diff --git a/lua/oil/config.lua b/lua/oil/config.lua
index d551217..f239f71 100644
--- a/lua/oil/config.lua
+++ b/lua/oil/config.lua
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ local default_config = {
   view_options = {
     -- Show files and directories that start with "."
     show_hidden = false,
+    -- This function defines what is considered a "hidden" file
+    is_hidden_file = function(name, bufnr)
+      return vim.startswith(name, ".")
+    end,
   },
   -- Configuration for the floating window in oil.open_float
   float = {
diff --git a/lua/oil/mutator/parser.lua b/lua/oil/mutator/parser.lua
index a20f3c0..f185749 100644
--- a/lua/oil/mutator/parser.lua
+++ b/lua/oil/mutator/parser.lua
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@ end
 ---@param adapter oil.Adapter
 ---@param line string
 ---@param column_defs oil.ColumnSpec[]
----@return table
----@return nil|oil.InternalEntry
+---@return nil|table Parsed entry data
+---@return nil|oil.InternalEntry If the entry already exists
+---@return nil|string Error message
 M.parse_line = function(adapter, line, column_defs)
   local ret = {}
   local value, rem = line:match("^/(%d+) (.+)$")
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ M.parse = function(bufnr)
   local lines = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(bufnr, 0, -1, true)
   local original_entries = {}
   for _, child in pairs(children) do
-    if view.should_display(child) then
+    if view.should_display(child, bufnr) then
       original_entries[child[FIELD.name]] = child[FIELD.id]
     end
   end
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ M.parse = function(bufnr)
   for i, line in ipairs(lines) do
     if line:match("^/%d+") then
       local parsed_entry, entry, err = M.parse_line(adapter, line, column_defs)
-      if err then
+      if not parsed_entry then
         table.insert(errors, {
           message = err,
           lnum = i - 1,
diff --git a/lua/oil/view.lua b/lua/oil/view.lua
index 503a8d0..f5118c2 100644
--- a/lua/oil/view.lua
+++ b/lua/oil/view.lua
@@ -11,13 +11,11 @@ local M = {}
 local last_cursor_entry = {}
 
 ---@param entry oil.InternalEntry
+---@param bufnr integer
 ---@return boolean
-M.should_display = function(entry)
+M.should_display = function(entry, bufnr)
   local name = entry[FIELD.name]
-  if not config.view_options.show_hidden and vim.startswith(name, ".") then
-    return false
-  end
-  return true
+  return config.view_options.show_hidden or not config.view_options.is_hidden_file(name, bufnr)
 end
 
 ---@param bufname string
@@ -318,7 +316,7 @@ local function render_buffer(bufnr, opts)
   end
   local virt_text = {}
   for _, entry in ipairs(entry_list) do
-    if not M.should_display(entry) then
+    if not M.should_display(entry, bufnr) then
       goto continue
     end
     local cols = M.format_entry_cols(entry, column_defs, col_width, adapter)