diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5bd9eb1f973..e6da5533666 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ For upgrade instructions, please check the [migration guide](MIGRATIONS.md).
 ### Added
 
 - Added support for duplicate dataset names for different organizations [#3137](https://github.com/scalableminds/webknossos/pull/3137)
+- Added support to watch additional dataset directories, automatically creating symbolic links to the main directory [#3330](https://github.com/scalableminds/webknossos/pull/3330)
 - A User can now have multiple layouts for tracing views. [#3299](https://github.com/scalableminds/webknossos/pull/3299)
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/conf/application.conf b/conf/application.conf
index 122ba8d2cb2..cf20ecadaa6 100644
--- a/conf/application.conf
+++ b/conf/application.conf
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ braingames.binary {
   loadTimeout = 10 # in seconds
   saveTimeout = 10 # in seconds
   baseFolder = binaryData
+  additionalFolders = []
 
   changeHandler {
     enabled = true
diff --git a/util/src/main/scala/com/scalableminds/util/io/PathUtils.scala b/util/src/main/scala/com/scalableminds/util/io/PathUtils.scala
index 6a391ae16d0..da527b6eced 100644
--- a/util/src/main/scala/com/scalableminds/util/io/PathUtils.scala
+++ b/util/src/main/scala/com/scalableminds/util/io/PathUtils.scala
@@ -90,4 +90,19 @@ trait PathUtils extends LazyLogging {
       Files.createDirectories(path)
     path
   }
+
+  // not following symlinks
+  def listDirectoriesRaw(directory: Path) = Box[List[Path]] {
+    try {
+      val directoryStream = Files.walk(directory, 1)
+      val r = directoryStream.iterator().asScala.toList
+      directoryStream.close()
+      Full(r)
+    } catch {
+      case ex: Exception =>
+        val errorMsg = s"Error: ${ex.getClass.getCanonicalName} - ${ex.getMessage}. Directory: ${directory.toAbsolutePath}"
+        logger.error(ex.getClass.getCanonicalName)
+        Failure(errorMsg)
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreConfig.scala b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreConfig.scala
index 9e6d2c5ad48..26abfa187b6 100644
--- a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreConfig.scala
+++ b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreConfig.scala
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class DataStoreConfig @Inject()(configuration: Configuration) extends ConfigRead
         val tickerInterval = get[Int]("braingames.binary.changeHandler.tickerInterval") minutes
       }
       val baseFolder = get[String]("braingames.binary.baseFolder")
+      val additionalFolders = get[Seq[String]]("braingames.binary.additionalFolders").toList
       val loadTimeout = get[Int]("braingames.binary.loadTimeout") seconds
       val cacheMaxSize = get[Int]("braingames.binary.cacheMaxSize")
 
diff --git a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreModule.scala b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreModule.scala
index 045c0032d35..bf5aaeb8a53 100644
--- a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreModule.scala
+++ b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/DataStoreModule.scala
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class DataStoreModule(environment: Environment, configuration: Configuration) ex
 
   def configure() = {
     bind(classOf[DataStoreConfig]).asEagerSingleton()
+    bind(classOf[BaseDirService]).asEagerSingleton()
     bind(classOf[AccessTokenService]).asEagerSingleton()
     bind(classOf[ActorSystem]).annotatedWith(Names.named("webknossos-datastore")).toInstance(system)
     bind(classOf[BinaryDataService]).asEagerSingleton()
diff --git a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/BaseDirService.scala b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/BaseDirService.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7376ac57227
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/BaseDirService.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+package com.scalableminds.webknossos.datastore.services
+
+import java.io.IOException
+import java.nio.file.{Files, Path, Paths}
+
+import com.scalableminds.util.io.PathUtils
+import com.scalableminds.util.tools.{Fox, FoxImplicits}
+import com.scalableminds.webknossos.datastore.DataStoreConfig
+import com.typesafe.scalalogging.LazyLogging
+import javax.inject.Inject
+
+import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
+
+class BaseDirService @Inject()(config: DataStoreConfig)(implicit ec: ExecutionContext) extends LazyLogging with FoxImplicits {
+  private val baseDir = Paths.get(config.Braingames.Binary.baseFolder)
+  private val additionalDirs = config.Braingames.Binary.additionalFolders.map(Paths.get(_))
+
+  def updateSymlinks() : Fox[Unit] = {
+    for {
+      organizationDirectoriesNested <- additionalDirs.map(dir => PathUtils.listDirectories(dir)).toSingleBox("listDirectories failed").toFox
+      datasetDirectoriesNested <- organizationDirectoriesNested.flatten.map(dir => PathUtils.listDirectories(dir)).toSingleBox("listDirectories failed").toFox
+      _ <- createMissingSymlinks(datasetDirectoriesNested.flatten)
+      _ <- cleanUpDanglingSymlinks()
+    } yield ()
+  }
+
+  private def createMissingSymlinks(datasetDirectories: List[Path]) = {
+    Fox.serialCombined(datasetDirectories) {
+      directory => createSymlink(baseDir.resolve(directory.getParent.getFileName).resolve(directory.getFileName), directory)
+    }
+  }
+
+  private def createSymlink(linkLocation: Path, actualDirLocation: Path) = {
+    try {
+      if (Files.exists(linkLocation)) {
+        if (Files.isSymbolicLink(linkLocation) && Files.isSameFile(Files.readSymbolicLink(linkLocation), actualDirLocation)) {
+          // link is already in place, pass.
+        } else {
+          logger.warn(s"Could not create symlink at $linkLocation pointing to $actualDirLocation because there is already something else there.")
+        }
+        Fox.successful(())
+      } else {
+        logger.info(s"Creating symlink at $linkLocation pointing to $actualDirLocation")
+        Fox.successful(Files.createSymbolicLink(linkLocation.toAbsolutePath, actualDirLocation.toAbsolutePath))
+      }
+    } catch {
+      case e: IOException => Fox.failure(s"Failed to create symbolic link at $linkLocation ${e.getMessage}")
+    }
+  }
+
+  private def cleanUpDanglingSymlinks() = {
+    for {
+      organizationDirectories <- PathUtils.listDirectories(baseDir).toFox
+      dataSetDirectories <- organizationDirectories.map(dir => PathUtils.listDirectoriesRaw(dir)).toSingleBox("listDirectories failed").toFox
+      _ <- Fox.serialCombined(dataSetDirectories.flatten)(cleanUpIfDanglingSymlink)
+    } yield ()
+  }
+
+  private def cleanUpIfDanglingSymlink(directory: Path): Fox[Unit] = {
+    try {
+      logger.info(s"testing for symlinkness: $directory")
+      if (Files.isSymbolicLink(directory) && Files.notExists(Files.readSymbolicLink(directory))) {
+        logger.info(s"Deleting dangling symbolic link at $directory which pointed to ${Files.readSymbolicLink(directory)}")
+        Fox.successful(Files.delete(directory))
+      } else {
+        Fox.successful(())
+      }
+    } catch {
+      case e: IOException => Fox.failure(s"Failed to analyze possible symlink for cleanup at $directory: ${e.getMessage}")
+    }
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/DataSourceService.scala b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/DataSourceService.scala
index 6f59cdbe2ed..162631b8815 100644
--- a/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/DataSourceService.scala
+++ b/webknossos-datastore/app/com/scalableminds/webknossos/datastore/services/DataSourceService.scala
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class DataSourceService @Inject()(
                                    config: DataStoreConfig,
                                    dataSourceRepository: DataSourceRepository,
                                    val lifecycle: ApplicationLifecycle,
+                                   baseDirService: BaseDirService,
                                    @Named("webknossos-datastore") val system: ActorSystem
                                  ) extends IntervalScheduler with LazyLogging with FoxImplicits {
 
@@ -43,23 +44,26 @@ class DataSourceService @Inject()(
 
   def checkInbox(): Fox[Unit] = {
     logger.info(s"Scanning inbox at: $dataBaseDir")
-    PathUtils.listDirectories(dataBaseDir) match {
-      case Full(dirs) =>
-        for {
-          _ <- Fox.successful(())
-          foundInboxSources = dirs.flatMap(teamAwareInboxSources)
-          dataSourceString = foundInboxSources.map { ds =>
-            s"'${ds.id.team}/${ds.id.name}' (${if (ds.isUsable) "active" else "inactive"})"
-          }.mkString(", ")
-
-          _ = logger.info(s"Finished scanning inbox: $dataSourceString")
-          _ <- dataSourceRepository.updateDataSources(foundInboxSources)
-        } yield ()
-      case e =>
-        val errorMsg = s"Failed to scan inbox. Error during list directories on '$dataBaseDir': $e"
-        logger.error(errorMsg)
-        Fox.failure(errorMsg)
-    }
+    for {
+      _ <- baseDirService.updateSymlinks ?~> "Failed to update dataset symbolic links"
+      _ <- PathUtils.listDirectories(dataBaseDir) match {
+              case Full(dirs) =>
+                for {
+                  _ <- Fox.successful(())
+                  foundInboxSources = dirs.flatMap(teamAwareInboxSources)
+                  dataSourceString = foundInboxSources.map { ds =>
+                    s"'${ds.id.team}/${ds.id.name}' (${if (ds.isUsable) "active" else "inactive"})"
+                  }.mkString(", ")
+
+                  _ = logger.info(s"Finished scanning inbox: $dataSourceString")
+                  _ <- dataSourceRepository.updateDataSources(foundInboxSources)
+                } yield ()
+              case e =>
+                val errorMsg = s"Failed to scan inbox. Error during list directories on '$dataBaseDir': $e"
+                logger.error(errorMsg)
+                Fox.failure(errorMsg)
+            }
+    } yield ()
   }
 
   def handleUpload(id: DataSourceId, dataSetZip: File): Fox[Unit] = {
diff --git a/webknossos-datastore/conf/standalone-datastore.conf b/webknossos-datastore/conf/standalone-datastore.conf
index c77518f9c86..cd3d9c1184b 100644
--- a/webknossos-datastore/conf/standalone-datastore.conf
+++ b/webknossos-datastore/conf/standalone-datastore.conf
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ braingames.binary {
   loadTimeout = 10 # in seconds
   saveTimeout = 10 # in seconds
   baseFolder = binaryData
+  additionalFolders = []
 
   changeHandler {
     enabled = true