diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fc8070c376..66a483b76c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ ## Video Selection:
     --date DATE                download only videos uploaded in this date
     --datebefore DATE          download only videos uploaded before this date
     --dateafter DATE           download only videos uploaded after this date
+    --no-playlist              download only the currently playing video
 
 ## Download Options:
     -r, --rate-limit LIMIT     maximum download rate (e.g. 50k or 44.6m)
diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index 44a272e7ec..2503fd09b9 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
     skip_download:     Skip the actual download of the video file
     cachedir:          Location of the cache files in the filesystem.
                        None to disable filesystem cache.
+    noplaylist:        Download single video instead of a playlist if in doubt.
     
     The following parameters are not used by YoutubeDL itself, they are used by
     the FileDownloader:
diff --git a/youtube_dl/__init__.py b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
index 28a7bdd929..c9e75eab43 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ def _hide_login_info(opts):
     selection.add_option('--date', metavar='DATE', dest='date', help='download only videos uploaded in this date', default=None)
     selection.add_option('--datebefore', metavar='DATE', dest='datebefore', help='download only videos uploaded before this date', default=None)
     selection.add_option('--dateafter', metavar='DATE', dest='dateafter', help='download only videos uploaded after this date', default=None)
+    selection.add_option('--no-playlist', action='store_true', dest='noplaylist', help='download only the currently playing video', default=False)
 
 
     authentication.add_option('-u', '--username',
@@ -599,6 +600,7 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
         'progress_with_newline': opts.progress_with_newline,
         'playliststart': opts.playliststart,
         'playlistend': opts.playlistend,
+        'noplaylist': opts.noplaylist,
         'logtostderr': opts.outtmpl == '-',
         'consoletitle': opts.consoletitle,
         'nopart': opts.nopart,
diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py
index 53f13b5166..c6876c69f0 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/youtube.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import traceback
 import xml.etree.ElementTree
 import zlib
+import urlparse
 
 from .common import InfoExtractor, SearchInfoExtractor
 from .subtitles import SubtitlesInfoExtractor
@@ -1523,9 +1524,19 @@ def _real_extract(self, url):
         mobj = re.match(self._VALID_URL, url, re.VERBOSE)
         if mobj is None:
             raise ExtractorError(u'Invalid URL: %s' % url)
+        playlist_id = mobj.group(1) or mobj.group(2)
+
+        # Check if it's a video-specific URL
+        query_dict = urlparse.parse_qs(urlparse.urlparse(url).query)
+        if 'v' in query_dict:
+            video_id = query_dict['v'][0]
+            if self._downloader.params.get('noplaylist'):
+                self.to_screen(u'Downloading just video %s because of --no-playlist' % video_id)
+                return self.url_result('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=' + video_id, 'Youtube')
+            else:
+                self.to_screen(u'Downloading playlist PL%s - add --no-playlist to just download video %s' % (playlist_id, video_id))
 
         # Download playlist videos from API
-        playlist_id = mobj.group(1) or mobj.group(2)
         videos = []
 
         for page_num in itertools.count(1):