diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/buflist.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/buflist.vim
index a944cb92..334784c8 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/buflist.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/buflist.vim
@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@ endfunction
 
 " paths in excludes list
 function! s:ExcludePaths(nr, exclude_paths)
-  let bpath = fnamemodify(bufname(a:nr), ":p")
+  let bname = bufname(a:nr)
+  if empty(bname)
+    return 0
+  endif
+  let bpath = fnamemodify(bname, ":p")
   for f in a:exclude_paths
     if bpath =~# f | return 1 | endif
   endfor
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index 9f5b1ca3..bd247e83 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ The "!" prevents terminal buffers to appear in the tabline.
 
                                 *airline#extensions#tabline#exclude_buffers*
 Buffer numbers to be excluded from showing in the tabline (similar to
-|airline#ignore_bufadd_pat|.
+|airline#ignore_bufadd_pat|).
 
 ==============================================================================
 EXTENSIONS                                              *airline-extensions*