diff --git a/src/atom.coffee b/src/atom.coffee
index 7065a0d93..3bba8ffca 100644
--- a/src/atom.coffee
+++ b/src/atom.coffee
@@ -673,6 +673,7 @@ class Atom extends Model
     @windowEventHandler?.unsubscribe()
 
   openInitialEmptyEditorIfNecessary: ->
+    return if @config.get('core.disableInitialEmptyEditor')
     if @getLoadSettings().initialPaths?.length is 0 and @workspace.getPaneItems().length is 0
       @workspace.open(null)
 
diff --git a/src/config-schema.coffee b/src/config-schema.coffee
index a1bd91cc7..2487f4c37 100644
--- a/src/config-schema.coffee
+++ b/src/config-schema.coffee
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ module.exports =
           'windows1258',
           'windows866'
         ]
+      disableInitialEmptyEditor:
+        description: 'Disable the initial empty editor when atom starts.'
+        type: 'boolean'
+        default: false
 
   editor:
     type: 'object'