diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
index 91da5a78..5a65cc06 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ let s:formatter = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#formatter', 'default')
 let s:excludes = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#excludes', [])
 let s:tab_nr_type = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#tab_nr_type', 0)
 let s:show_buffers = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_buffers', 1)
+let s:show_tabs = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_tabs', 1)
 let s:show_tab_nr = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_tab_nr', 1)
 let s:show_tab_type = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_tab_type', 1)
 let s:show_close_button = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_close_button', 1)
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ function! airline#extensions#tabline#get()
     let s:current_tabcnt = curtabcnt
     let s:current_bufnr = -1  " force a refresh...
   endif
-  if s:show_buffers && curtabcnt == 1
+  if s:show_buffers && curtabcnt == 1 || !s:show_tabs
     return s:get_buffers()
   else
     return s:get_tabs()
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index ddc81ce0..7620abe5 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -391,6 +391,9 @@ eclim <https://eclim.org>
 * enable/disable displaying buffers with a single tab. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#show_buffers = 1
 <
+* enable/disable displaying tabs, regardless of number. >
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#show_tabs = 1
+<
 * configure filename match rules to exclude from the tabline. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#excludes = []
 <