diff --git a/autoload/airline/builder.vim b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
index d566a32f..20b4944e 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/builder.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ function! s:section_is_empty(self, content)
   if get(g:, 'airline_skip_empty_sections', 0) == 0
     return 0
   endif
+
+  " only check, if airline#skip_empty_sections == 1
+  if get(w:, 'airline_skip_empty_sections', 0) == 0
+    return 0
+  endif
   " assume accents sections to be never empty
   " (avoides, that on startup the mode message becomes empty)
   if match(a:content, '%#__accent_[^#]*#.*__restore__#') > -1
diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/denite.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/denite.vim
index 2662438f..672efbd9 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/denite.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/denite.vim
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ endfunction
 
 function! airline#extensions#denite#apply(...)
   if &ft == 'denite'
+    let w:airline_skip_empty_sections = 0
     call a:1.add_section('airline_a', ' Denite %{airline#extensions#denite#check_denite_mode('.a:2['bufnr'].')}')
     call a:1.add_section('airline_c', ' %{denite#get_status_sources()}')
     call a:1.split()
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index afd31c46..26121008 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -148,6 +148,12 @@ values):
  >
   let g:airline_skip_empty_sections = 1
 <
+
+  This variable can be overriden by setting a window-local variable with
+  the same name (in the correct window):
+ >
+  let w:airline_skip_empty_sections = 0
+<
 ==============================================================================
 COMMANDS                                                  *airline-commands*