diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
index 2936c0e3..cf3d7df2 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ let s:formatter = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#formatter', 'default')
 let s:excludes = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#excludes', [])
 let s:tab_nr_type = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#tab_nr_type', 0)
 let s:show_buffers = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_buffers', 1)
+let s:show_tab_nr = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#show_tab_nr', 1)
 
 let s:builder_context = {
       \ 'active'        : 1,
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ function! airline#extensions#tabline#title(n)
 endfunction
 
 function! airline#extensions#tabline#get_buffer_name(nr)
-  return airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#{s:formatter}(a:nr, get(s:, 'current_buffer_list', []))
+  return airline#extensions#tabline#{s:formatter}#format(a:nr, get(s:, 'current_buffer_list', s:get_buffer_list()))
 endfunction
 
 function! s:get_buffer_list()
@@ -242,10 +243,12 @@ function! s:get_tabs()
       let group = 'airline_tab'
     endif
     let val = '%('
-    if s:tab_nr_type == 0
-      let val .= ' %{len(tabpagebuflist('.i.'))}'
-    else
-      let val .= (g:airline_symbols.space).i
+    if s:show_tab_nr
+      if s:tab_nr_type == 0
+        let val .= ' %{len(tabpagebuflist('.i.'))}'
+      else
+        let val .= (g:airline_symbols.space).i
+      endif
     endif
     call b.add_section(group, val.'%'.i.'T %{airline#extensions#tabline#title('.i.')} %)')
   endfor
@@ -261,4 +264,3 @@ function! s:get_tabs()
   let s:current_tabline = b.build()
   return s:current_tabline
 endfunction
-
diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/default.vim
similarity index 54%
rename from autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim
rename to autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/default.vim
index 656ba225..f1c87e4f 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/default.vim
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ let s:buf_nr_format = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_format', '%s
 let s:buf_nr_show = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_show', 0)
 let s:buf_modified_symbol = g:airline_symbols.modified
 
-function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#default(bufnr, buffers)
+function! airline#extensions#tabline#default#format(bufnr, buffers)
   let _ = ''
 
   let name = bufname(a:bufnr)
@@ -21,40 +21,15 @@ function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#default(bufnr, buffers)
     endif
   endif
 
-  return s:wrap_name(a:bufnr, _)
+  return airline#extensions#tabline#default#wrap_name(a:bufnr, _)
 endfunction
 
-function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#unique_tail(bufnr, buffers)
-  let duplicates = {}
-  let tails = {}
-  let map = {}
-  for nr in a:buffers
-    let name = bufname(nr)
-    if empty(name)
-      let map[nr] = '[No Name]'
-    else
-      let tail = fnamemodify(name, ':t')
-      if has_key(tails, tail)
-        let duplicates[nr] = nr
-      endif
-      let tails[tail] = 1
-      let map[nr] = s:wrap_name(nr, tail)
-    endif
-  endfor
-
-  for nr in values(duplicates)
-    let map[nr] = s:wrap_name(nr, fnamemodify(bufname(nr), ':p:.'))
-  endfor
-
-  return map[a:bufnr]
-endfunction
-
-function! s:wrap_name(bufnr, buffer_name)
+function! airline#extensions#tabline#default#wrap_name(bufnr, buffer_name)
   let _ = s:buf_nr_show ? printf(s:buf_nr_format, a:bufnr) : ''
-  let _ .= a:buffer_name
+  let _ .= substitute(a:buffer_name, '\\', '/', 'g')
+
   if getbufvar(a:bufnr, '&modified') == 1
     let _ .= s:buf_modified_symbol
   endif
   return _
 endfunction
-
diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/unique_tail.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/unique_tail.vim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb622f5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/unique_tail.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+" MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
+
+function! airline#extensions#tabline#unique_tail#format(bufnr, buffers)
+  let duplicates = {}
+  let tails = {}
+  let map = {}
+  for nr in a:buffers
+    let name = bufname(nr)
+    if empty(name)
+      let map[nr] = '[No Name]'
+    else
+      let tail = fnamemodify(name, ':t')
+      if has_key(tails, tail)
+        let duplicates[nr] = nr
+      endif
+      let tails[tail] = 1
+      let map[nr] = airline#extensions#tabline#default#wrap_name(nr, tail)
+    endif
+  endfor
+
+  for nr in values(duplicates)
+    let map[nr] = airline#extensions#tabline#default#wrap_name(nr, fnamemodify(bufname(nr), ':p:.'))
+  endfor
+
+  return map[a:bufnr]
+endfunction
diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/unique_tail_improved.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/unique_tail_improved.vim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..12b28ae6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/unique_tail_improved.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+" MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
+" vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
+
+let s:skip_symbol = '…'
+
+function! airline#extensions#tabline#unique_tail_improved#format(bufnr, buffers)
+  if len(a:buffers) <= 1 " don't need to compare bufnames if has less than one buffer opened
+    return airline#extensions#tabline#default#format(a:bufnr, a:buffers)
+  endif
+
+  let curbuf_tail = fnamemodify(bufname(a:bufnr), ':t')
+  let do_deduplicate = 0
+  let path_tokens = {}
+
+  for nr in a:buffers
+    let name = bufname(nr)
+    if !empty(name) && nr != a:bufnr && fnamemodify(name, ':t') == curbuf_tail
+      let do_deduplicate = 1
+      let tokens = reverse(split(substitute(fnamemodify(name, ':p:.:h'), '\\', '/', 'g'), '/'))
+      let token_index = 0
+      for token in tokens
+        if token == '.' | break | endif
+        if !has_key(path_tokens, token_index)
+          let path_tokens[token_index] = {}
+        endif
+        let path_tokens[token_index][token] = 1
+        let token_index += 1
+      endfor
+    endif
+  endfor
+
+  if do_deduplicate == 1
+    let path = []
+    let token_index = 0
+    for token in reverse(split(substitute(fnamemodify(bufname(a:bufnr), ':p:.:h'), '\\', '/', 'g'), '/'))
+      if token == '.' | break | endif
+      let duplicated = 0
+      let uniq = 1
+      let single = 1
+      if has_key(path_tokens, token_index)
+        let duplicated = 1
+        if len(keys(path_tokens[token_index])) > 1 | let single = 0 | endif
+        if has_key(path_tokens[token_index], token) | let uniq = 0 | endif
+      endif
+      call insert(path, {'token': token, 'duplicated': duplicated, 'uniq': uniq, 'single': single})
+      let token_index += 1
+    endfor
+
+    let buf_name = [curbuf_tail]
+    let has_uniq = 0
+    let has_skipped = 0
+    for token1 in reverse(path)
+      if !token1['duplicated'] && len(buf_name) > 1
+        call insert(buf_name, s:skip_symbol)
+        let has_skipped = 0
+        break
+      endif
+
+      if has_uniq == 1
+        call insert(buf_name, s:skip_symbol)
+        let has_skipped = 0
+        break
+      endif
+
+      if token1['uniq'] == 0 && token1['single'] == 1
+        let has_skipped = 1
+      else
+        if has_skipped == 1
+          call insert(buf_name, s:skip_symbol)
+          let has_skipped = 0
+        endif
+        call insert(buf_name, token1['token'])
+      endif
+
+      if token1['uniq'] == 1
+        let has_uniq = 1
+      endif
+    endfor
+
+    if has_skipped == 1
+      call insert(buf_name, s:skip_symbol)
+    endif
+
+    return airline#extensions#tabline#default#wrap_name(a:bufnr, join(buf_name, '/'))
+  else
+    return airline#extensions#tabline#default#format(a:bufnr, a:buffers)
+  endif
+endfunction
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index e8e83cad..bfe7cb3f 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -379,11 +379,14 @@ eclim <https://eclim.org>
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#tab_nr_type = 0 " # of splits (default)
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#tab_nr_type = 1 " tab number
 <
+* enable/disable displaying tab number in tabs mode. >
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#show_tab_nr = 1
+
 * defines the name of a formatter for how buffer names are displayed. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#formatter = 'default'
 
   " here is how you can define a 'foo' formatter:
-  function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#foo(bufnr, buffers)
+  function! airline#extensions#tabline#foo#format(bufnr, buffers)
     return fnamemodify(bufname(a:bufnr), ':t')
   endfunction
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#formatter = 'foo'
@@ -406,6 +409,10 @@ eclim <https://eclim.org>
   " there is another file of the same name, in which it will display it along
   " with the containing parent directory.
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#formatter = 'unique_tail'
+
+  " The `unique_tail_improved` - another algorithm, that will smartly uniquify
+  " buffers names with similar filename, suppressing common parts of paths.
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#formatter = 'unique_tail_improved'
 <
 * configure the minimum number of buffers needed to show the tabline. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_min_count = 0