diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim
index d9e90152..2a89f789 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim
@@ -1,9 +1,24 @@
 " MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
 " vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
 
+function! s:check_defined(variable, default)
+  if !exists(a:variable)
+    let {a:variable} = a:default
+  endif
+endfunction
+
+call s:check_defined('g:airline#extensions#hunks#non_zero_only', 0)
+call s:check_defined('g:airline#extensions#hunks#hunk_symbols', ['+', '~', '-'])
+
 function! airline#extensions#hunks#get_hunks()
   let hunks = GitGutterGetHunkSummary()
-  return printf('+%s ~%s -%s ', hunks[0], hunks[1], hunks[2])
+  let string = ''
+  for i in [0, 1, 2]
+    if g:airline#extensions#hunks#non_zero_only == 0 || hunks[i] > 0
+      let string .= printf('%s%s ', g:airline#extensions#hunks#hunk_symbols[i], hunks[i])
+    endif
+  endfor
+  return string
 endfunction
 
 function! airline#extensions#hunks#init(ext)
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index 101d6667..139a2376 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -212,6 +212,12 @@ vim-gitgutter <https://github.com/airblade/vim-gitgutter>
 * enable/disable detecting changed hunks under source control. >
   let g:airline_enable_hunks = 1
 <
+* enable/disable showing only non-zero hunks. >
+  let g:airline#extensions#hunks#non_zero_only = 0
+<
+* set hunk count symbols. >
+  let g:airline#extensions#hunks#hunk_symbols = ['+', '~', '-']
+<
 
 ==============================================================================
 FUNCREFS                                                  *airline-funcrefs*