diff --git a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
index 1890b0ef7..7ca01f290 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
@@ -5173,12 +5173,16 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
       expect(editor.getSelectedBufferRange()).toEqual [[13, 0], [14, 2]]
 
   describe ".shouldPromptToSave()", ->
-    it "returns false when an edit session's buffer is in use by more than one session", ->
+    it "returns true when buffer changed", ->
       jasmine.unspy(editor, 'shouldPromptToSave')
       expect(editor.shouldPromptToSave()).toBeFalsy()
       buffer.setText('changed')
       expect(editor.shouldPromptToSave()).toBeTruthy()
 
+    it "returns false when an edit session's buffer is in use by more than one session", ->
+      jasmine.unspy(editor, 'shouldPromptToSave')
+      buffer.setText('changed')
+
       editor2 = null
       waitsForPromise ->
         atom.workspace.getActivePane().splitRight()
@@ -5189,6 +5193,16 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
         editor2.destroy()
         expect(editor.shouldPromptToSave()).toBeTruthy()
 
+    it "returns false when close of a window requested and edit session opened inside project", ->
+      jasmine.unspy(editor, 'shouldPromptToSave')
+      buffer.setText('changed')
+      expect(editor.shouldPromptToSave(windowCloseRequested: true, projectHasPaths: true)).toBeFalsy()
+
+    it "returns true when close of a window requested and edit session opened without project", ->
+      jasmine.unspy(editor, 'shouldPromptToSave')
+      buffer.setText('changed')
+      expect(editor.shouldPromptToSave(windowCloseRequested: true, projectHasPaths: false)).toBeTruthy()
+
   describe "when the editor contains surrogate pair characters", ->
     it "correctly backspaces over them", ->
       editor.setText('\uD835\uDF97\uD835\uDF97\uD835\uDF97')
diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index 6907db8fe..9cc7c83a4 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -892,8 +892,8 @@ 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 and 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