown as a flat list by default. Press `T` to toggle tree mode. 
+In flat mode, account balances are exclusive of subaccounts, except where subaccounts are hidden by a depth limit (see below).
+In tree mode, all account balances are inclusive of subaccounts.
 
-`F` toggles flat mode, in which accounts are shown as a flat list, with their full names.
-In this mode, account balances exclude subaccounts, except for accounts at the depth limit 
-(as with hledger's balance command). 
+To see less detail, press a number key, `1` to `9`, to set a depth limit.
+Or use `-` to decrease and `+`/`=` to increase the depth limit.
+`0` shows even less detail, collapsing all accounts to a single total.
+To remove the depth limit, set it higher than the maximum account depth, or press `ESCAPE`.
 
 `H` toggles between showing historical balances or period balances.
 Historical balances (the default) are ending balances at the end of the report period, 
@@ -209,13 +211,11 @@ Similar to the accounts screen, the historical total is affected by transactions
 If the historical total is not disturbed by a filter query, it will be the
 running historical balance you would see on a bank register for the current account. 
 
-If the accounts screen was in tree mode,
-the register screen will include transactions from both the current account and its subaccounts.
-If the accounts screen was in flat mode, and a non-depth-clipped account was selected,
-the register screen will exclude transactions from subaccounts.
-In other words, the register always shows the transactions responsible for the period balance 
-shown on the accounts screen.
-As on the accounts screen, this can be toggled with `F`.
+Transactions affecting this account's subaccounts will be shown if
+the accounts screen was in tree mode, 
+or if it was in flat mode but the selected account had depth-clipped subaccounts. 
+In other words, the register always shows just the transactions contributing to the balance on the accounts screen.
+Tree mode/flat mode can be toggled with `T` here also.
 
 `U` toggles filtering by [unmarked status](/journal.html#status), showing or hiding unmarked transactions. 
 Similarly, `P` toggles pending transactions, and `C` toggles cleared transactions.