diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/init.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/init.lua
index 51cdfb5..d763e47 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/init.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/init.lua
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function ZK.create_link(text, date)
   return text .. (zettel_extension or ".md")
 end
 
-local function _get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive)
+function ZK._get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive)
   -- TODO check for duplicates and warn user
   local zettel = {}
   local anchorreg = '^.*/?([%d][%d][%d][%d][%d][%d][%d][%d][%d][%d])[^/]*.md$'
@@ -67,7 +67,10 @@ local function _get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive)
     if not name then break end
 
     if ftype == 'directory' and recursive then
-      local subdir = _get_anchors_and_paths(path .. "/" .. name, true)
+      local subdir = ZK._get_anchors_and_paths(path .. "/" .. name, true)
+      for k, v in pairs(subdir) do
+        zettel[tostring(k)] = v
+      end
     end
 
     local anchor = string.match(name, anchorreg)
@@ -83,7 +86,10 @@ end
 -- table.
 -- Recurses into subdirectories if recursive argument is true.
 function ZK.get_zettel_list(path, recursive)
-  return _get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive or false)
+  -- TODO transform paths:
+  --    * to absolute value (e.g. ~ to home, scandir needs absolute)
+  --    * to ensure / at the end (or no /) gets taken into account
+  return ZK._get_anchors_and_paths(path, recursive or false)
 end
 
 return {
diff --git a/lua/zettelkasten/zettelkasten_spec.lua b/lua/zettelkasten/zettelkasten_spec.lua
index ebcded8..0826c41 100644
--- a/lua/zettelkasten/zettelkasten_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/zettelkasten/zettelkasten_spec.lua
@@ -126,7 +126,40 @@ describe("Zettelkasten", function()
 
       assert.spy(vim_api_mock.loop.fs_scandir).was_called(2)
       assert.spy(vim_api_mock.loop.fs_scandir).was_called_with("path/to/startingdir/more-notes-here")
-      end)
-
     end)
+
+    it("should append all notes found in subdirectories when recursing", function()
+      local outer_files = { "subdir", "1234567890 myfile.md", "2345678901 another.md", }
+      local inner_files = { "2222222222 should-be-present.md", "3333333333 should-also-be-present.md" }
+      local files = outer_files
+      -- assert.is_true("not implemented")
+      local vim_api_mock = {
+        g = {},
+        b = {},
+        loop ={
+          fs_scandir = function()
+            if #files == 0 then return false end
+            return true
+          end,
+          fs_scandir_next = function()
+            if #files == 0 then return nil end
+            local fname, ftype = table.remove(files), 'file'
+            if fname == "subdir" then
+              files = inner_files
+              ftype = 'directory'
+            end
+            return fname, ftype
+          end
+      }}
+      ZK.init(vim_api_mock)
+      local expected = {
+        ["1234567890"] = "1234567890 myfile.md",
+        ["2345678901"] = "2345678901 another.md",
+        ["2222222222"] = "2222222222 should-be-present.md",
+        ["3333333333"] = "3333333333 should-also-be-present.md",
+      }
+      assert.same(expected, ZK.get_zettel_list('mydirectory', true))
+    end)
+
   end)
+end)