diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 277bf1e9..f647ab33 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 * adds markdown support for custom header and footer files
 * adds video and audio preview via HTML5 elements (no fallback, works best in Chrome)
 * adds filter reset on location change
+* adds option to make download button always visible
 * adds Google UA support
 * extends selectable icon sizes (adds 128px, 192px, 256px, 384px)
 * improves preview GUI
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/ext/download.js b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/ext/download.js
index 8d5b6881..45de0590 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/ext/download.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/client/js/inc/ext/download.js
@@ -4,15 +4,17 @@ modulejs.define('ext/download', ['_', '$', 'core/settings', 'core/resource', 'co
 	var settings = _.extend({
 			enabled: false,
 			type: 'php-tar',
-			packageName: 'package'
+			packageName: 'package',
+			alwaysVisible: false
 		}, allsettings.download),
 
-		downloadBtnTemplate = '<li id="download">' +
-									'<a href="#">' +
-										'<img src="' + resource.image('download') + '" alt="download"/>' +
-										'<span class="l10n-download"/>' +
-									'</a>' +
-								'</li>',
+		downloadBtnTemplate =
+			'<li id="download">' +
+				'<a href="#">' +
+					'<img src="' + resource.image('download') + '" alt="download"/>' +
+					'<span class="l10n-download"/>' +
+				'</a>' +
+			'</li>',
 
 		selectedItems = [],
 
@@ -22,8 +24,8 @@ modulejs.define('ext/download', ['_', '$', 'core/settings', 'core/resource', 'co
 
 			selectedItems = items.slice(0);
 			if (selectedItems.length) {
-				$download.appendTo('#navbar').show();
-			} else {
+				$download.show();
+			} else if (!settings.alwaysVisible) {
 				$download.hide();
 			}
 		},
@@ -52,6 +54,10 @@ modulejs.define('ext/download', ['_', '$', 'core/settings', 'core/resource', 'co
 				.find('a').on('click', onClick).end()
 				.appendTo('#navbar');
 
+			if (settings.alwaysVisible) {
+				$('#download').show();
+			}
+
 			event.sub('selection', onSelection);
 		};
 
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json b/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json
index 41678d2b..806516e8 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json
+++ b/src/_h5ai/conf/options.json
@@ -98,11 +98,13 @@ Options
 
 	- type: "php-tar", "shell-tar" or "shell-zip"
 	- packageName: basename of the download package, null for current foldername
+	- alwaysVisible: always show download button (defaults to download the current folder)
 	*/
 	"download": {
 		"enabled": true,
 		"type": "php-tar",
-		"packageName": null
+		"packageName": null,
+		"alwaysVisible": false
 	},
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-archive.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-archive.php
index 335241e4..a78a107a 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-archive.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-archive.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class Archive {
 		$this->add_hrefs($urls);
 
 		if (count($this->dirs) === 0 && count($this->files) === 0) {
-			return 500;
+			$this->add_dir(CURRENT_PATH, "/");
 		}
 
 		if ($type === "php-tar") {
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ class Archive {
 
 		foreach ($urls as $href) {
 
+			if (trim($href) === "") {
+				continue;
+			}
+
 			$d = normalize_path(dirname($href), true);
 			$n = basename($href);