diff --git a/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee b/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee
index d2583ed27..87ecba409 100644
--- a/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/integration/startup-spec.coffee
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ fs = require "fs"
 path = require "path"
 temp = require("temp").track()
 runAtom = require "./helpers/start-atom"
+CSON = require "season"
 
 describe "Starting Atom", ->
   [tempDirPath, otherTempDirPath, atomHome] = []
@@ -197,6 +198,17 @@ describe "Starting Atom", ->
           .waitForExist("atom-workspace")
           .waitForPaneItemCount(1, 5000)
 
+    it "doesn't open a new window if openEmptyEditorOnStart is disabled", ->
+      configPath = path.join(atomHome, 'config.cson')
+      config = CSON.readFileSync(configPath)
+      config['*'].core = {openEmptyEditorOnStart: false}
+      CSON.writeFileSync(configPath, config)
+
+      runAtom [], {ATOM_HOME: atomHome}, (client) ->
+        client
+          .waitForExist("atom-workspace")
+          .waitForPaneItemCount(0, 5000)
+
     it "reopens any previously opened windows", ->
       runAtom [tempDirPath], {ATOM_HOME: atomHome}, (client) ->
         client
diff --git a/src/atom.coffee b/src/atom.coffee
index 28058f8dd..05228b6ca 100644
--- a/src/atom.coffee
+++ b/src/atom.coffee
@@ -669,6 +669,7 @@ class Atom extends Model
     @windowEventHandler?.unsubscribe()
 
   openInitialEmptyEditorIfNecessary: ->
+    return unless @config.get('core.openEmptyEditorOnStart')
     if @getLoadSettings().initialPaths?.length is 0 and @workspace.getPaneItems().length is 0
       @workspace.open(null)
 
diff --git a/src/config-schema.coffee b/src/config-schema.coffee
index a1bd91cc7..d8eeb6fe3 100644
--- a/src/config-schema.coffee
+++ b/src/config-schema.coffee
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ module.exports =
           'windows1258',
           'windows866'
         ]
+      openEmptyEditorOnStart:
+        description: 'Automatically opens an empty editor when atom starts.'
+        type: 'boolean'
+        default: true
 
   editor:
     type: 'object'