diff --git a/lib/sup/modes/thread-index-mode.rb b/lib/sup/modes/thread-index-mode.rb
index 89dfec9..1d98ee4 100644
--- a/lib/sup/modes/thread-index-mode.rb
+++ b/lib/sup/modes/thread-index-mode.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ EOS
 
   register_keymap do |k|
     k.add :load_threads, "Load #{LOAD_MORE_THREAD_NUM} more threads", 'M'
+    k.add_multi "Load all threads (repeat ! to confirm):", '!' do |kk|
+      kk.add :load_all_threads, "Load all threads (may list a _lot_ of threads)", '!'
+    end
     k.add :reload, "Refresh view", '@'
     k.add :toggle_archived, "Toggle archived status", 'a'
     k.add :toggle_starred, "Star or unstar all messages in thread", '*'
@@ -444,9 +447,13 @@ EOS
   ## TODO: figure out @ts_mutex in this method
   def load_n_threads n=LOAD_MORE_THREAD_NUM, opts={}
     @mbid = BufferManager.say "Searching for threads..."
+
+    ts_to_load = n
+    ts_to_load = ts_to_load + @ts.size unless n == -1 # -1 means all threads
+
     orig_size = @ts.size
     last_update = Time.now
-    @ts.load_n_threads(@ts.size + n, opts) do |i|
+    @ts.load_n_threads(ts_to_load, opts) do |i|
       if (Time.now - last_update) >= 0.25
         BufferManager.say "Loaded #{i.pluralize 'thread'}...", @mbid
         update
@@ -472,9 +479,17 @@ EOS
     end
   end
 
-  def load_threads opts={}
-    n = opts[:num] || ThreadIndexMode::LOAD_MORE_THREAD_NUM
+  def load_all_threads
+    load_threads :num => -1
+  end
 
+  def load_threads opts={}
+    if opts[:num].nil?
+      n = ThreadIndexMode::LOAD_MORE_THREAD_NUM
+    else
+      n = opts[:num]
+    end
+        
     myopts = @load_thread_opts.merge({ :when_done => (lambda do |num|
       opts[:when_done].call(num) if opts[:when_done]
       if num > 0
diff --git a/lib/sup/thread.rb b/lib/sup/thread.rb
index 83f0db7..5b0a300 100644
--- a/lib/sup/thread.rb
+++ b/lib/sup/thread.rb
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ class ThreadSet
   ## load in (at most) num number of threads from the index
   def load_n_threads num, opts={}
     @index.each_id_by_date opts do |mid, builder|
-      break if size >= num
+      break if size >= num unless num == -1
       next if contains_id? mid
 
       m = builder.call