diff --git a/src/packages/markdown-preview/lib/markdown-preview.coffee b/src/packages/markdown-preview/lib/markdown-preview.coffee
index 2c0fe213e..fa21e2a47 100644
--- a/src/packages/markdown-preview/lib/markdown-preview.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/markdown-preview/lib/markdown-preview.coffee
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ MarkdownPreviewView = require 'markdown-preview/lib/markdown-preview-view'
 module.exports =
   activate: ->
     rootView.command 'markdown-preview:show', '.editor', => @show()
-    rootView.on 'core:save', ".pane", => @show()
+    rootView.on 'core:save', ".pane", => @show() if @previewExists()
 
   show: ->
     activePane = rootView.getActivePane()
@@ -26,3 +26,8 @@ module.exports =
     else
       activePane.splitRight(new MarkdownPreviewView(editSession.buffer))
     activePane.focus()
+
+  previewExists: ->
+    nextPane = rootView.getActivePane().getNextPane()
+    item = rootView.getActivePane().activeItem
+    nextPane?.itemForUri("markdown-preview:#{item.getPath?()}")
diff --git a/src/packages/markdown-preview/spec/markdown-preview-spec.coffee b/src/packages/markdown-preview/spec/markdown-preview-spec.coffee
index 478418f82..92eaa6703 100644
--- a/src/packages/markdown-preview/spec/markdown-preview-spec.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/markdown-preview/spec/markdown-preview-spec.coffee
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@ describe "MarkdownPreview package", ->
             expect(preview.buffer).toBe rootView.getActivePaneItem().buffer
             expect(pane1).toMatchSelector(':has(:focus)')
 
+        describe "when a buffer is saved", ->
+          it "does not show the markdown preview", ->
+            [pane] = rootView.getPanes()
+            pane.focus()
+
+            MarkdownPreviewView.prototype.fetchRenderedMarkdown.reset()
+            pane.trigger("core:save")
+            expect(MarkdownPreviewView.prototype.fetchRenderedMarkdown).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
       describe "when a preview item has already been created for the edit session's uri", ->
         it "updates and shows the existing preview item if it isn't displayed", ->
           rootView.getActiveView().trigger 'markdown-preview:show'
@@ -75,14 +84,13 @@ describe "MarkdownPreview package", ->
           expect(pane2.activeItem).toBe preview
           expect(pane1).toMatchSelector(':has(:focus)')
 
-      describe "when a buffer is modified and saved after a preview item has already been created", ->
-        it "updates the existing preview item", ->
-          rootView.getActiveView().trigger 'markdown-preview:show'
-          [pane1, pane2] = rootView.getPanes()
-          preview = pane2.activeItem
-          pane1.focus()
+        describe "when a buffer is saved", ->
+          it "updates the existing preview item", ->
+            rootView.getActiveView().trigger 'markdown-preview:show'
+            [pane1, pane2] = rootView.getPanes()
+            preview = pane2.activeItem
+            pane1.focus()
 
-          preview.fetchRenderedMarkdown.reset()
-          pane1.saveActiveItem = () ->
-          pane1.trigger("core:save")
-          expect(preview.fetchRenderedMarkdown).toHaveBeenCalled()
+            preview.fetchRenderedMarkdown.reset()
+            pane1.trigger("core:save")
+            expect(preview.fetchRenderedMarkdown).toHaveBeenCalled()