diff --git a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
index 81a3edd4209..b9b2225f159 100644
--- a/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
+++ b/doc/nvim-tree-lua.txt
@@ -500,8 +500,11 @@ Following is the default configuration. See |nvim-tree-opts| for details.
       },
       update_focused_file = {
         enable = false,
-        update_root = false,
-        ignore_list = {},
+        update_root = {
+          enable = false,
+          ignore_list = {},
+        },
+        exclude = false,
       },
       system_open = {
         cmd = "",
@@ -1105,14 +1108,21 @@ Update the root directory of the tree if the file is not under current
 root directory. It prefers vim's cwd and `root_dirs`.
 Otherwise it falls back to the folder containing the file.
 Only relevant when `update_focused_file.enable` is `true`
-  Type: `boolean`, Default: `false`
 
-*nvim-tree.update_focused_file.ignore_list*
-List of buffer names and filetypes that will not update the root dir
-of the tree if the file isn't found under the current root directory.
-Only relevant when `update_focused_file.update_root` and
-`update_focused_file.enable` are `true`.
-  Type: {string}, Default: `{}`
+    *nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root.enable*
+      Type: `boolean`, Default: `false`
+
+    *nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root.ignore_list*
+    List of buffer names and filetypes that will not update the root dir
+    of the tree if the file isn't found under the current root directory.
+    Only relevant when `update_focused_file.update_root.enable` and
+    `update_focused_file.enable` are `true`.
+      Type: {string}, Default: `{}`
+
+*nvim-tree.update_focused_file.exclude*
+A function that returns true if the file should not be focused when opening.
+Takes the `BufEnter` event as an argument. see |autocmd-events|
+  Type: {function}, Default: `false`
 
 ==============================================================================
  5.6 OPTS: SYSTEM OPEN                            *nvim-tree-opts-system-open*
@@ -2869,8 +2879,10 @@ highlight group is not, hard linking as follows: >
 |nvim-tree.ui.confirm.remove|
 |nvim-tree.ui.confirm.trash|
 |nvim-tree.update_focused_file.enable|
-|nvim-tree.update_focused_file.ignore_list|
+|nvim-tree.update_focused_file.exclude|
 |nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root|
+|nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root.enable|
+|nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root.ignore_list|
 |nvim-tree.view.centralize_selection|
 |nvim-tree.view.cursorline|
 |nvim-tree.view.debounce_delay|
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index 0c2d8752dc2..b2103be3c23 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function M.change_root(path, bufnr)
   -- skip if current file is in ignore_list
   if type(bufnr) == "number" then
     local ft = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_option(bufnr, "filetype") or ""
-    for _, value in pairs(_config.update_focused_file.ignore_list) do
+    for _, value in pairs(_config.update_focused_file.update_root.ignore_list) do
       if utils.str_find(path, value) or utils.str_find(ft, value) then
         return
       end
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function M.change_dir(name)
     actions.root.change_dir.fn(name)
   end
 
-  if _config.update_focused_file.enable then
+  if _config.update_focused_file.update_root.enable then
     actions.tree.find_file.fn()
   end
 end
@@ -247,7 +247,11 @@ local function setup_autocommands(opts)
   end
   if opts.update_focused_file.enable then
     create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufEnter", {
-      callback = function()
+      callback = function(event)
+        local exclude = opts.update_focused_file.exclude
+        if type(exclude) == "function" and exclude(event) then
+          return
+        end
         utils.debounce("BufEnter:find_file", opts.view.debounce_delay, function()
           actions.tree.find_file.fn()
         end)
@@ -462,8 +466,11 @@ local DEFAULT_OPTS = { -- BEGIN_DEFAULT_OPTS
   },
   update_focused_file = {
     enable = false,
-    update_root = false,
-    ignore_list = {},
+    update_root = {
+      enable = false,
+      ignore_list = {},
+    },
+    exclude = false,
   },
   system_open = {
     cmd = "",
@@ -624,6 +631,9 @@ local ACCEPTED_TYPES = {
     group_empty = { "boolean", "function" },
     root_folder_label = { "function", "string", "boolean" },
   },
+  update_focused_file = {
+    exclude = { "function" },
+  },
   filters = {
     custom = { "function" },
   },
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/tree/find-file.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/tree/find-file.lua
index 3678276d654..610c534989a 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/tree/find-file.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/tree/find-file.lua
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function M.fn(opts)
   end
 
   -- update root
-  if opts.update_root or M.config.update_focused_file.update_root then
+  if opts.update_root or M.config.update_focused_file.update_root.enable then
     require("nvim-tree").change_root(path, bufnr)
   end
 
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
index 43fcb3c5998..9be8fb12ffa 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ local function refactored(opts)
   if type(opts.renderer) == "table" and type(opts.renderer.highlight_git) == "boolean" then
     opts.renderer.highlight_git = opts.renderer.highlight_git and "name" or "none"
   end
+
+  -- 2024/02/15
+  if type(opts.update_focused_file) == "table" then
+    if type(opts.update_focused_file.update_root) ~= "table" then
+      opts.update_focused_file.update_root = { enable = opts.update_focused_file.update_root }
+    end
+  end
+  utils.move_missing_val(opts, "update_focused_file", "ignore_list", opts, "update_focused_file.update_root", "ignore_list", true)
 end
 
 local function deprecated(opts)