diff --git a/autoload/airline/builder.vim b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
index 2d38ba12..25f510b6 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/builder.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/builder.vim
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ endfunction
 function! s:prototype.add_section(group, contents)
   if self._curgroup != ''
     if self._curgroup == a:group
-      let self._line .= self._side ? g:airline_left_alt_sep : g:airline_right_alt_sep
+      let self._line .= self._side ? self._context.left_alt_sep : self._context.right_alt_sep
     else
       call airline#highlighter#add_separator(self._curgroup, a:group, self._side)
       let self._line .= '%#'.self._curgroup.'_to_'.a:group.'#'
-      let self._line .= self._side ? g:airline_left_sep : g:airline_right_sep
+      let self._line .= self._side ? self._context.left_sep : self._context.right_sep
     endif
   endif
 
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ function! airline#builder#new(context)
   let builder._side = 1
   let builder._curgroup = ''
   let builder._line = ''
+
+  call extend(builder._context, {
+        \ 'left_sep': g:airline_left_sep,
+        \ 'left_alt_sep': g:airline_left_alt_sep,
+        \ 'right_sep': g:airline_right_sep,
+        \ 'right_alt_sep': g:airline_right_alt_sep,
+        \ }, 'keep')
   return builder
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
index 14103328..12188cd2 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline.vim
@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@ let s:buf_nr_show = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_show', 0)
 let s:buf_nr_format = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_format', '%s: ')
 let s:buf_modified_symbol = g:airline_symbols.modified
 
+let s:builder_context = {
+      \ 'active'        : 1,
+      \ 'left_sep'      : get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#left_sep'     , g:airline_left_sep),
+      \ 'left_alt_sep'  : get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#left_alt_sep' , g:airline_left_alt_sep),
+      \ 'right_sep'     : get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#right_sep'    , g:airline_right_sep),
+      \ 'right_alt_sep' : get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#right_alt_sep', g:airline_right_alt_sep),
+      \ }
+
 function! airline#extensions#tabline#init(ext)
   if has('gui_running')
     set guioptions-=e
@@ -68,7 +76,7 @@ function! airline#extensions#tabline#get_buffer_name(nr)
 endfunction
 
 function! s:get_buffers()
-  let b = airline#builder#new({'active': 1})
+  let b = airline#builder#new(s:builder_context)
   let cur = bufnr('%')
   for nr in range(1, bufnr('$'))
     if buflisted(nr) && bufexists(nr)
@@ -96,7 +104,7 @@ function! s:get_buffers()
 endfunction
 
 function! s:get_tabs()
-  let b = airline#builder#new({'active': 1})
+  let b = airline#builder#new(s:builder_context)
   for i in range(1, tabpagenr('$'))
     let group = i == tabpagenr() ? 'airline_tabsel' : 'airline_tab'
     let val = '%('
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index c79badd9..abe8ce0e 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -312,6 +312,12 @@ virtualenv <https://github.com/jmcantrell/vim-virtualenv>
 * configure how buffer numbers should be formatted with |printf|. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_format = '%s: '
 <
+* configure separators for the tabline only. >
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#left_sep = ''
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#left_alt_sep = ''
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#right_sep = ''
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#right_alt_sep = ''
+<
 Note: Enabling this extension will modify |showtabline| and |guioptions|.
 
 ==============================================================================