diff --git a/core/modules/system/config/schema/system.schema.yml b/core/modules/system/config/schema/system.schema.yml
index e34d375..322371d 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/config/schema/system.schema.yml
+++ b/core/modules/system/config/schema/system.schema.yml
@@ -335,6 +335,9 @@ block.settings.system_menu_block:*:
     level:
       type: integer
       label: 'Starting level'
+    follow:
+      type: boolean
+      label: 'Follow the active menu trail'
     depth:
       type: integer
       label: 'Maximum number of levels'
diff --git a/core/modules/system/src/Plugin/Block/SystemMenuBlock.php b/core/modules/system/src/Plugin/Block/SystemMenuBlock.php
index 83a2f85..ab89985 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/src/Plugin/Block/SystemMenuBlock.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/src/Plugin/Block/SystemMenuBlock.php
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@ public function blockForm($form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
       '#required' => TRUE,
     );
 
+    $form['menu_levels']['follow'] = array(
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#title' => $this->t('Make the starting level follow the active menu item.'),
+      '#default_value' => $config['follow'],
+      '#description' => $this->t('If the active menu item is deeper than the level specified above, the starting level will follow the active menu item. Otherwise, the starting level of the tree will remain fixed.')
+    );
+
     $options[0] = $this->t('Unlimited');
 
     $form['menu_levels']['depth'] = array(
@@ -131,6 +138,7 @@ public static function processMenuLevelParents(&$element, FormStateInterface $fo
   public function blockSubmit($form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
     $this->configuration['level'] = $form_state->getValue('level');
     $this->configuration['depth'] = $form_state->getValue('depth');
+    $this->configuration['follow'] = $form_state->getValue('follow');
   }
 
   /**
@@ -152,6 +160,18 @@ public function build() {
       $parameters->setMaxDepth(min($level + $depth - 1, $this->menuTree->maxDepth()));
     }
 
+    // Adjust the root according to the current position in the menu
+    // in order to determine if we can show the menu subtree.
+    if ($level > 1 && $this->configuration['follow']) {
+      if (count($parameters->activeTrail) >= $level) {
+        $menu_root = array_values($parameters->activeTrail)[count($parameters->activeTrail) - $level];
+        $parameters->setRoot($menu_root)->setMinDepth(1);
+      }
+      else {
+        return array();
+      }
+    }
+
     $tree = $this->menuTree->load($menu_name, $parameters);
     $manipulators = array(
       array('callable' => 'menu.default_tree_manipulators:checkAccess'),
@@ -166,8 +186,9 @@ public function build() {
    */
   public function defaultConfiguration() {
     return [
-      'level' => 1,
+      'level' => TRUE,
       'depth' => 0,
+      'follow' => 0,
     ];
   }