diff --git a/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee b/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee
index 69e9e2d7e..448284545 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/workspace-view-spec.coffee
@@ -319,7 +319,15 @@ describe "WorkspaceView", ->
           atom.notifications.onDidAddNotification addedSpy = jasmine.createSpy()
 
           atom.workspace.saveActivePaneItem()
+          expect(addedSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+          expect(addedSpy.mostRecentCall.args[0].getType()).toBe 'warning'
 
+        it "emits a warning notification when the user does not have permission", ->
+          spyOn(Pane::, 'saveActiveItem').andCallFake ->
+            throw new Error("EACCES, permission denied '/Some/dir/and-a-file.js'")
+
+          atom.notifications.onDidAddNotification addedSpy = jasmine.createSpy()
+          atom.workspace.saveActivePaneItem()
           expect(addedSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
           expect(addedSpy.mostRecentCall.args[0].getType()).toBe 'warning'
 
diff --git a/src/workspace.coffee b/src/workspace.coffee
index 03f5732cb..98630f7c2 100644
--- a/src/workspace.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace.coffee
@@ -571,9 +571,11 @@ class Workspace extends Model
     catch error
       if error.message.endsWith('is a directory')
         atom.notifications.addWarning("Unable to save file: #{error.message}")
+      else if error.message.startsWith('EACCES,')
+        atom.notifications.addWarning("Unable to save file: #{error.message.replace('EACCES, ', '')}")
       else if errorMatch = /ENOTDIR, not a directory '([^']+)'/.exec(error.message)
         fileName = errorMatch[1]
-        atom.notifications.addWarning("Unable to save file: A directory in the path '#{fileName}' could not be written to.")
+        atom.notifications.addWarning("Unable to save file: A directory in the path '#{fileName}' could not be written to")
       else
         throw error