A radio frequency plasma detector for capillary GC has been modified for oxygen‐selective detection. Purification of the plasma gas and purging of both ends of the discharge region with helium were crucial to minimizing oxygen background emission from impurities in the plasma. With a pure helium plasma, eluting hydrocarbons released oxygen from the discharge region resulting in interfering signals on the oxygen channel. These interfering signals were efficiently reduced by using a methane‐doped (0. 15%) low power RF plasma (15 W) sustained in a high make‐up flow (150 mL/min). With this plasma, a 10³:1 oxygen‐to‐carbon selectivity and a 100 pg oxygen/s detection limit were obtained. The detector was linear over three orders of magnitude. The detection system has been used to screen for oxygenated compounds in two environmental samples.