diff --git a/lua/grug-far/actions/syncLocations.lua b/lua/grug-far/actions/syncLocations.lua
index 8ea7dcda..49e8142b 100644
--- a/lua/grug-far/actions/syncLocations.lua
+++ b/lua/grug-far/actions/syncLocations.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 local renderResultsHeader = require('grug-far/render/resultsHeader')
 local resultsList = require('grug-far/render/resultsList')
+local utils = require('grug-far/utils')
 local uv = vim.loop
 
 -- note: this could use libuv and do async io if we find we need the perf boost
@@ -106,11 +107,30 @@ local function getActionMessage(err, count, total, time)
   return msg .. count .. ' / ' .. total .. ' (buffer temporarily not modifiable)'
 end
 
+local function isMultilineSearchReplace(context)
+  local inputs = context.state.inputs
+  local multilineFlags = { '--multiline', '-U' }
+  if #inputs.flags > 0 then
+    for flag in string.gmatch(inputs.flags, "%S+") do
+      if utils.isBlacklistedFlag(flag, multilineFlags) then
+        return true
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+
 local function syncLocations(params)
   local buf = params.buf
   local context = params.context
   local state = context.state
   local startTime = uv.now()
+  if isMultilineSearchReplace(context) then
+    state.actionMessage = 'sync disabled for multline search/replace!'
+    renderResultsHeader(buf, context)
+    vim.notify('grug-far: ' .. state.actionMessage, vim.log.levels.INFO)
+    return
+  end
 
   local extmarks = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_extmarks(0, context.locationsNamespace, 0, -1, {})
   local changedFilesByFilename = {}
diff --git a/lua/grug-far/rg/getArgs.lua b/lua/grug-far/rg/getArgs.lua
index 0063d594..42109844 100644
--- a/lua/grug-far/rg/getArgs.lua
+++ b/lua/grug-far/rg/getArgs.lua
@@ -1,17 +1,4 @@
-local function isBlacklistedFlag(flag, blacklistedFlags)
-  if not blacklistedFlags then
-    return false
-  end
-
-  for i = 1, #blacklistedFlags do
-    local badFlag = blacklistedFlags[i]
-    if flag == badFlag or vim.startswith(flag, badFlag .. ' ') or vim.startswith(flag, badFlag .. '=') then
-      return true
-    end
-  end
-
-  return false
-end
+local utils = require('grug-far/utils')
 
 local function getArgs(inputs, options, extraArgs, blacklistedFlags)
   if #inputs.search < (options.minSearchChars or 1) then
@@ -25,7 +12,7 @@ local function getArgs(inputs, options, extraArgs, blacklistedFlags)
   local extraUserArgs = options.extraRgArgs and vim.trim(options.extraRgArgs) or ''
   if #extraUserArgs > 0 then
     for arg in string.gmatch(extraUserArgs, "%S+") do
-      if isBlacklistedFlag(arg, blacklistedFlags) then
+      if utils.isBlacklistedFlag(arg, blacklistedFlags) then
         table.insert(blacklisted, arg)
       else
         table.insert(args, arg)
@@ -35,7 +22,7 @@ local function getArgs(inputs, options, extraArgs, blacklistedFlags)
 
   if #inputs.flags > 0 then
     for flag in string.gmatch(inputs.flags, "%S+") do
-      if isBlacklistedFlag(flag, blacklistedFlags) then
+      if utils.isBlacklistedFlag(flag, blacklistedFlags) then
         table.insert(blacklisted, flag)
       else
         table.insert(args, flag)
diff --git a/lua/grug-far/utils.lua b/lua/grug-far/utils.lua
index 9c9934f5..8955a6ea 100644
--- a/lua/grug-far/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/grug-far/utils.lua
@@ -52,4 +52,19 @@ function M.strEllideAfter(str, n, prefix)
   return (prefix or '') .. (#str > n and string.sub(str, 1, n) .. '...' or str)
 end
 
+function M.isBlacklistedFlag(flag, blacklistedFlags)
+  if not blacklistedFlags then
+    return false
+  end
+
+  for i = 1, #blacklistedFlags do
+    local badFlag = blacklistedFlags[i]
+    if flag == badFlag or vim.startswith(flag, badFlag .. ' ') or vim.startswith(flag, badFlag .. '=') then
+      return true
+    end
+  end
+
+  return false
+end
+
 return M