diff --git a/rhodecode/config/routing.py b/rhodecode/config/routing.py
--- a/rhodecode/config/routing.py
+++ b/rhodecode/config/routing.py
@@ -1066,6 +1066,12 @@ def make_map(config):
                  f_path='', annotate=True, conditions={'function': check_repo},
                  requirements=URL_NAME_REQUIREMENTS, jsroute=True)
 
+    rmap.connect('files_annotate_previous',
+                 '/{repo_name}/annotate-previous/{revision}/{f_path}',
+                 controller='files', action='annotate_previous', revision='tip',
+                 f_path='', annotate=True, conditions={'function': check_repo},
+                 requirements=URL_NAME_REQUIREMENTS, jsroute=True)
+
     rmap.connect('files_edit',
                  '/{repo_name}/edit/{revision}/{f_path}',
                  controller='files', action='edit', revision='tip',
diff --git a/rhodecode/controllers/files.py b/rhodecode/controllers/files.py
--- a/rhodecode/controllers/files.py
+++ b/rhodecode/controllers/files.py
@@ -260,6 +260,32 @@ class FilesController(BaseRepoController
         return render('files/files.mako')
 
     @LoginRequired()
+    @HasRepoPermissionAnyDecorator(
+        'repository.read', 'repository.write', 'repository.admin')
+    def annotate_previous(self, repo_name, revision, f_path):
+
+        commit_id = revision
+        commit = self.__get_commit_or_redirect(commit_id, repo_name)
+        prev_commit_id = commit.raw_id
+
+        f_path = f_path
+        is_file = False
+        try:
+            _file = commit.get_node(f_path)
+            is_file = _file.is_file()
+        except (NodeDoesNotExistError, CommitDoesNotExistError, VCSError):
+            pass
+
+        if is_file:
+            history = commit.get_file_history(f_path)
+            prev_commit_id = history[1].raw_id \
+                if len(history) > 1 else prev_commit_id
+
+        return redirect(h.url(
+            'files_annotate_home', repo_name=repo_name,
+            revision=prev_commit_id, f_path=f_path))
+
+    @LoginRequired()
     @HasRepoPermissionAnyDecorator('repository.read', 'repository.write',
                                    'repository.admin')
     @jsonify
diff --git a/rhodecode/public/css/code-block.less b/rhodecode/public/css/code-block.less
--- a/rhodecode/public/css/code-block.less
+++ b/rhodecode/public/css/code-block.less
@@ -1105,6 +1105,7 @@ table.cb {
         }
         &.cb-annotate-message-spacer {
              width:8px;
+             padding: 1px 0px 0px 3px;
         }
         &.cb-annotate-info {
             width: 320px;
diff --git a/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js b/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js
--- a/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js
+++ b/rhodecode/public/js/rhodecode/routes.js
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ function registerRCRoutes() {
     pyroutes.register('files_history_home', '/%(repo_name)s/history/%(revision)s/%(f_path)s', ['repo_name', 'revision', 'f_path']);
     pyroutes.register('files_authors_home', '/%(repo_name)s/authors/%(revision)s/%(f_path)s', ['repo_name', 'revision', 'f_path']);
     pyroutes.register('files_annotate_home', '/%(repo_name)s/annotate/%(revision)s/%(f_path)s', ['repo_name', 'revision', 'f_path']);
+    pyroutes.register('files_annotate_previous', '/%(repo_name)s/annotate-previous/%(revision)s/%(f_path)s', ['repo_name', 'revision', 'f_path']);
     pyroutes.register('files_archive_home', '/%(repo_name)s/archive/%(fname)s', ['repo_name', 'fname']);
     pyroutes.register('files_nodelist_home', '/%(repo_name)s/nodelist/%(revision)s/%(f_path)s', ['repo_name', 'revision', 'f_path']);
     pyroutes.register('files_nodetree_full', '/%(repo_name)s/nodetree_full/%(commit_id)s/%(f_path)s', ['repo_name', 'commit_id', 'f_path']);
diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/codeblocks/source.mako b/rhodecode/templates/codeblocks/source.mako
--- a/rhodecode/templates/codeblocks/source.mako
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/codeblocks/source.mako
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@
               ${h.gravatar_with_user(annotation.author, 16) | n}
               <div class="cb-annotate-message truncate-wrap">${h.chop_at_smart(annotation.message, '\n', suffix_if_chopped='...')}</div>
             </td>
-            <td class="cb-annotate-message-spacer"></td>
+            <td class="cb-annotate-message-spacer">
+                <a class="tooltip" href="#show-previous-annotation" onclick="return annotationController.previousAnnotation('${annotation.raw_id}', '${c.f_path}')" title="${_('view annotation from before this change')}">
+                    <i class="icon-left"></i>
+                </a>
+            </td>
             <td
               class="cb-annotate-revision"
               data-revision="${annotation.revision}"
@@ -67,5 +71,20 @@
       annotation=annotation, show_annotation=loop.first
       )}
   % endfor
+<script>
+var AnnotationController = function() {
+  var self = this;
 
+  this.previousAnnotation = function(commitId, fPath) {
+      var params = {
+          'repo_name': templateContext.repo_name,
+          'revision': commitId,
+          'f_path': fPath
+      };
+      window.location = pyroutes.url('files_annotate_previous', params);
+      return false;
+  };
+};
+var annotationController = new AnnotationController();
+</script>
 </%def>