diff --git a/zfs-replicate.sh b/zfs-replicate.sh
index 994bda8..e35d122 100755
--- a/zfs-replicate.sh
+++ b/zfs-replicate.sh
@@ -151,9 +151,14 @@ snapSend() {
   checkLock "$TMPDIR/.replicate.send.lock"
   ## create initial send command based on arguments
   ## if first snap name is not empty generate an incremental
-  local args="-R"
-  if [ -n "$base" ]; then
+  if [ ${RECURSE_CHILDREN} -eq 1 ]; then
+    args="-R"
+  elif [ ${RECURSE_CHILDREN} -eq 0 ]; then
+    args=""
+  elif [ -n "$base" ] && [ ${RECURSE_CHILDREN} -eq 1 ]; then
     args="-R -I $base"
+  elif [ -n "$base" ] && [ ${RECURSE_CHILDREN} -eq 0 ]; then
+    args="-I $base"
   fi
   ## set the command prefix based on source host
   local prefix