diff --git a/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee b/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee
index f6b0e1cf3..136ca9676 100644
--- a/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee
@@ -268,6 +268,36 @@ describe "Starting Atom", ->
                 [otherTempDirPath]
               ].sort()
 
+    it "doesn't reopen any previously opened windows if restorePreviousWindowsOnStart is disabled", ->
+      configPath = path.join(atomHome, 'config.cson')
+      config = CSON.readFileSync(configPath)
+      config['*'].core = {restorePreviousWindowsOnStart: false}
+      CSON.writeFileSync(configPath, config)
+
+      runAtom [tempDirPath], {ATOM_HOME: atomHome}, (client) ->
+        client
+          .waitForExist("atom-workspace")
+          .waitForNewWindow(->
+            @startAnotherAtom([otherTempDirPath], ATOM_HOME: atomHome)
+          , 5000)
+          .waitForExist("atom-workspace")
+
+      runAtom [], {ATOM_HOME: atomHome}, (client) ->
+        windowProjectPaths = []
+
+        client
+          .waitForWindowCount(1, 10000)
+          .then ({value: windowHandles}) ->
+            @window(windowHandles[0])
+            .waitForExist("atom-workspace")
+            .treeViewRootDirectories()
+            .then ({value: directories}) -> windowProjectPaths.push(directories)
+
+            .call ->
+              expect(windowProjectPaths).toEqual [
+                []
+              ]
+
   describe "opening a remote directory", ->
     it "opens the parent directory and creates an empty text editor", ->
       remoteDirectory = 'remote://server:3437/some/directory/path'
diff --git a/src/browser/atom-application.coffee b/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
index 416202cc6..d057aef52 100644
--- a/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
+++ b/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
@@ -506,12 +506,14 @@ class AtomApplication
 
   saveState: (allowEmpty=false) ->
     return if @quitting
+    restorePreviousState = @config.get('core.restorePreviousWindowsOnStart') ? true
     states = []
-    for window in @windows
-      unless window.isSpec
-        if loadSettings = window.getLoadSettings()
-          states.push(initialPaths: loadSettings.initialPaths)
-    if states.length > 0 or allowEmpty
+    if restorePreviousState
+      for window in @windows
+        unless window.isSpec
+          if loadSettings = window.getLoadSettings()
+            states.push(initialPaths: loadSettings.initialPaths)
+    if states.length > 0 or allowEmpty or not restorePreviousState
       @storageFolder.storeSync('application.json', states)
 
   loadState: (options) ->