diff --git a/commands_test.go b/commands_test.go
index a7c9f84f..5d0925da 100644
--- a/commands_test.go
+++ b/commands_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,24 @@ func TestReadArrayCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	test.AssertResult(t, "b.e.1.name: sam\n", result.Output)
 }
 
+func TestReadDeepSplatCmd(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := getRootCommand()
+	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, "read -p kv examples/sample.yaml b.**")
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		t.Error(result.Error)
+	}
+	expectedOutput := `b.c: 2
+b.d.[0]: 3
+b.d.[1]: 4
+b.d.[2]: 5
+b.e.[0].name: fred
+b.e.[0].value: 3
+b.e.[1].name: sam
+b.e.[1].value: 4
+`
+	test.AssertResult(t, expectedOutput, result.Output)
+}
+
 func TestReadWithKeyCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
 	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, "read -p k examples/sample.yaml b.c")
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/data_navigator.go b/pkg/yqlib/data_navigator.go
index e92c4c2a..c17e7e5b 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/data_navigator.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/data_navigator.go
@@ -31,13 +31,19 @@ func (n *navigator) Traverse(value *yaml.Node, path []string) error {
 	return n.doTraverse(value, "", path, emptyArray)
 }
 
-func (n *navigator) doTraverse(value *yaml.Node, head string, path []string, pathStack []interface{}) error {
-	if len(path) > 0 {
-		log.Debugf("diving into %v", path[0])
-		DebugNode(value)
-		return n.recurse(value, path[0], path[1:], pathStack)
+func (n *navigator) doTraverse(value *yaml.Node, head string, tail []string, pathStack []interface{}) error {
+	log.Debug("head %v", head)
+	DebugNode(value)
+	if head == "**" && value.Kind != yaml.ScalarNode {
+		return n.recurse(value, head, tail, pathStack)
 	}
-	return n.navigationStrategy.Visit(NewNodeContext(value, head, path, pathStack))
+
+	if len(tail) > 0 {
+		log.Debugf("diving into %v", tail[0])
+		DebugNode(value)
+		return n.recurse(value, tail[0], tail[1:], pathStack)
+	}
+	return n.navigationStrategy.Visit(NewNodeContext(value, head, tail, pathStack))
 }
 
 func (n *navigator) getOrReplace(original *yaml.Node, expectedKind yaml.Kind) *yaml.Node {
@@ -56,8 +62,8 @@ func (n *navigator) recurse(value *yaml.Node, head string, tail []string, pathSt
 		return n.recurseMap(value, head, tail, pathStack)
 	case yaml.SequenceNode:
 		log.Debug("its a sequence of %v things!, %v", len(value.Content))
-		if head == "*" {
-			return n.splatArray(value, tail, pathStack)
+		if head == "*" || head == "**" {
+			return n.splatArray(value, head, tail, pathStack)
 		} else if head == "+" {
 			return n.appendArray(value, tail, pathStack)
 		}
@@ -196,11 +202,11 @@ func (n *navigator) visitAliasSequence(possibleAliasArray []*yaml.Node, head str
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (n *navigator) splatArray(value *yaml.Node, tail []string, pathStack []interface{}) error {
+func (n *navigator) splatArray(value *yaml.Node, head string, tail []string, pathStack []interface{}) error {
 	for index, childValue := range value.Content {
 		log.Debug("processing")
 		DebugNode(childValue)
-		head := fmt.Sprintf("%v", index)
+		// head = fmt.Sprintf("%v", index)
 		childValue = n.getOrReplace(childValue, guessKind(tail, childValue.Kind))
 		var err = n.doTraverse(childValue, head, tail, append(pathStack, index))
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/lib.go b/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
index 2217a1b5..6d851b91 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/lib.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func guessKind(tail []string, guess yaml.Kind) yaml.Kind {
 	if tail[0] == "+" || errorParsingInt == nil {
 		return yaml.SequenceNode
 	}
-	if tail[0] == "*" && (guess == yaml.SequenceNode || guess == yaml.MappingNode) {
+	if (tail[0] == "*" || tail[0] == "**") && (guess == yaml.SequenceNode || guess == yaml.MappingNode) {
 		return guess
 	}
 	if guess == yaml.AliasNode {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/navigation_strategy.go b/pkg/yqlib/navigation_strategy.go
index 85dd5b21..91f942d1 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/navigation_strategy.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/navigation_strategy.go
@@ -74,13 +74,12 @@ func (ns *NavigationStrategyImpl) ShouldTraverse(nodeContext NodeContext, nodeKe
 }
 
 func (ns *NavigationStrategyImpl) shouldVisit(nodeContext NodeContext) bool {
-	// we should traverse aliases (if enabled), but not visit them :/
 	pathStack := nodeContext.PathStack
 	if len(pathStack) == 0 {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	if ns.alreadyVisited(pathStack) {
+	if ns.alreadyVisited(pathStack) || len(nodeContext.Tail) != 0 {
 		return false
 	}
 
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ func (ns *NavigationStrategyImpl) Visit(nodeContext NodeContext) error {
 }
 
 func (ns *NavigationStrategyImpl) DebugVisitedNodes() {
-	log.Debug("%v", ns.visitedNodes)
+	log.Debug("Visited Nodes:")
 	for _, candidate := range ns.visitedNodes {
 		log.Debug(" - %v", PathStackToString(candidate.PathStack))
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go b/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go
index e4665ddb..7c1bd4ba 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/path_parser.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ func NewPathParser() PathParser {
  */
 func (p *pathParser) MatchesNextPathElement(nodeContext NodeContext, nodeKey string) bool {
 	head := nodeContext.Head
+	if head == "**" || head == "*" {
+		return true
+	}
 	var prefixMatch = strings.TrimSuffix(head, "*")
 	if prefixMatch != head {
 		log.Debug("prefix match, %v", strings.HasPrefix(nodeKey, prefixMatch))