diff --git a/DOCS/man/options.rst b/DOCS/man/options.rst
index bca96ac2fb..21ff76708f 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/options.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/options.rst
@@ -6905,8 +6905,7 @@ Miscellaneous
 
     :no:    Don't automatically load cover art.
     :exact: Load the media filename with an image file extension.
-    :fuzzy: Load all cover art containing the media filename and filenames
-            in an internal whitelist, such as ``cover.jpg`` (default).
+    :fuzzy: Load all cover art containing the media filename (default).
     :all:   Load all images in the current directory.
 
     See ``--cover-art-files`` for details about what constitutes cover art.
@@ -6914,6 +6913,13 @@ Miscellaneous
     See ``--audio-display`` how to control display of cover art (this can be
     used to disable cover art that is part of the file).
 
+``--cover-art-whitelist=<no|yes>``
+    Whether to load filenames in an internal whitelist, such as ``cover.jpg``,
+    as cover art. If ``cover-art-auto`` is set to ``no``, the whitelisted
+    filenames are never loaded even if this option is set to ``yes``.
+
+    Default: ``yes``.
+
 ``--autoload-files=<yes|no>``
     Automatically load/select external files (default: yes).
 
diff --git a/options/options.c b/options/options.c
index e996eb8026..650ba00b46 100644
--- a/options/options.c
+++ b/options/options.c
@@ -611,6 +611,7 @@ static const m_option_t mp_opts[] = {
         {"no", -1}, {"exact", 0}, {"fuzzy", 1}, {"all", 2})},
     {"cover-art-auto", OPT_CHOICE(coverart_auto,
         {"no", -1}, {"exact", 0}, {"fuzzy", 1}, {"all", 2})},
+    {"cover-art-whitelist", OPT_BOOL(coverart_whitelist)},
 
     {"", OPT_SUBSTRUCT(subs_rend, mp_subtitle_sub_opts)},
     {"", OPT_SUBSTRUCT(subs_filt, mp_sub_filter_opts)},
@@ -1033,6 +1034,7 @@ static const struct MPOpts mp_default_opts = {
     .sub_auto = 0,
     .audiofile_auto = -1,
     .coverart_auto = 1,
+    .coverart_whitelist = true,
     .osd_bar_visible = 1,
     .screenshot_template = "mpv-shot%n",
     .play_dir = 1,
diff --git a/options/options.h b/options/options.h
index b32dc06519..4eb5ef07c7 100644
--- a/options/options.h
+++ b/options/options.h
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ typedef struct MPOpts {
     int sub_auto;
     int audiofile_auto;
     int coverart_auto;
+    bool coverart_whitelist;
     int osd_bar_visible;
 
     int w32_priority;
diff --git a/player/external_files.c b/player/external_files.c
index 3aca20dfdb..16aeb665c7 100644
--- a/player/external_files.c
+++ b/player/external_files.c
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static void append_dir_subtitles(struct mpv_global *global, struct MPOpts *opts,
         if (bstr_find(tmp_fname_trim, f_fname_trim) >= 0 && fuzz >= 1)
             prio |= 2; // contains the movie name
 
-        if (type == STREAM_VIDEO && fuzz >= 1 && prio == 0)
+        if (type == STREAM_VIDEO && opts->coverart_whitelist && prio == 0)
             prio = test_cover_filename(dename);
 
         // doesn't contain the movie name