diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index 02cce3daf..e748cdfe4 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -878,8 +878,8 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
 
   # Determine whether the user should be prompted to save before closing
   # this editor.
-  shouldPromptToSave: ({windowCloseRequested}={}) ->
-    if windowCloseRequested
+  shouldPromptToSave: ({windowCloseRequested, projectHasPaths}={}) ->
+    if windowCloseRequested && projectHasPaths
       false
     else
       @isModified() and not @buffer.hasMultipleEditors()
diff --git a/src/window-event-handler.coffee b/src/window-event-handler.coffee
index 559c8ac29..62ce4527a 100644
--- a/src/window-event-handler.coffee
+++ b/src/window-event-handler.coffee
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ class WindowEventHandler
     @document.body.classList.remove("fullscreen")
 
   handleWindowBeforeunload: (event) =>
-    confirmed = @atomEnvironment.workspace?.confirmClose(windowCloseRequested: true)
+    projectHasPaths = @atomEnvironment.project.getPaths().length > 0
+    confirmed = @atomEnvironment.workspace?.confirmClose(windowCloseRequested: true, projectHasPaths: projectHasPaths)
     if confirmed and not @reloadRequested and not @atomEnvironment.inSpecMode() and @atomEnvironment.getCurrentWindow().isWebViewFocused()
       @atomEnvironment.hide()
     @reloadRequested = false