diff --git a/autoload/airline.vim b/autoload/airline.vim
index 23d7fc7..d54fe03 100644
--- a/autoload/airline.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline.vim
@@ -143,6 +143,11 @@ function! airline#statusline(winnr)
 endfunction
 
 function! airline#check_mode(winnr)
+  if !exists("s:airline_run")
+    let s:airline_run = 0
+  endif
+  let s:airline_run += 1
+
   let context = s:contexts[a:winnr]
 
   if get(w:, 'airline_active', 1)
@@ -185,6 +190,13 @@ function! airline#check_mode(winnr)
   endif
 
   let mode_string = join(l:mode)
+  if s:airline_run < 3
+    " skip this round.
+    " When this function is run too early after startup,
+    " it forces a redraw by vim which will remove the intro screen.
+    let w:airline_lastmode = mode_string
+    return ''
+  endif
   if get(w:, 'airline_lastmode', '') != mode_string
     call airline#highlighter#highlight_modified_inactive(context.bufnr)
     call airline#highlighter#highlight(l:mode, context.bufnr)