diff --git a/docs/api/README.md b/docs/api/README.md
index a9e381452..7570dee96 100644
--- a/docs/api/README.md
+++ b/docs/api/README.md
@@ -131,6 +131,30 @@ In this case the `<a>` will be the actual link (and will get the correct `href`)
 
   Configure the active CSS class applied when the link is active with exact match. Note the default value can also be configured globally via the `linkExactActiveClass` router constructor option.
 
+### exact-path
+
+- type: `boolean`
+- default: `false`
+
+  The exact active class matching behavior is **strict match**. For example, `<router-link to="/a" exact>` will get this class applied as long as the current path is `/a`.
+
+  One consequence of this is that `<router-link to="/a" exact>` won't be active when the query parameters do not match. To force the link into "exact path match mode", use the `exact-path` prop:
+  
+  ```html
+  <!-- this link will also be active at `/a?page=2` or `/a#foo` -->
+  <router-link to="/a" exact-path> 
+  ```
+  
+  This is useful when using pagination 
+
+### exact-path-active-class
+
+- type: `string`
+- default: `"router-link-exact-path-active"`
+
+  Configure the active CSS class applied when the link is active with exact path match. Note the default value can also be configured globally via the `linkExactPathActiveClass` router constructor option.
+
+
 ## `<router-view>`
 
 The `<router-view>` component is a functional component that renders the matched component for the given path. Components rendered in `<router-view>` can also contain its own `<router-view>`, which will render components for nested paths.
@@ -260,6 +284,15 @@ Since it's just a component, it works with `<transition>` and `<keep-alive>`. Wh
 
   Setting this to `false` essentially makes every `router-link` navigation a full page refresh in IE9. This is useful when the app is server-rendered and needs to work in IE9, because a hash mode URL does not work with SSR.
 
+### linkExactPathActiveClass
+
+- type: `string`
+
+- default: `"router-link-exact-path-active"`
+
+  Globally configure `<router-link>` default active class for exact path matches. Also see [router-link](router-link.md).
+
+
 ## Router Instance Properties
 
 ### router.app
diff --git a/examples/active-links/app.js b/examples/active-links/app.js
index a1a3238d4..e68b4d0dd 100644
--- a/examples/active-links/app.js
+++ b/examples/active-links/app.js
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ new Vue({
 
         <li><router-link to="/users">/users</router-link></li>
         <li><router-link to="/users" exact>/users (exact match)</router-link></li>
+        <li><router-link to="/users?foo=bar" exact-path>/users?foo=bar (exact path match)</router-link></li>
 
         <li><router-link to="/users/evan">/users/evan</router-link></li>
         <li><router-link to="/users/evan#foo">/users/evan#foo</router-link></li>
@@ -60,6 +61,11 @@ new Vue({
             /users/evan?foo=bar&baz=qux
           </router-link>
         </li>
+        <li>
+          <router-link :to="{ name: 'user', params: { username: 'evan' }, query: { baz: 'qux' }}" exact-path>
+            /users/evan?baz=qux (named view + exact path match)
+          </router-link>
+        </li>
 
         <li><router-link to="/about">/about</router-link></li>
 
diff --git a/examples/active-links/index.html b/examples/active-links/index.html
index 3f7e03489..7e152095b 100644
--- a/examples/active-links/index.html
+++ b/examples/active-links/index.html
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 a.router-link-exact-active, li.router-link-exact-active a {
   border-bottom: 1px solid #f66;
 }
+a.router-link-exact-path-active, li.router-link-exact-path-active a {
+  border-bottom: 1px solid #f66;
+}
 </style>
 <a href="/">&larr; Examples index</a>
 <div id="app"></div>
diff --git a/flow/declarations.js b/flow/declarations.js
index 0072907a1..e6dad14b4 100644
--- a/flow/declarations.js
+++ b/flow/declarations.js
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ declare type RouterOptions = {
   fallback?: boolean;
   base?: string;
   linkActiveClass?: string;
+  linkExactPathActiveClass?: string;
   parseQuery?: (query: string) => Object;
   stringifyQuery?: (query: Object) => string;
   scrollBehavior?: (
diff --git a/src/components/link.js b/src/components/link.js
index a6fbec0f6..58603d8d7 100644
--- a/src/components/link.js
+++ b/src/components/link.js
@@ -19,10 +19,12 @@ export default {
       default: 'a'
     },
     exact: Boolean,
+    exactPath: Boolean,
     append: Boolean,
     replace: Boolean,
     activeClass: String,
     exactActiveClass: String,
+    exactPathActiveClass: String,
     event: {
       type: eventTypes,
       default: 'click'
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ export default {
     const classes = {}
     const globalActiveClass = router.options.linkActiveClass
     const globalExactActiveClass = router.options.linkExactActiveClass
+    const globalExactPathActiveClass = router.options.linkExactPathActiveClass
     // Support global empty active class
     const activeClassFallback = globalActiveClass == null
       ? 'router-link-active'
@@ -43,20 +46,29 @@ export default {
     const exactActiveClassFallback = globalExactActiveClass == null
       ? 'router-link-exact-active'
       : globalExactActiveClass
+    const exactPathActiveClassFallback = globalExactPathActiveClass == null
+      ? 'router-link-exact-path-active'
+      : globalExactPathActiveClass
     const activeClass = this.activeClass == null
       ? activeClassFallback
       : this.activeClass
     const exactActiveClass = this.exactActiveClass == null
       ? exactActiveClassFallback
       : this.exactActiveClass
+    const exactPathActiveClass = this.exactPathActiveClass == null
+      ? exactPathActiveClassFallback
+      : this.exactPathActiveClass
     const compareTarget = location.path
       ? createRoute(null, location, null, router)
       : route
 
+    classes[exactPathActiveClass] = this.exactPath && isSameRoute(current, compareTarget, true)
     classes[exactActiveClass] = isSameRoute(current, compareTarget)
     classes[activeClass] = this.exact
       ? classes[exactActiveClass]
-      : isIncludedRoute(current, compareTarget)
+      : this.exactPath
+        ? classes[exactPathActiveClass]
+        : isIncludedRoute(current, compareTarget)
 
     const handler = e => {
       if (guardEvent(e)) {
diff --git a/src/util/route.js b/src/util/route.js
index 54a91a738..84c938313 100644
--- a/src/util/route.js
+++ b/src/util/route.js
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ function getFullPath (
   return (path || '/') + stringify(query) + hash
 }
 
-export function isSameRoute (a: Route, b: ?Route): boolean {
+export function isSameRoute (a: Route, b: ?Route, exactPath: ?boolean): boolean {
   if (b === START) {
     return a === b
   } else if (!b) {
@@ -78,14 +78,12 @@ export function isSameRoute (a: Route, b: ?Route): boolean {
   } else if (a.path && b.path) {
     return (
       a.path.replace(trailingSlashRE, '') === b.path.replace(trailingSlashRE, '') &&
-      a.hash === b.hash &&
-      isObjectEqual(a.query, b.query)
+      (exactPath || (a.hash === b.hash && isObjectEqual(a.query, b.query)))
     )
   } else if (a.name && b.name) {
     return (
       a.name === b.name &&
-      a.hash === b.hash &&
-      isObjectEqual(a.query, b.query) &&
+      (exactPath || (a.hash === b.hash && isObjectEqual(a.query, b.query))) &&
       isObjectEqual(a.params, b.params)
     )
   } else {
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/active-links.js b/test/e2e/specs/active-links.js
index 164978762..bada4805a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/active-links.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/active-links.js
@@ -4,36 +4,40 @@ module.exports = {
     browser
     .url('http://localhost:8080/active-links/')
       .waitForElementVisible('#app', 1000)
-      .assert.count('li a', 11)
+      .assert.count('li a', 13)
       // assert correct href with base
       .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(1) a', 'href', '/active-links/')
       .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(2) a', 'href', '/active-links/')
       .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(3) a', 'href', '/active-links/users')
       .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(4) a', 'href', '/active-links/users')
-      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(5) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan')
-      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(6) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan#foo')
-      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(7) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan?foo=bar')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(5) a', 'href', '/active-links/users?foo=bar')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(6) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(7) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan#foo')
       .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(8) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan?foo=bar')
-      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(9) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan?foo=bar&baz=qux')
-      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(10) a', 'href', '/active-links/about')
-      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(11) a', 'href', '/active-links/about')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(9) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan?foo=bar')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(10) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan?foo=bar&baz=qux')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(11) a', 'href', '/active-links/users/evan?baz=qux')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(12) a', 'href', '/active-links/about')
+      .assert.attributeContains('li:nth-child(13) a', 'href', '/active-links/about')
       .assert.containsText('.view', 'Home')
 
     assertActiveLinks(1, [1, 2], null, [1, 2])
     assertActiveLinks(2, [1, 2], null, [1, 2])
-    assertActiveLinks(3, [1, 3, 4], null, [3, 4])
-    assertActiveLinks(4, [1, 3, 4], null, [3, 4])
-    assertActiveLinks(5, [1, 3, 5], null, [5])
-    assertActiveLinks(6, [1, 3, 5, 6], null, [6])
-    assertActiveLinks(7, [1, 3, 5, 7, 8], null, [7, 8])
-    assertActiveLinks(8, [1, 3, 5, 7, 8], null, [7, 8])
-    assertActiveLinks(9, [1, 3, 5, 7, 9], null, [9])
-    assertActiveLinks(10, [1, 10], [11], [10], [11])
-    assertActiveLinks(11, [1, 10], [11], [10], [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(3, [1, 3, 4, 5], null, [3, 4], null, [5])
+    assertActiveLinks(4, [1, 3, 4, 5], null, [3, 4], null, [5])
+    assertActiveLinks(5, [1, 3, 5], null, [5], null, [5])
+    assertActiveLinks(6, [1, 3, 6, 11], null, [6], null, [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(7, [1, 3, 6, 7, 11], null, [7], null, [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(8, [1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11], null, [8, 9], null, [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(9, [1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11], null, [8, 9], null, [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(10, [1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11], null, [10], null, [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(11, [1, 3, 6, 11], null, [11], null, [11])
+    assertActiveLinks(12, [1, 12], [13], [12], [13])
+    assertActiveLinks(13, [1, 12], [13], [12], [13])
 
     browser.end()
 
-    function assertActiveLinks (n, activeA, activeLI, exactActiveA, exactActiveLI) {
+    function assertActiveLinks (n, activeA, activeLI, exactActiveA, exactActiveLI, exactPathActiveA, exactPathActiveLI) {
       browser.click(`li:nth-child(${n}) a`)
       activeA.forEach(i => {
         browser.assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i}) a`, 'router-link-active')
@@ -49,6 +53,14 @@ module.exports = {
         browser.assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i})`, 'router-link-exact-active')
           .assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i})`, 'router-link-active')
       })
+      exactPathActiveA && exactPathActiveA.forEach(i => {
+        browser.assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i}) a`, 'router-link-exact-path-active')
+          .assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i}) a`, 'router-link-active')
+      })
+      exactPathActiveLI && exactPathActiveLI.forEach(i => {
+        browser.assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i})`, 'router-link-exact-path-active')
+          .assert.cssClassPresent(`li:nth-child(${i})`, 'router-link-active')
+      })
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/route.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/route.spec.js
index 8e8118537..0f10556e0 100644
--- a/test/unit/specs/route.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/specs/route.spec.js
@@ -66,6 +66,18 @@ describe('Route utils', () => {
       expect(isSameRoute(a, b)).toBe(true)
       expect(isSameRoute(a, c)).toBe(false)
     })
+
+    it('exact path', () => {
+      const a = { path: '/abc' }
+      const b = { path: '/abc', query: { foo: 'bar' }, hash: '#foo' }
+      const c = { path: '/abc', query: { baz: 'qux' }}
+      const d = { path: '/xyz', query: { foo: 'bar' }}
+      expect(isSameRoute(a, b, true)).toBe(true)
+      expect(isSameRoute(a, c, true)).toBe(true)
+      expect(isSameRoute(a, d, true)).toBe(false)
+      expect(isSameRoute(b, c, true)).toBe(true)
+      expect(isSameRoute(b, d, true)).toBe(false)
+    })
   })
 
   describe('isIncludedRoute', () => {
diff --git a/types/router.d.ts b/types/router.d.ts
index c6c8eef65..d21113647 100644
--- a/types/router.d.ts
+++ b/types/router.d.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export interface RouterOptions {
   base?: string;
   linkActiveClass?: string;
   linkExactActiveClass?: string;
+  linkExactPathActiveClass?: string;
   parseQuery?: (query: string) => Object;
   stringifyQuery?: (query: Object) => string;
   scrollBehavior?: (