diff --git a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp
index 19f3fc72c48..b4684eedfe1 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp
@@ -689,6 +689,20 @@ void TreeItem::insertChild(int pos, TreeItem *item)
     }
 }
 
+void TreeItem::removeChildAt(int pos)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(0 <= pos && pos < m_children.count(), return);
+
+    if (m_model) {
+        QModelIndex idx = index();
+        m_model->beginRemoveRows(idx, pos, pos);
+        removeItemAt(pos);
+        m_model->endRemoveRows();
+    } else {
+        removeItemAt(pos);
+    }
+}
+
 void TreeItem::removeChildren()
 {
     if (childCount() == 0)
@@ -863,6 +877,15 @@ void TreeItem::clear()
     }
 }
 
+void TreeItem::removeItemAt(int pos)
+{
+    TreeItem *item = m_children.at(pos);
+    item->m_model = nullptr;
+    item->m_parent = nullptr;
+    delete item;
+    m_children.removeAt(pos);
+}
+
 void TreeItem::expand()
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(m_model, return);
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h
index d62670867be..8e0c4407d2f 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ public:
     void prependChild(TreeItem *item);
     void appendChild(TreeItem *item);
     void insertChild(int pos, TreeItem *item);
+    void removeChildAt(int pos);
     void removeChildren();
     void sortChildren(const std::function<bool(const TreeItem *, const TreeItem *)> &cmp);
     void update();
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ private:
     void operator=(const TreeItem &) = delete;
 
     void clear();
+    void removeItemAt(int pos);
     void propagateModel(BaseTreeModel *m);
 
     TreeItem *m_parent; // Not owned.
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.cpp
index 0ad7c639db4..f6aad7fa53e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.cpp
@@ -189,7 +189,10 @@ void FlatModel::addOrRebuildProjectModel(Project *project)
 
     if (ProjectNode *projectNode = project->rootProjectNode()) {
         addFolderNode(container, projectNode, &seen);
-    } else {
+        if (m_trimEmptyDirectories)
+            trimEmptyDirectories(container);
+    }
+    if (container->childCount() == 0) {
         FileNode *projectFileNode = new FileNode(project->projectFilePath(), FileType::Project, false);
         seen.insert(projectFileNode);
         container->appendChild(new WrapperNode(projectFileNode));
@@ -317,6 +320,18 @@ void FlatModel::addFolderNode(WrapperNode *parent, FolderNode *folderNode, QSet<
     }
 }
 
+bool FlatModel::trimEmptyDirectories(WrapperNode *parent)
+{
+    if (!parent->m_node->asFolderNode())
+        return false;
+
+    for (int i = parent->childCount() - 1; i >= 0; --i) {
+        if (trimEmptyDirectories(parent->childAt(i)))
+            parent->removeChildAt(i);
+    }
+    return parent->childCount() == 0;
+}
+
 Qt::DropActions FlatModel::supportedDragActions() const
 {
     return Qt::MoveAction;
@@ -363,10 +378,20 @@ void FlatModel::setProjectFilterEnabled(bool filter)
 
 void FlatModel::setGeneratedFilesFilterEnabled(bool filter)
 {
+    if (filter == m_filterGeneratedFiles)
+        return;
     m_filterGeneratedFiles = filter;
     rebuildModel();
 }
 
+void FlatModel::setTrimEmptyDirectories(bool filter)
+{
+    if (filter == m_trimEmptyDirectories)
+        return;
+    m_trimEmptyDirectories = filter;
+    rebuildModel();
+}
+
 bool FlatModel::projectFilterEnabled()
 {
     return m_filterProjects;
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.h
index 18129a7ddce..a0041a7bcd0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectmodels.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ public:
     bool generatedFilesFilterEnabled();
     void setProjectFilterEnabled(bool filter);
     void setGeneratedFilesFilterEnabled(bool filter);
+    void setTrimEmptyDirectories(bool filter);
 
     void onExpanded(const QModelIndex &idx);
     void onCollapsed(const QModelIndex &idx);
@@ -87,12 +88,14 @@ signals:
 private:
     bool m_filterProjects = false;
     bool m_filterGeneratedFiles = true;
+    bool m_trimEmptyDirectories = true;
 
     static const QLoggingCategory &logger();
 
     void updateSubtree(FolderNode *node);
     void rebuildModel();
     void addFolderNode(WrapperNode *parent, FolderNode *folderNode, QSet<Node *> *seen);
+    bool trimEmptyDirectories(WrapperNode *parent);
 
     ExpandData expandDataForNode(const Node *node) const;
     void loadExpandData();
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.cpp
index 2a98fbe86e7..5b1471504ee 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.cpp
@@ -194,6 +194,12 @@ ProjectTreeWidget::ProjectTreeWidget(QWidget *parent) : QWidget(parent)
     connect(m_filterGeneratedFilesAction, &QAction::toggled,
             this, &ProjectTreeWidget::setGeneratedFilesFilter);
 
+    m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction = new QAction(tr("Hide Empty Directories"), this);
+    m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction->setCheckable(true);
+    m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction->setChecked(true);
+    connect(m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction, &QAction::toggled,
+            this, &ProjectTreeWidget::setTrimEmptyDirectories);
+
     // connections
     connect(m_model, &FlatModel::renamed,
             this, &ProjectTreeWidget::renamed);
@@ -433,6 +439,12 @@ void ProjectTreeWidget::setGeneratedFilesFilter(bool filter)
     m_filterGeneratedFilesAction->setChecked(filter);
 }
 
+void ProjectTreeWidget::setTrimEmptyDirectories(bool filter)
+{
+    m_model->setTrimEmptyDirectories(filter);
+    m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction->setChecked(filter);
+}
+
 bool ProjectTreeWidget::generatedFilesFilter()
 {
     return m_model->generatedFilesFilterEnabled();
@@ -466,6 +478,7 @@ NavigationView ProjectTreeWidgetFactory::createWidget()
     auto filterMenu = new QMenu(filter);
     filterMenu->addAction(ptw->m_filterProjectsAction);
     filterMenu->addAction(ptw->m_filterGeneratedFilesAction);
+    filterMenu->addAction(ptw->m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction);
     filter->setMenu(filterMenu);
 
     n.dockToolBarWidgets << filter << ptw->toggleSync();
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.h
index 69102fedb0d..4d87b6ad0fa 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projecttreewidget.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ public:
 private:
     void setProjectFilter(bool filter);
     void setGeneratedFilesFilter(bool filter);
+    void setTrimEmptyDirectories(bool filter);
 
     void handleCurrentItemChange(const QModelIndex &current);
     void showContextMenu(const QPoint &pos);
@@ -83,8 +84,9 @@ private:
     QTreeView *m_view = nullptr;
     FlatModel *m_model = nullptr;
     QAction *m_filterProjectsAction = nullptr;
-    QAction *m_filterGeneratedFilesAction;
-    QToolButton *m_toggleSync;
+    QAction *m_filterGeneratedFilesAction = nullptr;
+    QAction *m_trimEmptyDirectoriesAction = nullptr;
+    QToolButton *m_toggleSync = nullptr;
 
     QString m_modelId;
     bool m_autoSync = true;