diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c247fbeb..682edc72 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,6 +105,20 @@ referenced from other script configurations, as follows:
 For more details about Composer scripts, please refer to [the section on scripts
 in the Composer manual][composer-manual-scripts].
 
+### Changing the Coding Standards search depth
+
+By default, this plugin searches up for Coding Standards up to three directories
+deep. In most cases, this should be sufficient. However, this plugin allows
+you to customize the search depth setting if needed.
+
+```json
+{
+    "extra": {
+        "phpcodesniffer-search-depth": 5
+    }
+}
+```
+
 ### Caveats
 
 When this plugin is installed globally, composer will load the _global_ plugin rather
diff --git a/src/Plugin.php b/src/Plugin.php
index 6a10f780..f36a7774 100644
--- a/src/Plugin.php
+++ b/src/Plugin.php
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@
  */
 class Plugin implements PluginInterface, EventSubscriberInterface
 {
+
+    const KEY_MAX_DEPTH = 'phpcodesniffer-search-depth';
+
+    const MESSAGE_ERROR_WRONG_MAX_DEPTH =
+        'The value of "%s" (in the composer.json "extra".section) must be an integer larger then %d, %s given.';
     const MESSAGE_RUNNING_INSTALLER = 'Running PHPCodeSniffer Composer Installer';
     const MESSAGE_NOTHING_TO_INSTALL = 'Nothing to install or update';
     const MESSAGE_NOT_INSTALLED = 'PHPCodeSniffer is not installed';
@@ -280,15 +285,11 @@ private function updateInstalledPaths()
         $finder->files()
             ->ignoreUnreadableDirs()
             ->ignoreVCS(true)
-            ->depth('< 4')
+            ->depth('<= ' . $this->getMaxDepth())
+            ->depth('>= ' . $this->getMinDepth())
             ->name('ruleset.xml')
             ->in($searchPaths);
 
-        // Only version 3.x and higher has support for having coding standard in the root of the directory.
-        if ($this->isPHPCodeSnifferInstalled('>= 3.0.0') !== true) {
-            $finder->depth('>= 1');
-        }
-
         // Process each found possible ruleset.
         foreach ($finder as $ruleset) {
             $standardsPath = $ruleset->getPath();
@@ -437,4 +438,56 @@ private function getRelativePath($to)
         }
         return implode('/', $relPath);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Determines the maximum search depth when searching for Coding Standards.
+     *
+     * @return int
+     *
+     * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
+     */
+    private function getMaxDepth()
+    {
+        $maxDepth = 3;
+
+        $extra = $this->composer->getPackage()->getExtra();
+
+        if (array_key_exists(self::KEY_MAX_DEPTH, $extra)) {
+            $maxDepth = $extra[self::KEY_MAX_DEPTH];
+            $minDepth = $this->getMinDepth();
+
+            if (is_int($maxDepth) === false     /* Must be an integer */
+                || $maxDepth <= $minDepth       /* Larger than the minimum */
+                || is_float($maxDepth) === true /* Within the boundaries of integer */
+            ) {
+                $message = vsprintf(
+                    self::MESSAGE_ERROR_WRONG_MAX_DEPTH,
+                    array(
+                        'key' => self::KEY_MAX_DEPTH,
+                        'min' => $minDepth,
+                        'given' => var_export($maxDepth, true),
+                    )
+                );
+
+                throw new \InvalidArgumentException($message);
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $maxDepth;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the minimal search depth for Coding Standard packages.
+     *
+     * Usually this is 0, unless PHP_CodeSniffer >= 3 is used.
+     *
+     * @return int
+     */
+    private function getMinDepth()
+    {
+        if ($this->isPHPCodeSnifferInstalled('>= 3.0.0') !== true) {
+            return 1;
+        }
+        return 0;
+    }
 }