diff --git a/benchmark/benchmark-suite.coffee b/benchmark/benchmark-suite.coffee
index 4e883cc78..c0b194a5a 100644
--- a/benchmark/benchmark-suite.coffee
+++ b/benchmark/benchmark-suite.coffee
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ describe "TokenizedBuffer.", ->
       { languageMode, buffer } = editSession
 
     benchmark "construction", 20, ->
-      new TokenizedBuffer(buffer, { languageMode, tabText: '  '})
+      new TokenizedBuffer(buffer, { languageMode, tabLength: 2})
 
 describe "OnigRegExp.", ->
   [regexes, line] = []
diff --git a/spec/app/display-buffer-spec.coffee b/spec/app/display-buffer-spec.coffee
index 562501b2b..142fabaa6 100644
--- a/spec/app/display-buffer-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/display-buffer-spec.coffee
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ DisplayBuffer = require 'display-buffer'
 Buffer = require 'buffer'
 
 describe "DisplayBuffer", ->
-  [editSession, displayBuffer, buffer, changeHandler, tabText] = []
+  [editSession, displayBuffer, buffer, changeHandler, tabLength] = []
   beforeEach ->
-    tabText = '  '
-    editSession = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample.js', { tabText })
+    tabLength = 2
+    editSession = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample.js', { tabLength })
     { buffer, displayBuffer } = editSession
     changeHandler = jasmine.createSpy 'changeHandler'
     displayBuffer.on 'change', changeHandler
@@ -636,14 +636,14 @@ describe "DisplayBuffer", ->
         buffer.insert([0, 0], '\t')
         expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, 0])).toEqual [0, 0]
         expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, 1])).toEqual [0, 0]
-        expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, tabText.length])).toEqual [0, tabText.length]
+        expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, tabLength])).toEqual [0, tabLength]
 
     describe "when skipAtomicTokens is true", ->
       it "clips screen positions in the middle of atomic tab characters to the end of the character", ->
         buffer.insert([0, 0], '\t')
         expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, 0], skipAtomicTokens: true)).toEqual [0, 0]
-        expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, 1], skipAtomicTokens: true)).toEqual [0, tabText.length]
-        expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, tabText.length], skipAtomicTokens: true)).toEqual [0, tabText.length]
+        expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, 1], skipAtomicTokens: true)).toEqual [0, tabLength]
+        expect(displayBuffer.clipScreenPosition([0, tabLength], skipAtomicTokens: true)).toEqual [0, tabLength]
 
   describe ".maxLineLength()", ->
     it "returns the length of the longest screen line", ->
diff --git a/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee b/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee
index 3347450e0..788859373 100644
--- a/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee
@@ -1141,8 +1141,8 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
     describe ".indent()", ->
       describe "when nothing is selected", ->
         describe "if 'softTabs' is true (the default)", ->
-          it "inserts the value of 'tabText' into the buffer", ->
-            tabRegex = new RegExp("^#{editSession.tabText}")
+          it "inserts 'tabLength' spaces into the buffer", ->
+            tabRegex = new RegExp("^[ ]{#{editSession.tabLength}}")
             expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).not.toMatch(tabRegex)
             editSession.indent()
             expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toMatch(tabRegex)
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
           describe "when the preceding line opens a new level of indentation", ->
             it "increases the level of indentation by one", ->
               buffer.insert([5, 0], "  \n")
-              editSession.tabText = "  "
+              editSession.tabLength = 2
               editSession.setCursorBufferPosition [5, 2]
               editSession.setAutoIndent(true)
               editSession.indent()
@@ -1162,7 +1162,7 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
           describe "when there are empty lines preceding the current line", ->
             it "bases indentation on the first non-blank preceding line", ->
               buffer.insert([5, 0], "\n\n\n  \n")
-              editSession.tabText = "  "
+              editSession.tabLength = 2
               editSession.setCursorBufferPosition [8, 2]
               editSession.setAutoIndent(true)
               editSession.indent()
@@ -1172,7 +1172,7 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
 
           it "properly indents the line", ->
             buffer.insert([7, 0], "  \n")
-            editSession.tabText = "  "
+            editSession.tabLength = 2
             editSession.setCursorBufferPosition [7, 2]
             editSession.setAutoIndent(true)
             editSession.indent()
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
 
           it "allows for additional indentation if the cursor is beyond the proper indentation point", ->
             buffer.insert([7, 0], "      \n")
-            editSession.tabText = "  "
+            editSession.tabLength = 2
             editSession.setCursorBufferPosition [7, 6]
             editSession.setAutoIndent(true)
             editSession.indent()
@@ -1197,12 +1197,12 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
           editSession.indent()
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toMatch(/^\t/)
           expect(editSession.getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [0, 1]
-          expect(editSession.getCursorScreenPosition()).toEqual [0, editSession.tabText.length]
+          expect(editSession.getCursorScreenPosition()).toEqual [0, editSession.tabLength]
 
           editSession.indent()
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toMatch(/^\t\t/)
           expect(editSession.getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [0, 2]
-          expect(editSession.getCursorScreenPosition()).toEqual [0, editSession.tabText.length * 2]
+          expect(editSession.getCursorScreenPosition()).toEqual [0, editSession.tabLength * 2]
 
     describe "pasteboard operations", ->
       pasteboard = null
@@ -1254,24 +1254,22 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(1)).toBe "  var first = function(items) {"
 
     describe ".indentSelectedRows()", ->
-      tabLength = null
-
       beforeEach ->
-        tabLength = editSession.tabText.length
+        editSession.tabLength = 2
 
       describe "when nothing is selected", ->
         it "indents line and retains selection", ->
           editSession.setSelectedBufferRange([[0,3], [0,3]])
           editSession.indentSelectedRows()
-          expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toBe "#{editSession.tabText}var quicksort = function () {"
-          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[0, 3 + tabLength], [0, 3 + tabLength]]
+          expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toBe "#{editSession.getTabText()}var quicksort = function () {"
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[0, 3 + editSession.tabLength], [0, 3 + editSession.tabLength]]
 
       describe "when one line is selected", ->
         it "indents line and retains selection", ->
           editSession.setSelectedBufferRange([[0,4], [0,14]])
           editSession.indentSelectedRows()
-          expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toBe "#{editSession.tabText}var quicksort = function () {"
-          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[0, 4 + tabLength], [0, 14 + tabLength]]
+          expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toBe "#{editSession.getTabText()}var quicksort = function () {"
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[0, 4 + editSession.tabLength], [0, 14 + editSession.tabLength]]
 
       describe "when multiple lines are selected", ->
         it "indents selected lines (that are not empty) and retains selection", ->
@@ -1280,28 +1278,25 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(9)).toBe "    };"
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(10)).toBe ""
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(11)).toBe "    return sort(Array.apply(this, arguments));"
-          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[9, 1 + tabLength], [11, 15 + tabLength]]
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[9, 1 + editSession.tabLength], [11, 15 + editSession.tabLength]]
 
     describe ".outdentSelectedRows()", ->
-      tabLength = null
-
       beforeEach ->
-        editSession.tabText = "  "
-        tabLength = editSession.tabText.length
+        editSession.tabLength = 2
 
       describe "when nothing is selected", ->
         it "outdents line and retains selection", ->
           editSession.setSelectedBufferRange([[1,3], [1,3]])
           editSession.outdentSelectedRows()
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(1)).toBe "var sort = function(items) {"
-          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[1, 3 - tabLength], [1, 3 - tabLength]]
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[1, 3 - editSession.tabLength], [1, 3 - editSession.tabLength]]
 
       describe "when one line is selected", ->
         it "outdents line and retains editSession", ->
           editSession.setSelectedBufferRange([[1,4], [1,14]])
           editSession.outdentSelectedRows()
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(1)).toBe "var sort = function(items) {"
-          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[1, 4 - tabLength], [1, 14 - tabLength]]
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[1, 4 - editSession.tabLength], [1, 14 - editSession.tabLength]]
 
       describe "when multiple lines are selected", ->
         it "outdents selected lines and retains editSession", ->
@@ -1310,7 +1305,7 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(0)).toBe "var quicksort = function () {"
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(1)).toBe "var sort = function(items) {"
           expect(buffer.lineForRow(2)).toBe "  if (items.length <= 1) return items;"
-          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[0, 1], [3, 15 - tabLength]]
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[0, 1], [3, 15 - editSession.tabLength]]
 
     describe ".toggleLineCommentsInSelection()", ->
       it "toggles comments on the selected lines", ->
diff --git a/spec/app/editor-spec.coffee b/spec/app/editor-spec.coffee
index 93fdc36a7..c544a5b01 100644
--- a/spec/app/editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/editor-spec.coffee
@@ -1472,6 +1472,17 @@ describe "Editor", ->
           expect(editor.renderedLines.find('.line:eq(14)').text()).toBe 'B'
           expect(editor.renderedLines.find('.line:eq(15)')).not.toExist()
 
+    describe "when editor.setShowInvisibles is called", ->
+      it "displays spaces as •, tabs as ▸ and newlines as ¬ when true", ->
+        editor.attachToDom()
+        editor.setText " a line with tabs\tand spaces "
+        expect(editor.showInvisibles).toBeFalsy()
+        expect(editor.find('.line').text()).toBe " a line with tabs  and spaces "
+        editor.setShowInvisibles(true)
+        expect(editor.find('.line').text()).toBe "•a line with tabs▸ and spaces•¬"
+        editor.setShowInvisibles(false)
+        expect(editor.find('.line').text()).toBe " a line with tabs  and spaces "
+
   describe "gutter rendering", ->
     beforeEach ->
       editor.attachToDom(heightInLines: 5.5)
@@ -1595,7 +1606,6 @@ describe "Editor", ->
         expect(miniEditor.getCursorBufferPosition().row).toBe 0
         expect(miniEditor.find('.line.cursor-line').length).toBe 0
 
-
   describe "gutter line highlighting", ->
     beforeEach ->
       editor.attachToDom(heightInLines: 5.5)
diff --git a/spec/app/root-view-spec.coffee b/spec/app/root-view-spec.coffee
index 8e1c2ca81..31e612115 100644
--- a/spec/app/root-view-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/root-view-spec.coffee
@@ -690,3 +690,27 @@ describe "RootView", ->
       expect(fs.read(buffer1.getPath())).toBe("edited1")
       expect(buffer2.isModified()).toBe(false)
       expect(fs.read(buffer2.getPath())).toBe("edited2")
+
+  describe "window:toggle-invisibles event", ->
+    it "shows/hides invisibles in all open and future editors", ->
+      rootView.height(200)
+      rootView.attachToDom()
+      rightEditor = rootView.getActiveEditor()
+      rightEditor.setText(" \t ")
+      leftEditor = rightEditor.splitLeft()
+      expect(rightEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "    "
+      expect(leftEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "    "
+
+      rootView.trigger "root-view:toggle-invisibles"
+      expect(rightEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "•▸ •¬"
+      expect(leftEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "•▸ •¬"
+
+      lowerLeftEditor = leftEditor.splitDown()
+      expect(lowerLeftEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "•▸ •¬"
+
+      rootView.trigger "root-view:toggle-invisibles"
+      expect(rightEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "    "
+      expect(leftEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "    "
+
+      lowerRightEditor = rightEditor.splitDown()
+      expect(lowerRightEditor.find(".line:first").text()).toBe "    "
diff --git a/spec/app/screen-line-spec.coffee b/spec/app/screen-line-spec.coffee
index 4d0d9d181..9ea847856 100644
--- a/spec/app/screen-line-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/screen-line-spec.coffee
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@ Buffer = require 'buffer'
 TokenizedBuffer = require 'tokenized-buffer'
 
 describe "ScreenLine", ->
-  [editSession, buffer, tabText, screenLine, tokenizedBuffer] = []
+  [editSession, buffer, screenLine, tokenizedBuffer] = []
 
   beforeEach ->
-    tabText = '••'
-    editSession = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample.js', { tabText } )
+    editSession = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample.js', { tabLength: 2 } )
     { buffer, tokenizedBuffer } = editSession
     screenLine = tokenizedBuffer.lineForScreenRow(3)
 
diff --git a/spec/app/selection-spec.coffee b/spec/app/selection-spec.coffee
index a43ad7f1e..27427ae7a 100644
--- a/spec/app/selection-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/selection-spec.coffee
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ describe "Selection", ->
 
   beforeEach ->
     buffer = new Buffer(require.resolve('fixtures/sample.js'))
-    editSession = new EditSession(buffer: buffer, tabText: '  ')
+    editSession = new EditSession(buffer: buffer, tabLength: 2)
     selection = editSession.getSelection()
 
   afterEach ->
diff --git a/spec/app/token-spec.coffee b/spec/app/token-spec.coffee
deleted file mode 100644
index 08758bf91..000000000
--- a/spec/app/token-spec.coffee
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-_ = require 'underscore'
-Buffer = require 'buffer'
-TokenizedBuffer = require 'tokenized-buffer'
-
-describe "Token", ->
-  [editSession, token] = []
-
-  beforeEach ->
-    tabText = '  '
-    editSession = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample.js')
-    { tokenizedBuffer } = editSession
-    screenLine = tokenizedBuffer.lineForScreenRow(3)
-    token = _.last(screenLine.tokens)
-
-  afterEach ->
-    editSession.destroy()
diff --git a/spec/app/tokenized-buffer-spec.coffee b/spec/app/tokenized-buffer-spec.coffee
index c3cd3dd1a..11a188e0a 100644
--- a/spec/app/tokenized-buffer-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/tokenized-buffer-spec.coffee
@@ -151,25 +151,25 @@ describe "TokenizedBuffer", ->
           expect(event.newRange).toEqual new Range([2, 0], [7, buffer.lineForRow(7).length])
 
     describe "when the buffer contains tab characters", ->
-      tabText = '  '
       editSession2 = null
 
       beforeEach ->
-        editSession2 = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample-with-tabs.coffee', { tabText })
+        tabLength = 2
+        editSession2 = fixturesProject.buildEditSessionForPath('sample-with-tabs.coffee', { tabLength })
         { buffer, tokenizedBuffer } = editSession2
 
       afterEach ->
         editSession2.destroy()
 
-      it "always renders each tab as its own atomic token containing tabText", ->
+      it "always renders each tab as its own atomic token with a value of size tabLength", ->
         screenLine0 = tokenizedBuffer.lineForScreenRow(0)
-        expect(screenLine0.text).toBe "# Econ 101#{tabText}"
+        expect(screenLine0.text).toBe "# Econ 101#{editSession2.getTabText()}"
         { tokens } = screenLine0
         expect(tokens.length).toBe 3
         expect(tokens[0].value).toBe "#"
         expect(tokens[1].value).toBe " Econ 101"
-        expect(tokens[2].value).toBe tabText
+        expect(tokens[2].value).toBe editSession2.getTabText()
         expect(tokens[2].scopes).toEqual tokens[1].scopes
         expect(tokens[2].isAtomic).toBeTruthy()
 
-        expect(tokenizedBuffer.lineForScreenRow(2).text).toBe "#{tabText} buy()#{tabText}while supply > demand"
+        expect(tokenizedBuffer.lineForScreenRow(2).text).toBe "#{editSession2.getTabText()} buy()#{editSession2.getTabText()}while supply > demand"
diff --git a/src/app/display-buffer.coffee b/src/app/display-buffer.coffee
index edbdc2831..346b1183c 100644
--- a/src/app/display-buffer.coffee
+++ b/src/app/display-buffer.coffee
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ class DisplayBuffer
 
   constructor: (@buffer, options={}) ->
     @id = @constructor.idCounter++
-    options.tabText ?= '  '
     @languageMode = options.languageMode
     @tokenizedBuffer = new TokenizedBuffer(@buffer, options)
     @softWrapColumn = options.softWrapColumn ? Infinity
diff --git a/src/app/edit-session.coffee b/src/app/edit-session.coffee
index e861d00ac..10ba9e04c 100644
--- a/src/app/edit-session.coffee
+++ b/src/app/edit-session.coffee
@@ -35,14 +35,15 @@ class EditSession
   cursors: null
   selections: null
   autoIndent: false # TODO: re-enabled auto-indent after fixing the rest of tokenization
+  tabLength: null
   softTabs: true
   softWrap: false
 
-  constructor: ({@project, @buffer, @tabText, @autoIndent, @softTabs, @softWrap}) ->
+  constructor: ({@project, @buffer, @tabLength, @autoIndent, @softTabs, @softWrap }) ->
     @id = @constructor.idCounter++
     @softTabs ?= true
     @languageMode = new LanguageMode(this, @buffer.getExtension())
-    @displayBuffer = new DisplayBuffer(@buffer, { @languageMode, @tabText })
+    @displayBuffer = new DisplayBuffer(@buffer, { @languageMode, @tabLength })
     @tokenizedBuffer = @displayBuffer.tokenizedBuffer
     @anchors = []
     @anchorRanges = []
@@ -106,6 +107,8 @@ class EditSession
   getSoftWrap: -> @softWrap
   setSoftWrap: (@softWrap) ->
 
+  getTabText: -> new Array(@tabLength + 1).join(" ")
+
   clipBufferPosition: (bufferPosition) ->
     @buffer.clipPosition(bufferPosition)
 
@@ -149,7 +152,7 @@ class EditSession
     currentRow = @getCursorBufferPosition().row
     if @getSelection().isEmpty()
       if @softTabs
-        @insertText(@tabText)
+        @insertText(@getTabText())
       else
         @insertText('\t')
     else
diff --git a/src/app/editor.coffee b/src/app/editor.coffee
index ef6843aea..c1bef02d3 100644
--- a/src/app/editor.coffee
+++ b/src/app/editor.coffee
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ class Editor extends View
 
   @deserialize: (state, rootView) ->
     editSessions = state.editSessions.map (state) -> EditSession.deserialize(state, rootView.project)
-    editor = new Editor(editSession: editSessions[state.activeEditSessionIndex], mini: state.mini)
+    editor = new Editor(editSession: editSessions[state.activeEditSessionIndex], mini: state.mini, showInvisibles: rootView.showInvisibles)
     editor.editSessions = editSessions
     editor.isFocused = state.isFocused
     editor
 
-  initialize: ({editSession, @mini} = {}) ->
+  initialize: ({editSession, @mini, @showInvisibles} = {}) ->
     requireStylesheet 'editor.css'
 
     @id = Editor.idCounter++
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class Editor extends View
       editSession = new EditSession
         buffer: new Buffer()
         softWrap: false
-        tabText: "  "
+        tabLength: 2
         autoIndent: false
         softTabs: true
 
@@ -265,6 +265,11 @@ class Editor extends View
   getPageRows: ->
     Math.max(1, Math.ceil(@scrollView[0].clientHeight / @lineHeight))
 
+  setShowInvisibles: (showInvisibles) ->
+    return if showInvisibles == @showInvisibles
+    @showInvisibles = showInvisibles
+    @renderLines()
+
   setText: (text) -> @getBuffer().setText(text)
   getText: -> @getBuffer().getText()
   getPath: -> @getBuffer().getPath()
@@ -569,7 +574,7 @@ class Editor extends View
       @updateRenderedLines()
 
   newSplitEditor: ->
-    new Editor { editSession: @activeEditSession.copy() }
+    new Editor { editSession: @activeEditSession.copy(), @showInvisibles }
 
   splitLeft: ->
     @pane()?.splitLeft(@newSplitEditor()).wrappedView
@@ -874,20 +879,23 @@ class Editor extends View
     line.push("<pre #{attributePairs.join(' ')}>")
 
     if screenLine.text == ''
-      line.push('&nbsp;')
+      line.push("&nbsp;") unless @showInvisibles
     else
+      firstNonWhitespacePosition = screenLine.text.search(/\S/)
+      firstTrailingWhitespacePosition = screenLine.text.search(/\s*$/)
+      position = 0
       for token in screenLine.tokens
         updateScopeStack(token.scopes)
-        line.push(
-          token.value
-            .replace(/&/g, '&amp;')
-            .replace(/"/g, '&quot;')
-            .replace(/'/g, '&#39;')
-            .replace(/</g, '&lt;')
-            .replace(/>/g, '&gt;')
-        )
+        line.push(token.getValueAsHtml(
+          showInvisibles: @showInvisibles
+          hasLeadingWhitespace: position < firstNonWhitespacePosition
+          hasTrailingWhitespace: position + token.value.length > firstTrailingWhitespacePosition
+        ))
 
-    line.push("</pre>")
+        position += token.value.length
+
+    line.push("<span class='invisible'>¬</span>") if @showInvisibles
+    line.push('</pre>')
     line.join('')
 
   insertLineElements: (row, lineElements) ->
diff --git a/src/app/language-mode.coffee b/src/app/language-mode.coffee
index 312a0f2f5..e2fac8b42 100644
--- a/src/app/language-mode.coffee
+++ b/src/app/language-mode.coffee
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class LanguageMode
 
     currentIndentation = @buffer.indentationForRow(bufferRow)
     desiredIndentation = @buffer.indentationForRow(precedingRow)
-    desiredIndentation += @editSession.tabText.length if increaseIndentPattern.test(precedingLine)
+    desiredIndentation += @editSession.tabLength if increaseIndentPattern.test(precedingLine)
     if desiredIndentation > currentIndentation
       @buffer.setIndentationForRow(bufferRow, desiredIndentation)
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class LanguageMode
     precedingLine = @buffer.lineForRow(precedingRow)
 
     desiredIndentation = @buffer.indentationForRow(precedingRow)
-    desiredIndentation -= @editSession.tabText.length unless increaseIndentPattern.test(precedingLine)
+    desiredIndentation -= @editSession.tabLength unless increaseIndentPattern.test(precedingLine)
     if desiredIndentation < currentIndentation
       @buffer.setIndentationForRow(bufferRow, desiredIndentation)
 
diff --git a/src/app/project.coffee b/src/app/project.coffee
index 1ce285833..dfe28a56d 100644
--- a/src/app/project.coffee
+++ b/src/app/project.coffee
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ ChildProcess = require 'child-process'
 
 module.exports =
 class Project
-  tabText: '  '
+  tabLength: 2
   autoIndent: true
   softTabs: true
   softWrap: false
@@ -101,9 +101,6 @@ class Project
   relativize: (fullPath) ->
     fullPath.replace(@getPath(), "").replace(/^\//, '')
 
-  getTabText: -> @tabText
-  setTabText: (@tabText) ->
-
   getAutoIndent: -> @autoIndent
   setAutoIndent: (@autoIndent) ->
 
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@ class Project
     editSession
 
   defaultEditSessionOptions: ->
-    tabText: @getTabText()
+    tabLength: @tabLength
     autoIndent: @getAutoIndent()
     softTabs: @getSoftTabs()
     softWrap: @getSoftWrap()
diff --git a/src/app/root-view.coffee b/src/app/root-view.coffee
index 38cb4f1e9..3f98d2d0f 100644
--- a/src/app/root-view.coffee
+++ b/src/app/root-view.coffee
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class RootView extends View
   extensions: null
   extensionStates: null
   fontSize: 20
+  showInvisibles: false
 
   initialize: (pathToOpen, { @extensionStates, suppressOpen } = {}) ->
     window.rootView = this
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ class RootView extends View
     @on 'root-view:decrease-font-size', => @setFontSize(@getFontSize() - 1)
     @on 'root-view:focus-next-pane', => @focusNextPane()
     @on 'root-view:save-all', => @saveAll()
+    @on 'root-view:toggle-invisibles', => @setShowInvisibles(not @showInvisibles)
 
   afterAttach: (onDom) ->
     @focus() if onDom
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ class RootView extends View
 
     unless editSession = @openInExistingEditor(path, allowActiveEditorChange, changeFocus)
       editSession = @project.buildEditSessionForPath(path)
-      editor = new Editor({editSession})
+      editor = new Editor({editSession, @showInvisibles})
       pane = new Pane(editor)
       @panes.append(pane)
       if changeFocus
@@ -170,6 +172,11 @@ class RootView extends View
   setTitle: (title='untitled') ->
     document.title = title
 
+  setShowInvisibles: (showInvisibles) ->
+    return if @showInvisibles == showInvisibles
+    @showInvisibles = showInvisibles
+    editor.setShowInvisibles(@showInvisibles) for editor in @getEditors()
+
   getEditors: ->
     @panes.find('.pane > .editor').map(-> $(this).view()).toArray()
 
diff --git a/src/app/selection.coffee b/src/app/selection.coffee
index 0e0b711f7..4d050abba 100644
--- a/src/app/selection.coffee
+++ b/src/app/selection.coffee
@@ -208,15 +208,15 @@ class Selection
   indentSelectedRows: ->
     range = @getBufferRange()
     for row in [range.start.row..range.end.row]
-      @editSession.buffer.insert([row, 0], @editSession.tabText) unless @editSession.buffer.lineLengthForRow(row) == 0
+      @editSession.buffer.insert([row, 0], @editSession.getTabText()) unless @editSession.buffer.lineLengthForRow(row) == 0
 
   outdentSelectedRows: ->
     range = @getBufferRange()
     buffer = @editSession.buffer
-    leadingTabRegex = new RegExp("^#{@editSession.tabText}")
+    leadingTabRegex = new RegExp("^#{@editSession.getTabText()}")
     for row in [range.start.row..range.end.row]
       if leadingTabRegex.test buffer.lineForRow(row)
-        buffer.delete [[row, 0], [row, @editSession.tabText.length]]
+        buffer.delete [[row, 0], [row, @editSession.tabLength]]
 
   toggleLineComments: ->
     @modifySelection =>
diff --git a/src/app/token.coffee b/src/app/token.coffee
index 80710ce9d..a413cd521 100644
--- a/src/app/token.coffee
+++ b/src/app/token.coffee
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ class Token
   value: null
   scopes: null
   isAtomic: null
+  isTab: null
 
-  constructor: ({@value, @scopes, @isAtomic, @bufferDelta, @fold}) ->
+  constructor: ({@value, @scopes, @isAtomic, @bufferDelta, @fold, @isTab}) ->
     @screenDelta = @value.length
     @bufferDelta ?= @screenDelta
 
@@ -21,14 +22,41 @@ class Token
     value2 = @value.substring(splitIndex)
     [new Token(value: value1, scopes: @scopes), new Token(value: value2, scopes: @scopes)]
 
-  breakOutTabCharacters: (tabText) ->
+  breakOutTabCharacters: (tabLength, showInvisibles) ->
     return [this] unless /\t/.test(@value)
 
-    for substring in @value.match(/([^\t]+|\t)/g)
-      if substring == '\t'
-        @buildTabToken(tabText)
+    for substring in @value.match(/[^\t]+|\t/g)
+      if substring == "\t"
+        @buildTabToken(tabLength)
       else
         new Token(value: substring, scopes: @scopes)
 
-  buildTabToken: (tabText) ->
-    new Token(value: tabText, scopes: @scopes, bufferDelta: 1, isAtomic: true)
+  buildTabToken: (tabLength) ->
+    new Token(
+      value: new Array(tabLength + 1).join(" ")
+      scopes: @scopes
+      bufferDelta: 1
+      isAtomic: true
+      isTab: true
+    )
+
+  getValueAsHtml: ({showInvisibles, hasLeadingWhitespace, hasTrailingWhitespace})->
+    html = @value
+      .replace(/&/g, '&amp;')
+      .replace(/"/g, '&quot;')
+      .replace(/'/g, '&#39;')
+      .replace(/</g, '&lt;')
+      .replace(/>/g, '&gt;')
+
+    if showInvisibles
+      if @isTab
+        html = html.replace(/^./, "<span class='invisible'>▸</span>")
+      else
+        if hasLeadingWhitespace
+          html = html.replace /^[ ]+/, (match) ->
+            "<span class='invisible'>#{match.replace(/./g, '•')}</span>"
+        if hasTrailingWhitespace
+          html = html.replace /[ ]+$/, (match) ->
+            "<span class='invisible'>#{match.replace(/./g, '•')}</span>"
+
+    html
diff --git a/src/app/tokenized-buffer.coffee b/src/app/tokenized-buffer.coffee
index 02285a505..0e73574b8 100644
--- a/src/app/tokenized-buffer.coffee
+++ b/src/app/tokenized-buffer.coffee
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ class TokenizedBuffer
   @idCounter: 1
 
   languageMode: null
+  tabLength: null
   buffer: null
   aceAdaptor: null
   screenLines: null
 
-  constructor: (@buffer, { @languageMode, @tabText }) ->
+  constructor: (@buffer, { @languageMode, @tabLength }) ->
+    @tabLength ?= 2
     @languageMode.tokenizedBuffer = this
     @id = @constructor.idCounter++
     @screenLines = @buildScreenLinesForRows(0, @buffer.getLastRow())
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ class TokenizedBuffer
     tokenObjects = []
     for tokenProperties in tokens
       token = new Token(tokenProperties)
-      tokenObjects.push(token.breakOutTabCharacters(@tabText)...)
+      tokenObjects.push(token.breakOutTabCharacters(@tabLength)...)
     text = _.pluck(tokenObjects, 'value').join('')
     new ScreenLine(tokenObjects, text, [1, 0], [1, 0], { stack })
 
diff --git a/static/editor.css b/static/editor.css
index ed4d1eb0f..c05e57a29 100644
--- a/static/editor.css
+++ b/static/editor.css
@@ -123,3 +123,7 @@
 .editor .fold.selected {
   background-color: #244;
 }
+
+.editor .invisible {
+  opacity: 0.2;
+}