diff --git a/cnl_file_plot.py b/cnl_file_plot.py
index 7ef334a37a637dc33e36bcd1506073859a752473..c67596fc160cf1f41cc71d132d5f4cea80794f15 100755
--- a/cnl_file_plot.py
+++ b/cnl_file_plot.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def plot_net(ax, cnl_file, args):
                         #fontsize=layout.fontsize.legend
                         )
         else:
-            l = ax.legend(loc=args.legend_pos)
+            l = ax.legend(loc=args.legend_pos, ncol=args.legend_col_number)
 
 
     ax.set_xlim(xmin=args.x_min)
@@ -320,6 +320,9 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         parser.add_argument("-l", "--legend-pos", type=int,
                             help="see: http://matplotlib.org/api/pyplot_api.html#matplotlib.pyplot.legend")
 
+        parser.add_argument("-ncols", "--legend-col-number", type=int, default=1,
+                            help="see: http://matplotlib.org/api/pyplot_api.html#matplotlib.pyplot.legend")
+
 
         ## subplots
         parser.add_argument("-sub", "--subplots", type=str, nargs='*',