diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim
index 841f257..9a0fa8f 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/tabline/formatters.vim
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 " MIT License. Copyright (c) 2013 Bailey Ling.
 " vim: et ts=2 sts=2 sw=2
 
+let s:fmod = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#fnamemod', ':p:.')
 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
@@ -13,11 +14,10 @@ function! airline#extensions#tabline#formatters#default(bufnr, buffers)
   endif
 
   let name = bufname(a:bufnr)
-  let fmod = get(g:, 'airline#extensions#tabline#fnamemod', ':p:.')
   if empty(name)
     let _ .= '[No Name]'
   else
-    let _ .= substitute(fnamemodify(name, fmod), '\w\zs.\{-}\ze\/', '', 'g')
+    let _ .= substitute(fnamemodify(name, s:fmod), '\w\zs.\{-}\ze\/', '', 'g')
   endif
 
   if getbufvar(a:bufnr, '&modified') == 1
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index ab81deb..9636a0f 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -324,12 +324,17 @@ virtualenv <https://github.com/jmcantrell/vim-virtualenv>
 * configure whether buffer numbers should be shown. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_show = 0
 <
-Note: this is only valid when the formatter is 'default'.
+Note: this is only used by the 'default' formatter.
 
 * configure how buffer numbers should be formatted with |printf|. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_nr_format = '%s: '
 <
-Note: this is only valid when the formatter is 'default'.
+Note: this is only used by the 'default' formatter.
+
+* configure the formatting of filenames (see |filename-modifiers|). >
+  let g:airline#extensions#tabline#fnamemod = ':p:.'
+<
+Note: this is only used by the 'default' formatter.
 
 * configure the minimum number of buffers needed to show the tabline. >
   let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_min_count = 0