diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py
index bdb6f1312c..206dd7ec5c 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/default.py
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@
     'easyblock': [None, "EasyBlock to use for building; if set to None, an easyblock is selected "
                         "based on the software name", BUILD],
     'easybuild_version': [None, "EasyBuild-version this spec-file was written for", BUILD],
+    'hidden': [False, "Install module file as 'hidden' by prefixing its version with '.'", BUILD],
     'installopts': ['', 'Extra options for installation', BUILD],
     'maxparallel': [None, 'Max degree of parallelism', BUILD],
     'parallel': [None, ('Degree of parallelism for e.g. make (default: based on the number of '
diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
index 5be37a8917..30039a4c52 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ def __init__(self, path, extra_options=None, build_specs=None, validate=True, hi
 
         # keep track of whether the generated module file should be hidden
         if hidden is None:
-            hidden = build_option('hidden')
+            hidden = self['hidden'] or build_option('hidden')
         self.hidden = hidden
 
         # set installdir/module info
@@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ def process_easyconfig(path, build_specs=None, validate=True, parse_only=False,
                 'dependencies': [],
                 'builddependencies': [],
                 'hiddendependencies': [],
-                'hidden': hidden,
+                'hidden': ec.hidden,
             })
             if len(blocks) > 1:
                 easyconfig['original_spec'] = path
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/options.py b/easybuild/tools/options.py
index 185008289f..baf13e7e7f 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/options.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/options.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ def override_options(self):
             'group': ("Group to be used for software installations (only verified, not set)", None, 'store', None),
             'group-writable-installdir': ("Enable group write permissions on installation directory after installation",
                                           None, 'store_true', False),
-            'hidden': ("Install 'hidden' module file(s) by prefixing their name with '.'", None, 'store_true', False),
+            'hidden': ("Install 'hidden' module file(s) by prefixing their version with '.'", None, 'store_true', False),
             'ignore-osdeps': ("Ignore any listed OS dependencies", None, 'store_true', False),
             'filter-deps': ("Comma separated list of dependencies that you DON'T want to install with EasyBuild, "
                             "because equivalent OS packages are installed. (e.g. --filter-deps=zlib,ncurses)",
diff --git a/test/framework/toy_build.py b/test/framework/toy_build.py
index ec1cdd8559..e4ea42f4b1 100644
--- a/test/framework/toy_build.py
+++ b/test/framework/toy_build.py
@@ -730,8 +730,8 @@ def test_toy_advanced(self):
         test_ec = os.path.join(test_dir, 'easyconfigs', 'toy-0.0-gompi-1.3.12-test.eb')
         self.test_toy_build(ec_file=test_ec, versionsuffix='-gompi-1.3.12-test')
 
-    def test_toy_hidden(self):
-        """Test installing a hidden module."""
+    def test_toy_hidden_cmdline(self):
+        """Test installing a hidden module using the '--hidden' command line option."""
         ec_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'toy-0.0.eb')
         self.test_toy_build(ec_file=ec_file, extra_args=['--hidden'], verify=False)
         # module file is hidden
@@ -743,6 +743,23 @@ def test_toy_hidden(self):
         toybin = os.path.join(self.test_installpath, 'software', 'toy', '0.0', 'bin', 'toy')
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(toybin))
 
+    def test_toy_hidden_easyconfig(self):
+        """Test installing a hidden module using the 'hidden = True' easyconfig parameter."""
+        # copy toy easyconfig file, and add hiding option to it
+        ec_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'easyconfigs', 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        shutil.copy2(ec_file, self.test_prefix)
+        ec_file = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'toy-0.0.eb')
+        write_file(ec_file, "\nhidden = True\n", append=True)
+        self.test_toy_build(ec_file=ec_file, verify=False)
+        # module file is hidden
+        toy_module = os.path.join(self.test_installpath, 'modules', 'all', 'toy', '.0.0')
+        if get_module_syntax() == 'Lua':
+            toy_module += '.lua'
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(toy_module), 'Found hidden module %s' % toy_module)
+        # installed software is not hidden
+        toybin = os.path.join(self.test_installpath, 'software', 'toy', '0.0', 'bin', 'toy')
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(toybin))
+
     def test_module_filepath_tweaking(self):
         """Test using --suffix-modules-path."""
         mns_path = "easybuild.tools.module_naming_scheme.test_module_naming_scheme"