diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8cc41620..7da1aa68 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ To be compatible with existing css files (if not in CSS Module mode):
 |:--:|:-----:|:----------|
 |**`root`**|`/`|Path to resolve URLs, URLs starting with `/` will not be translated|
 |**`modules`**|`false`|Enable/Disable CSS Modules|
+|**`localByDefault`**|`true`|treat unmarked selectors as :local|
 |**`import`** |`true`| Enable/Disable @import handling|
 |**`url`**|`true`| Enable/Disable `url()` handling|
 |**`minimize`**|`false`|Enable/Disable minification|
@@ -233,6 +234,12 @@ The query parameter `modules` enables the **CSS Modules** spec.
 
 This enables local scoped CSS by default. (You can switch it off with `:global(...)` or `:global` for selectors and/or rules.)
 
+### :local by default
+
+The query parameter `localByDefault` allows you to override the _"locals by default when using `modules: true`"_ behavior'.
+
+For selectors that have not been marked using :local or :global - this will allow you to decide which should be default. This will help for projects that are being ported from non css modules usage to using css modules.
+
 ### CSS Composing
 
 When declaring a local class name you can compose a local class from another local class name.
diff --git a/lib/loader.js b/lib/loader.js
index b55b35f9..c185d47c 100644
--- a/lib/loader.js
+++ b/lib/loader.js
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ module.exports = function(content, map) {
 	var query = loaderUtils.getOptions(this) || {};
 	var root = query.root;
 	var moduleMode = query.modules || query.module;
+  var localByDefault = typeof query.localByDefault !== 'undefined'
+    ? query.localByDefault
+    : true;
 	var camelCaseKeys = query.camelCase || query.camelcase;
 	var resolve = createResolver(query.alias);
 
@@ -23,7 +26,7 @@ module.exports = function(content, map) {
 	}
 
 	processCss(content, map, {
-		mode: moduleMode ? "local" : "global",
+		mode: moduleMode && localByDefault ? "local" : "global",
 		from: loaderUtils.getRemainingRequest(this),
 		to: loaderUtils.getCurrentRequest(this),
 		query: query,
diff --git a/test/helpers.js b/test/helpers.js
index ba7f72be..4c4e36b3 100644
--- a/test/helpers.js
+++ b/test/helpers.js
@@ -136,6 +136,16 @@ exports.testLocals = function testLocals(name, input, result, query, modules) {
 	});
 };
 
+exports.testLocal = function testLocal(name, input, result, localsResult, query, modules) {
+	result.locals = localsResult;
+	exports.test(name, input, result, query, modules);
+};
+
+exports.testLocalMinimize = function testLocalMinimize(name, input, result, localsResult, query, modules) {
+	result.locals = localsResult;
+	exports.testMinimize(name, input, result, query, modules);
+};
+
 exports.testSingleItem = function testSingleItem(name, input, result, query, modules) {
 	it(name, function(done) {
 		runLoader(cssLoader, input, undefined, {
diff --git a/test/localByDefaultTest.js b/test/localByDefaultTest.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6250b697
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/localByDefaultTest.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+/*globals describe */
+
+var test = require("./helpers").test;
+var testLocal = require("./helpers").testLocal;
+
+describe("localByDefault", function() {
+  test("should not impact when not modules unset", ".myclass { color: green; }", [
+    [1, ".myclass { color: green; }", ""]
+  ], '?localByDefault');
+  testLocal("modules true should use :local by default", ".myclass { color: green; }", [
+    [1, ".__2NVVs { color: green; }", ""],
+  ], {
+    myclass: "__2NVVs"
+  }, "?modules&localIdentName=__[hash:base64:5]");
+  testLocal("should use :local for localByDefault true", ".myclass { color: green; }", [
+    [1, ".__2NVVs { color: green; }", ""],
+  ], {
+    myclass: "__2NVVs"
+  }, "?modules&localIdentName=__[hash:base64:5]&localByDefault");
+  test("should use :global for localByDefault false", ".myclass { color: green; }", [
+    [1, ".myclass { color: green; }", ""],
+  ], "?modules&localIdentName=__[hash:base64:5]&localByDefault=false");
+});
diff --git a/test/localTest.js b/test/localTest.js
index e2146bdf..e463ace7 100644
--- a/test/localTest.js
+++ b/test/localTest.js
@@ -1,17 +1,7 @@
 /*globals describe */
 
-var test = require("./helpers").test;
-var testMinimize = require("./helpers").testMinimize;
-
-function testLocal(name, input, result, localsResult, query, modules) {
-	result.locals = localsResult;
-	test(name, input, result, query, modules);
-}
-
-function testLocalMinimize(name, input, result, localsResult, query, modules) {
-	result.locals = localsResult;
-	testMinimize(name, input, result, query, modules);
-}
+var testLocal = require("./helpers").testLocal;
+var testLocalMinimize = require("./helpers").testLocalMinimize;
 
 describe("local", function() {
 	testLocal("locals-format", ":local(.test) { background: red; }", [