diff --git a/autoload/airline/util.vim b/autoload/airline/util.vim
index 0d9031d2..5ff4f3c9 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/util.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/util.vim
@@ -66,6 +66,17 @@ function! airline#util#prepend(text, minwidth)
   return empty(a:text) ? '' : a:text.s:spc.g:airline_right_alt_sep.s:spc
 endfunction
 
+if v:version >= 704
+  function! airline#util#getbufvar(bufnr, key, def)
+    return getbufvar(a:bufnr, a:key, a:def)
+  endfunction
+else
+  function! airline#util#getbufvar(bufnr, key, def)
+    let bufvals = getbufvar(a:bufnr, '')
+    return get(bufvals, a:key, a:def)
+  endfunction
+endif
+
 if v:version >= 704
   function! airline#util#getwinvar(winnr, key, def)
     return getwinvar(a:winnr, a:key, a:def)
@@ -172,9 +183,10 @@ endfunction
 
 function! airline#util#stl_disabled(winnr)
   " setting the statusline is disabled,
-  " either globally or per window
+  " either globally, per window, or per buffer
   " w:airline_disabled is deprecated!
   return get(g:, 'airline_disable_statusline', 0) ||
    \ airline#util#getwinvar(a:winnr, 'airline_disable_statusline', 0) ||
-   \ airline#util#getwinvar(a:winnr, 'airline_disabled', 0)
+   \ airline#util#getwinvar(a:winnr, 'airline_disabled', 0) ||
+   \ airline#util#getbufvar(winbufnr(a:winnr), 'airline_disable_statusline', 0)
 endfunction
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index f4c0f9c0..dfa18c81 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -234,10 +234,15 @@ values):
 <
   Old deprecated name: `w:airline_disabled`
 
-  See also the following option, for disabling setting the statusline globally
+  See also the following options, for disabling setting the statusline
+  globally or per-buffer
 * Disable setting the statusline option: >
+  " disable globally
   let g:airline_disable_statusline = 1
 
+  " disable per-buffer
+  let b:airline_disable_statusline = 1
+
 < This setting disables setting the 'statusline' option. This allows to use
  e.g. the tabline extension (|airline-tabline|) but keep the 'statusline'
  option totally configurable by a custom configuration.