diff --git a/src/packages/status-bar/lib/status-bar-view.coffee b/src/packages/status-bar/lib/status-bar-view.coffee
index f58d4dba0..55be1b519 100644
--- a/src/packages/status-bar/lib/status-bar-view.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/status-bar/lib/status-bar-view.coffee
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ class StatusBarView extends View
     @updateStatusText()
 
   updateGrammarText: ->
-    @grammarName.text(@editor.getGrammar().name)
+    grammar = @editor.getGrammar()
+    if grammar is syntax.nullGrammar
+      @grammarName.text('').hide()
+    else
+      @grammarName.text(grammar.name).show()
 
   updateBufferHasModifiedText: (isModified)->
     if isModified
diff --git a/src/packages/status-bar/spec/status-bar-spec.coffee b/src/packages/status-bar/spec/status-bar-spec.coffee
index 85180426b..c0520e54f 100644
--- a/src/packages/status-bar/spec/status-bar-spec.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/status-bar/spec/status-bar-spec.coffee
@@ -176,6 +176,16 @@ describe "StatusBar", ->
     it "displays the name of the current grammar", ->
       expect(statusBar.find('.grammar-name').text()).toBe 'JavaScript'
 
+    it "hides the label when the current grammar is the null grammar", ->
+      rootView.attachToDom()
+      editor.activeEditSession.languageMode.grammar = syntax.nullGrammar
+      editor.activeEditSession.trigger 'grammar-changed'
+      expect(statusBar.find('.grammar-name')).toBeHidden()
+      expect(statusBar.find('.grammar-name').text()).toBe ''
+      editor.reloadGrammar()
+      expect(statusBar.find('.grammar-name')).toBeVisible()
+      expect(statusBar.find('.grammar-name').text()).toBe 'JavaScript'
+
     describe "when the editor's grammar changes", ->
       it "displays the new grammar of the editor", ->
         syntax.setGrammarOverrideForPath(editor.getPath(), 'text.plain')