diff --git a/src/algorithms/flip.cpp b/src/algorithms/flip.cpp
index 27548b1a..e21618dd 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/flip.cpp
+++ b/src/algorithms/flip.cpp
@@ -8,10 +8,13 @@ using namespace handlegraph;
 
 void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
                 graph_t& into,
-                const std::vector<path_handle_t>& no_flips) {
+                const std::vector<path_handle_t>& no_flips,
+                const std::vector<path_handle_t>& ref_flips) {
+    // Copy the nodes
     graph.for_each_handle([&](const handle_t& h) {
         into.create_handle(graph.get_sequence(h), graph.get_id(h));
     });
+    // Copy the edges
     graph.for_each_handle([&](const handle_t& h) {
         graph.follow_edges(h, false, [&](const handle_t& next) {
             into.create_edge(into.get_handle(graph.get_id(h), graph.get_is_reverse(h)),
@@ -22,15 +25,47 @@ void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
                              into.get_handle(graph.get_id(h), graph.get_is_reverse(h)));
         });
     });
+
+    // Paths to not flip
     ska::flat_hash_set<path_handle_t> no_flip;
     for (auto& p : no_flips) { no_flip.insert(p); }
+
+    // Paths to use as reference for flipping
+    ska::flat_hash_set<path_handle_t> ref_flip;
+    for (auto& p : ref_flips) { ref_flip.insert(p); }
+
+    // Prepare all path handles in a vector (for parallel processing)
     std::vector<path_handle_t> paths;
-    std::vector<path_handle_t> into_paths;
     // for each path, find its average orientation
     graph.for_each_path_handle([&](const path_handle_t& p) { paths.push_back(p); });
+
+    // Check whether reference paths are (in general) in fwd or rev orientation
+    uint64_t ref_rev = 0;
+    uint64_t ref_fwd = 0;
+    // OpenMP's reduction: each thread maintains its own private copy of these variables
+    // during the parallel region, and OpenMP combines them at the end using addition.
+#pragma omp parallel for reduction(+:ref_rev,ref_fwd)
+    for (auto& path : paths) {
+        if (ref_flip.count(path)) {
+            graph.for_each_step_in_path(
+                path,
+                [&ref_rev,&ref_fwd,&graph](const step_handle_t& s) {
+                    auto h = graph.get_handle_of_step(s);
+                    auto len = graph.get_length(h);
+                    if (graph.get_is_reverse(h)) {
+                        ref_rev += len;
+                    } else {
+                        ref_fwd += len;
+                    }
+                });
+        }
+    }
+
 #pragma omp parallel for
     for (auto& path : paths) {
-        if (!no_flip.count(path)) {
+        // ref_paths must not be flipped either
+        if (!no_flip.count(path) && !ref_flip.count(path)) {
+            // Check path orientation with respect to the graph
             uint64_t rev = 0;
             uint64_t fwd = 0;
             graph.for_each_step_in_path(
@@ -44,11 +79,20 @@ void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
                         fwd += len;
                     }
                 });
-            // those that tend to be reversed more than forward should be flipped
-            if (rev > fwd) {
+
+            // Check if the path should be flipped
+            bool flip_path = false;
+            if (ref_flip.size() > 0) {
+                // if ref paths are reversed, reversed paths should be
+                // not flipped to stay consistent with the reference
+                flip_path = ref_rev > ref_fwd ? rev < fwd : rev > fwd;
+            } else {
+                // those that tend to be reversed more than forward should be flipped
+                flip_path = rev > fwd;
+            }
+            if (flip_path) {
                 auto name = graph.get_path_name(path) + "_inv";
                 auto flipped = into.create_path_handle(name);
-                into_paths.push_back(flipped);
                 std::vector<handle_t> v;
                 graph.for_each_step_in_path(
                     path,
@@ -63,7 +107,6 @@ void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
                 }
             } else {
                 auto fwd = into.create_path_handle(graph.get_path_name(path));
-                into_paths.push_back(fwd);
                 graph.for_each_step_in_path(
                     path,
                     [&fwd,&into,&graph](const step_handle_t& s) {
@@ -75,7 +118,6 @@ void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
         } else {
             // add the path as-is
             auto fwd = into.create_path_handle(graph.get_path_name(path));
-            into_paths.push_back(fwd);
             graph.for_each_step_in_path(
                 path,
                 [&fwd,&into,&graph](const step_handle_t& s) {
@@ -87,7 +129,6 @@ void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
     }
 
     ska::flat_hash_set<std::pair<handle_t, handle_t>> edges_to_create;
-
 #pragma omp parallel for
     for (auto& path : paths) {
         // New edges can be due only when paths are flipped
@@ -104,7 +145,6 @@ void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
             });
         }
     }
-
     // add missing edges
     for (auto edge: edges_to_create) {
         into.create_edge(edge.first, edge.second);
diff --git a/src/algorithms/flip.hpp b/src/algorithms/flip.hpp
index 714853ab..66607dbb 100644
--- a/src/algorithms/flip.hpp
+++ b/src/algorithms/flip.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ using namespace handlegraph;
 /// the graph in the forward orientation.
 void flip_paths(graph_t& graph,
                 graph_t& into,
-                const std::vector<path_handle_t>& no_flips);
+                const std::vector<path_handle_t>& no_flips,
+                const std::vector<path_handle_t>& ref_flips);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/subcommand/flip_main.cpp b/src/subcommand/flip_main.cpp
index f3fe4a38..09d6dbec 100644
--- a/src/subcommand/flip_main.cpp
+++ b/src/subcommand/flip_main.cpp
@@ -18,14 +18,15 @@ int main_flip(int argc, char **argv) {
     }
     const std::string prog_name = "odgi flip";
     argv[0] = (char *) prog_name.c_str();
-    --argc
-;
+    --argc;
+
     args::ArgumentParser parser("Flip (reverse complement) paths to match the graph.");
     args::Group mandatory_opts(parser, "[ MANDATORY ARGUMENTS ]");
     args::ValueFlag<std::string> og_in_file(mandatory_opts, "FILE", "Load the succinct variation graph in ODGI format from this *FILE*. The file name usually ends with *.og*. GFA is also supported.", {'i', "idx"});
     args::ValueFlag<std::string> og_out_file(mandatory_opts, "FILE", "Write the sorted dynamic succinct variation graph to this file (e.g. *.og*).", {'o', "out"});
     args::Group flip_opts(parser, "[ Flip Options ]");
     args::ValueFlag<std::string> _no_flips(flip_opts, "FILE", "Don't flip paths listed one per line in FILE.", {'n', "no-flips"});
+    args::ValueFlag<std::string> _ref_flips(flip_opts, "FILE", "Flip paths to match the orientation of the paths listed one per line in FILE.", {'r', "ref-flips"});
     args::Group threading_opts(parser, "[ Threading ]");
     args::ValueFlag<uint64_t> nthreads(threading_opts, "N", "Number of threads to use for parallel operations.",
                                        {'t', "threads"});
@@ -80,7 +81,8 @@ int main_flip(int argc, char **argv) {
     graph.set_number_of_threads(num_threads);
 
     std::vector<path_handle_t> no_flips;
-    if (_no_flips) {
+    std::vector<path_handle_t> ref_flips;
+    if (_no_flips || _ref_flips) {
         // path loading
         auto load_paths = [&](const std::string& path_names_file) {
             std::ifstream path_names_in(path_names_file);
@@ -116,11 +118,16 @@ int main_flip(int argc, char **argv) {
             return paths;
         };
 
-        no_flips = load_paths(args::get(_no_flips));
+        if (_no_flips) {
+            no_flips = load_paths(args::get(_no_flips));
+        }
+        if (_ref_flips) {
+            ref_flips = load_paths(args::get(_ref_flips));
+        }
     }
 
     graph_t into;
-    algorithms::flip_paths(graph, into, no_flips);
+    algorithms::flip_paths(graph, into, no_flips, ref_flips);
 
     const std::string outfile = args::get(og_out_file);
     if (outfile == "-") {