diff --git a/dandi/cli/cmd_download.py b/dandi/cli/cmd_download.py
index 7a9ebeff7..32c1ff66d 100644
--- a/dandi/cli/cmd_download.py
+++ b/dandi/cli/cmd_download.py
@@ -100,6 +100,15 @@
     default="all",
     show_default=True,
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--preserve-tree",
+    is_flag=True,
+    help=(
+        "When downloading only part of a Dandiset, also download"
+        " `dandiset.yaml` and do not strip leading directories from asset"
+        " paths.  Implies `--download all`."
+    ),
+)
 @click.option(
     "--sync", is_flag=True, help="Delete local assets that do not exist on the server"
 )
@@ -138,6 +147,7 @@ def download(
     sync: bool,
     dandi_instance: str,
     path_type: PathType,
+    preserve_tree: bool,
 ) -> None:
     # We need to import the download module rather than the download function
     # so that the tests can properly patch the function with a mock.
@@ -171,8 +181,9 @@ def download(
         format=format,
         jobs=jobs[0],
         jobs_per_zarr=jobs[1],
-        get_metadata="dandiset.yaml" in download_types,
-        get_assets="assets" in download_types,
+        get_metadata="dandiset.yaml" in download_types or preserve_tree,
+        get_assets="assets" in download_types or preserve_tree,
+        preserve_tree=preserve_tree,
         sync=sync,
         path_type=path_type,
         # develop_debug=develop_debug
diff --git a/dandi/cli/tests/test_download.py b/dandi/cli/tests/test_download.py
index 0a8131cff..4f10227c5 100644
--- a/dandi/cli/tests/test_download.py
+++ b/dandi/cli/tests/test_download.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ def test_download_defaults(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=True,
         get_assets=True,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ def test_download_all_types(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=True,
         get_assets=True,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ def test_download_metadata_only(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=True,
         get_assets=False,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ def test_download_assets_only(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=False,
         get_assets=True,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
@@ -110,6 +114,7 @@ def test_download_gui_instance_in_dandiset(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=True,
         get_assets=True,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
@@ -135,6 +140,7 @@ def test_download_api_instance_in_dandiset(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=True,
         get_assets=True,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
@@ -160,6 +166,7 @@ def test_download_url_instance_match(mocker):
         jobs_per_zarr=None,
         get_metadata=True,
         get_assets=True,
+        preserve_tree=False,
         sync=False,
         path_type=PathType.EXACT,
     )
diff --git a/dandi/dandiarchive.py b/dandi/dandiarchive.py
index 9c0efd23a..40eb5fb3f 100644
--- a/dandi/dandiarchive.py
+++ b/dandi/dandiarchive.py
@@ -183,11 +183,17 @@ def navigate(
             yield (client, dandiset, assets)
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def get_asset_download_path(self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset) -> str:
+    def get_asset_download_path(
+        self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset, preserve_tree: bool
+    ) -> str:
         """
         Returns the path (relative to the base download directory) at which the
         asset ``asset`` (assumed to have been returned by this object's
-        `get_assets()` method) should be downloaded
+        `get_assets()` method) should be downloaded.
+
+        If ``preserve_tree`` is `True`, then the download is being performed
+        with ``--download tree`` option, and the method's return value should
+        be adjusted accordingly.
 
         :meta private:
         """
@@ -231,7 +237,9 @@ def get_assets(
             assert d is not None
             yield from d.get_assets(order=order)
 
-    def get_asset_download_path(self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset) -> str:
+    def get_asset_download_path(
+        self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset, preserve_tree: bool
+    ) -> str:
         return asset.path.lstrip("/")
 
     def is_under_download_path(self, path: str) -> bool:
@@ -242,13 +250,17 @@ def is_under_download_path(self, path: str) -> bool:
 class SingleAssetURL(ParsedDandiURL):
     """Superclass for parsed URLs that refer to a single asset"""
 
-    def get_asset_download_path(self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset) -> str:
-        return posixpath.basename(asset.path.lstrip("/"))
+    def get_asset_download_path(
+        self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset, preserve_tree: bool
+    ) -> str:
+        path = asset.path.lstrip("/")
+        if preserve_tree:
+            return path
+        else:
+            return posixpath.basename(path)
 
     def is_under_download_path(self, path: str) -> bool:
-        raise TypeError(
-            f"{type(self).__name__}.is_under_download_path() should not be called"
-        )
+        return False
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -257,8 +269,14 @@ class MultiAssetURL(ParsedDandiURL):
 
     path: str
 
-    def get_asset_download_path(self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset) -> str:
-        return multiasset_target(self.path, asset.path.lstrip("/"))
+    def get_asset_download_path(
+        self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset, preserve_tree: bool
+    ) -> str:
+        path = asset.path.lstrip("/")
+        if preserve_tree:
+            return path
+        else:
+            return multiasset_target(self.path, path)
 
     def is_under_download_path(self, path: str) -> bool:
         prefix = posixpath.dirname(self.path.strip("/"))
@@ -487,7 +505,9 @@ def get_assets(
         if strict and not any_assets:
             raise NotFoundError(f"No assets found matching glob {self.path!r}")
 
-    def get_asset_download_path(self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset) -> str:
+    def get_asset_download_path(
+        self, asset: BaseRemoteAsset, preserve_tree: bool
+    ) -> str:
         return asset.path.lstrip("/")
 
     def is_under_download_path(self, path: str) -> bool:
diff --git a/dandi/download.py b/dandi/download.py
index d1627af08..2df711c78 100644
--- a/dandi/download.py
+++ b/dandi/download.py
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ def download(
     jobs_per_zarr: int | None = None,
     get_metadata: bool = True,
     get_assets: bool = True,
+    preserve_tree: bool = False,
     sync: bool = False,
     path_type: PathType = PathType.EXACT,
 ) -> None:
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ def download(
             existing=existing,
             get_metadata=get_metadata,
             get_assets=get_assets,
+            preserve_tree=preserve_tree,
             jobs_per_zarr=jobs_per_zarr,
             on_error="yield" if format is DownloadFormat.PYOUT else "raise",
             **kw,
@@ -201,6 +203,7 @@ class Downloader:
     existing: DownloadExisting
     get_metadata: bool
     get_assets: bool
+    preserve_tree: bool
     jobs_per_zarr: int | None
     on_error: Literal["raise", "yield"]
     #: which will be set .gen to assets.  Purpose is to make it possible to get
@@ -214,19 +217,24 @@ def __post_init__(self, output_dir: str | Path) -> None:
         # TODO: if we are ALREADY in a dandiset - we can validate that it is
         # the same dandiset and use that dandiset path as the one to download
         # under
-        if isinstance(self.url, DandisetURL):
+        if isinstance(self.url, DandisetURL) or (
+            self.preserve_tree and self.url.dandiset_id is not None
+        ):
             assert self.url.dandiset_id is not None
             self.output_prefix = Path(self.url.dandiset_id)
         else:
             self.output_prefix = Path()
         self.output_path = Path(output_dir, self.output_prefix)
 
+    def is_dandiset_yaml(self) -> bool:
+        return isinstance(self.url, AssetItemURL) and self.url.path == "dandiset.yaml"
+
     def download_generator(self) -> Iterator[dict]:
         """
         A generator for downloads of files, folders, or entire dandiset from
         DANDI (as identified by URL)
 
-        This function is a generator which would yield records on ongoing
+        This function is a generator which yields records on ongoing
         activities.  Activities include traversal of the remote resource (DANDI
         archive), download of individual assets while yielding records (TODO:
         schema) while validating their checksums "on the fly", etc.
@@ -235,10 +243,8 @@ def download_generator(self) -> Iterator[dict]:
         with self.url.navigate(strict=True) as (client, dandiset, assets):
             if (
                 isinstance(self.url, DandisetURL)
-                or (
-                    isinstance(self.url, AssetItemURL)
-                    and self.url.path == "dandiset.yaml"
-                )
+                or self.is_dandiset_yaml()
+                or self.preserve_tree
             ) and self.get_metadata:
                 assert dandiset is not None
                 for resp in _populate_dandiset_yaml(
@@ -248,7 +254,7 @@ def download_generator(self) -> Iterator[dict]:
                         "path": str(self.output_prefix / dandiset_metadata_file),
                         **resp,
                     }
-                if isinstance(self.url, AssetItemURL):
+                if self.is_dandiset_yaml():
                     return
 
             # TODO: do analysis of assets for early detection of needed renames
@@ -262,7 +268,9 @@ def download_generator(self) -> Iterator[dict]:
                 assets = self.assets_it.feed(assets)
             lock = Lock()
             for asset in assets:
-                path = self.url.get_asset_download_path(asset)
+                path = self.url.get_asset_download_path(
+                    asset, preserve_tree=self.preserve_tree
+                )
                 self.asset_download_paths.add(path)
                 download_path = Path(self.output_path, path)
                 path = str(self.output_prefix / path)
@@ -995,7 +1003,9 @@ class DownloadProgress:
 @dataclass
 class ProgressCombiner:
     zarr_size: int
-    file_qty: int | None = None  # set to specific known value whenever full sweep is complete
+    file_qty: int | None = (
+        None  # set to specific known value whenever full sweep is complete
+    )
     files: dict[str, DownloadProgress] = field(default_factory=dict)
     #: Total size of all files that were not skipped and did not error out
     #: during download
diff --git a/dandi/tests/test_download.py b/dandi/tests/test_download.py
index 57f0c572a..2a8c044ce 100644
--- a/dandi/tests/test_download.py
+++ b/dandi/tests/test_download.py
@@ -172,6 +172,28 @@ def test_download_folder(text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert (tmp_path / "subdir2" / "coconut.txt").read_text() == "Coconut\n"
 
 
+def test_download_folder_preserve_tree(
+    text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    dandiset_id = text_dandiset.dandiset_id
+    download(
+        f"dandi://{text_dandiset.api.instance_id}/{dandiset_id}/subdir2/",
+        tmp_path,
+        preserve_tree=True,
+    )
+    assert list_paths(tmp_path, dirs=True) == [
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id,
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "dandiset.yaml",
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2",
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2" / "banana.txt",
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2" / "coconut.txt",
+    ]
+    assert (tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2" / "banana.txt").read_text() == "Banana\n"
+    assert (
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2" / "coconut.txt"
+    ).read_text() == "Coconut\n"
+
+
 def test_download_item(text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     dandiset_id = text_dandiset.dandiset_id
     download(
@@ -182,6 +204,26 @@ def test_download_item(text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert (tmp_path / "coconut.txt").read_text() == "Coconut\n"
 
 
+def test_download_item_preserve_tree(
+    text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    dandiset_id = text_dandiset.dandiset_id
+    download(
+        f"dandi://{text_dandiset.api.instance_id}/{dandiset_id}/subdir2/coconut.txt",
+        tmp_path,
+        preserve_tree=True,
+    )
+    assert list_paths(tmp_path, dirs=True) == [
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id,
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "dandiset.yaml",
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2",
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2" / "coconut.txt",
+    ]
+    assert (
+        tmp_path / dandiset_id / "subdir2" / "coconut.txt"
+    ).read_text() == "Coconut\n"
+
+
 def test_download_dandiset_yaml(text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     dandiset_id = text_dandiset.dandiset_id
     download(
@@ -330,6 +372,7 @@ def test_download_metadata404(text_dandiset: SampleDandiset, tmp_path: Path) ->
             existing=DownloadExisting.ERROR,
             get_metadata=True,
             get_assets=True,
+            preserve_tree=False,
             jobs_per_zarr=None,
             on_error="raise",
         ).download_generator()
@@ -985,4 +1028,4 @@ def test_pyouthelper_time_remaining_1339():
             # once done, dont print ETA
             assert len(done) == 2
         else:
-            assert done[-1] == f"ETA: {10-i} seconds<"
+            assert done[-1] == f"ETA: {10 - i} seconds<"
diff --git a/docs/source/cmdline/download.rst b/docs/source/cmdline/download.rst
index e068194a4..b0c6a3760 100644
--- a/docs/source/cmdline/download.rst
+++ b/docs/source/cmdline/download.rst
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ Options
 
     Whether to interpret asset paths in URLs as exact matches or glob patterns
 
+.. option:: --preserve-tree
+
+    When downloading only part of a Dandiset, also download
+    :file:`dandiset.yaml` and do not strip leading directories from asset
+    paths.  Implies ``--download all``.
+
 .. option:: --sync
 
     Delete local assets that do not exist on the server after downloading