diff --git a/internal/action/tab.go b/internal/action/tab.go
index 0b347245..07a866ce 100644
--- a/internal/action/tab.go
+++ b/internal/action/tab.go
@@ -148,13 +148,13 @@ func (t *TabList) Display() {
 var Tabs *TabList
 
 func InitTabs(bufs []*buffer.Buffer) {
-	multiMode := config.GetGlobalOption("multimode").(string)
-	if multiMode == "tab" {
+	multiopen := config.GetGlobalOption("multiopen").(string)
+	if multiopen == "tab" {
 		Tabs = NewTabList(bufs)
 	} else {
 		Tabs = NewTabList(bufs[:1])
 		for _, b := range bufs[1:] {
-			if multiMode == "vsplit" {
+			if multiopen == "vsplit" {
 				MainTab().CurPane().VSplitBuf(b)
 			} else {  // default hsplit
 				MainTab().CurPane().HSplitBuf(b)
diff --git a/internal/config/settings.go b/internal/config/settings.go
index dc537aab..bedec930 100644
--- a/internal/config/settings.go
+++ b/internal/config/settings.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ var optionValidators = map[string]optionValidator{
 	"colorcolumn":  validateNonNegativeValue,
 	"fileformat":   validateLineEnding,
 	"encoding":     validateEncoding,
-	"multimode":    validateMultiMode,
+	"multiopen":    validateMultiOpen,
 }
 
 func ReadSettings() error {
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ var DefaultGlobalOnlySettings = map[string]interface{}{
 	"infobar":        true,
 	"keymenu":        false,
 	"mouse":          true,
-	"multimode":      "tab",
+	"multiopen":      "tab",
 	"parsecursor":    false,
 	"paste":          false,
 	"pluginchannels": []string{"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/micro-editor/plugin-channel/master/channel.json"},
@@ -494,11 +494,11 @@ func validateEncoding(option string, value interface{}) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func validateMultiMode(option string, value interface{}) error {
+func validateMultiOpen(option string, value interface{}) error {
 	val, ok := value.(string)
 
 	if !ok {
-		return errors.New("Expected string type for multimode")
+		return errors.New("Expected string type for multiopen")
 	}
 
 	switch val {
diff --git a/runtime/help/options.md b/runtime/help/options.md
index 0b91df70..d04ab994 100644
--- a/runtime/help/options.md
+++ b/runtime/help/options.md
@@ -223,8 +223,8 @@ Here are the available options:
 
 	default value: `true`
 
-* `multimode`: specifies how to layout multiple files opened at startup.
-   Most useful as a command-line option, like `-multimode vsplit`. Possible
+* `multiopen`: specifies how to layout multiple files opened at startup.
+   Most useful as a command-line option, like `-multiopen vsplit`. Possible
    values correspond to commands (see `> help commands`) that open files:
     * `tab`: open each file in a separate tab.
     * `vsplit`: open files side-by-side.