diff --git a/bin/claude-preview-diff.sh b/bin/claude-preview-diff.sh
index 62b28a5..ac12e47 100755
--- a/bin/claude-preview-diff.sh
+++ b/bin/claude-preview-diff.sh
@@ -138,43 +138,40 @@ if [[ "$HAS_NVIM" == "true" ]]; then
   DISPLAY_ESC="$(escape_lua "$DISPLAY_NAME")"
   FILE_PATH_ESC="$(escape_lua "$FILE_PATH")"
 
+  # Query config + file visibility from nvim in a single RPC call
+  HOOK_CTX=$(nvim --server "$NVIM_SOCKET" --remote-expr "luaeval(\"require('claude-preview').hook_context('${FILE_PATH_ESC}')\")" 2>/dev/null || echo '{}')
+  VISIBLE_ONLY=$(echo "$HOOK_CTX" | jq -r '.visible_only // false')
+  FILE_VISIBLE=$(echo "$HOOK_CTX" | jq -r '.file_visible // false')
+
+  # Decide whether to show the diff
+  SHOULD_SHOW="1"
+  if [[ "$VISIBLE_ONLY" == "true" && "$FILE_VISIBLE" != "true" ]]; then
+    SHOULD_SHOW="0"
+  fi
+
   # Determine change status for neo-tree indicator
-  # Check if the actual file exists on disk (not the temp copy, which is always created)
   if [[ -f "$FILE_PATH" ]]; then
     CHANGE_STATUS="modified"
   else
     CHANGE_STATUS="created"
   fi
 
-  nvim_send "require('claude-preview.changes').set('$FILE_PATH_ESC', '$CHANGE_STATUS')" || true
-  nvim_send "pcall(function() require('claude-preview.neo_tree').refresh() end)" || true
-  # Reveal the file in neo-tree: for modified files reveal the file itself,
-  # for created files reveal the nearest existing parent directory
-  if [[ "$CHANGE_STATUS" == "modified" ]]; then
+  if [[ "$SHOULD_SHOW" == "1" ]]; then
+    nvim_send "require('claude-preview.changes').set('$FILE_PATH_ESC', '$CHANGE_STATUS')" || true
+    nvim_send "pcall(function() require('claude-preview.neo_tree').refresh() end)" || true
     nvim_send "vim.defer_fn(function() pcall(function() require('claude-preview.neo_tree').reveal('$FILE_PATH_ESC') end) end, 300)" || true
-  else
-    # Walk up to find the nearest existing parent directory
-    REVEAL_DIR="$(dirname "$FILE_PATH")"
-    while [[ ! -d "$REVEAL_DIR" && "$REVEAL_DIR" != "/" ]]; do
-      REVEAL_DIR="$(dirname "$REVEAL_DIR")"
-    done
-    # Reveal a file inside the parent dir to force neo-tree to expand it
-    REVEAL_TARGET="$(find "$REVEAL_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -type f | head -1)"
-    if [[ -z "$REVEAL_TARGET" ]]; then
-      REVEAL_TARGET="$REVEAL_DIR"
-    fi
-    REVEAL_TARGET_ESC="$(escape_lua "$REVEAL_TARGET")"
-    nvim_send "vim.defer_fn(function() pcall(function() require('claude-preview.neo_tree').reveal('$REVEAL_TARGET_ESC') end) end, 300)" || true
+    nvim_send "require('claude-preview.diff').show_diff('$ORIG_ESC', '$PROP_ESC', '$DISPLAY_ESC')" || true
   fi
-  nvim_send "require('claude-preview.diff').show_diff('$ORIG_ESC', '$PROP_ESC', '$DISPLAY_ESC')" || true
 fi
 
-# --- Always ask for user confirmation ---
+# --- Permission decision ---
 
-if [[ "$HAS_NVIM" == "true" ]]; then
+if [[ "$HAS_NVIM" == "true" && "$SHOULD_SHOW" == "0" ]]; then
+  printf '{"hookSpecificOutput":{"hookEventName":"PreToolUse","permissionDecision":"allow","permissionDecisionReason":"File not visible in Neovim, auto-approved"}}\n'
+elif [[ "$HAS_NVIM" == "true" ]]; then
   REASON="Diff preview sent to Neovim. Review before accepting."
+  printf '{"hookSpecificOutput":{"hookEventName":"PreToolUse","permissionDecision":"ask","permissionDecisionReason":"%s"}}\n' "$REASON"
 else
   REASON="Neovim not running. Review the diff in CLI before accepting."
+  printf '{"hookSpecificOutput":{"hookEventName":"PreToolUse","permissionDecision":"ask","permissionDecisionReason":"%s"}}\n' "$REASON"
 fi
-
-printf '{"hookSpecificOutput":{"hookEventName":"PreToolUse","permissionDecision":"ask","permissionDecisionReason":"%s"}}\n' "$REASON"
diff --git a/lua/claude-preview/init.lua b/lua/claude-preview/init.lua
index fc292e9..e64a112 100644
--- a/lua/claude-preview/init.lua
+++ b/lua/claude-preview/init.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ local default_config = {
     auto_close = true,
     equalize = true,
     full_file = true,
+    visible_only = false,  -- only show diffs for files open in a visible nvim window
   },
   neo_tree = {
     enabled = true,
@@ -87,6 +88,15 @@ function M.setup(user_config)
     M.status()
   end, { desc = "Show claude-preview status" })
 
+  vim.api.nvim_create_user_command("ClaudePreviewToggleVisibleOnly", function()
+    M.config.diff.visible_only = not M.config.diff.visible_only
+    vim.notify(
+      "claude-preview: visible_only = " .. tostring(M.config.diff.visible_only),
+      vim.log.levels.INFO,
+      { title = "claude-preview" }
+    )
+  end, { desc = "Toggle visible_only — show diffs only for open buffers vs all files" })
+
   -- Neo-tree integration (soft dependency)
   if M.config.neo_tree.enabled then
     require("claude-preview.neo_tree").setup(M.config)
@@ -97,6 +107,38 @@ function M.setup(user_config)
   end, { desc = "Close claude-preview diff" })
 end
 
+--- Query hook context for the PreToolUse shell script.
+--- Returns a JSON string with config + file visibility in a single RPC call.
+--- @param file_path string absolute path of the file being edited
+--- @return string JSON: { visible_only, file_visible }
+function M.hook_context(file_path)
+  local cfg = M.config
+  local visible_only = cfg.diff.visible_only and true or false
+
+  local file_visible = false
+  if visible_only and file_path ~= "" then
+    local is_mac = vim.fn.has("mac") == 1
+    local target = vim.uv.fs_realpath(file_path) or vim.fn.fnamemodify(file_path, ":p")
+    if is_mac then target = target:lower() end
+
+    for _, w in ipairs(vim.api.nvim_list_wins()) do
+      local b = vim.api.nvim_win_get_buf(w)
+      local name = vim.uv.fs_realpath(vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(b))
+              or vim.fn.fnamemodify(vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(b), ":p")
+      if is_mac then name = name:lower() end
+      if name == target then
+        file_visible = true
+        break
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  return vim.json.encode({
+    visible_only = visible_only,
+    file_visible = file_visible,
+  })
+end
+
 function M.status()
   local lines = { "claude-preview.nvim status", string.rep("─", 40) }