diff --git a/src/vs/platform/notification/common/notification.ts b/src/vs/platform/notification/common/notification.ts
index 4a7adc958ac911316063f96625688a2a272a0a56..34e33e31894b710588c36a3ee5aa14d31306ebfe 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/notification/common/notification.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/notification/common/notification.ts
@@ -320,8 +320,10 @@ export interface INotificationService {
 	 * Shows a prompt in the notification area with the provided choices. The prompt
 	 * is non-modal. If you want to show a modal dialog instead, use `IDialogService`.
 	 *
-	 * @param onCancel will be called if the user closed the notification without picking
-	 * any of the provided choices.
+	 * @param severity the severity of the notification. Either `Info`, `Warning` or `Error`.
+	 * @param message the message to show as status.
+	 * @param choices options to be choosen from.
+	 * @param options provides some optional configuration options.
 	 *
 	 * @returns a handle on the notification to e.g. hide it or update message, buttons, etc.
 	 */
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/abstractTaskService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/abstractTaskService.ts
index 9c04ad440354228d39e1391702315763c24db354..173c3f009c04f816db62336b84dc7559e8aa5757 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/abstractTaskService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/abstractTaskService.ts
@@ -1402,12 +1402,52 @@ export abstract class AbstractTaskService extends Disposable implements ITaskSer
 	}
 
 	private executeTask(task: Task, resolver: ITaskResolver): Promise<ITaskSummary> {
-		return ProblemMatcherRegistry.onReady().then(() => {
-			return this.editorService.saveAll().then(() => { // make sure all dirty editors are saved
+		enum SaveBeforeRunConfigOptions {
+			Always = 'always',
+			Never = 'never',
+			Prompt = 'prompt'
+		}
+
+		const saveBeforeRunTaskConfig: SaveBeforeRunConfigOptions = this.configurationService.getValue('task.saveBeforeRun');
+
+		const execTask = async (task: Task, resolver: ITaskResolver): Promise<ITaskSummary> => {
+			return ProblemMatcherRegistry.onReady().then(() => {
 				let executeResult = this.getTaskSystem().run(task, resolver);
 				return this.handleExecuteResult(executeResult);
 			});
-		});
+		};
+
+		const saveAllEditorsAndExecTask = async (task: Task, resolver: ITaskResolver): Promise<ITaskSummary> => {
+			return this.editorService.saveAll().then(() => {
+				return execTask(task, resolver);
+			});
+		};
+
+		const promptAsk = async (task: Task, resolver: ITaskResolver): Promise<ITaskSummary> => {
+			const dialogOptions = await this.dialogService.show(
+				Severity.Info,
+				nls.localize('TaskSystem.saveBeforeRun.prompt.title', 'Save all editors?'),
+				[nls.localize('saveBeforeRun.save', 'Save'), nls.localize('saveBeforeRun.dontSave', 'Don\'t save')],
+				{
+					detail: nls.localize('detail', "Do you want to save all editors before running the task?"),
+					cancelId: 1
+				}
+			);
+
+			if (dialogOptions.choice === 0) {
+				return saveAllEditorsAndExecTask(task, resolver);
+			} else {
+				return execTask(task, resolver);
+			}
+		};
+
+		if (saveBeforeRunTaskConfig === SaveBeforeRunConfigOptions.Never) {
+			return execTask(task, resolver);
+		} else if (saveBeforeRunTaskConfig === SaveBeforeRunConfigOptions.Prompt) {
+			return promptAsk(task, resolver);
+		} else {
+			return saveAllEditorsAndExecTask(task, resolver);
+		}
 	}
 
 	private async handleExecuteResult(executeResult: ITaskExecuteResult): Promise<ITaskSummary> {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/task.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/task.contribution.ts
index 99b149e1417f11dff5cc6460c072cf00312daedf..194ab88599587025213eb92f7e922db98e51e40b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/task.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/tasks/browser/task.contribution.ts
@@ -376,6 +376,20 @@ configurationRegistry.registerConfiguration({
 			type: 'boolean',
 			description: nls.localize('task.quickOpen.skip', "Controls whether the task quick pick is skipped when there is only one task to pick from."),
 			default: false
-		}
+		},
+		'task.saveBeforeRun': {
+			markdownDescription: nls.localize(
+				'task.saveBeforeRun',
+				'Configures whether all editor will be saved before running a task.'
+			),
+			type: 'string',
+			enum: ['always', 'never', 'prompt'],
+			enumDescriptions: [
+				nls.localize('task.saveBeforeRun.always', 'Always saves all editors before running.'),
+				nls.localize('task.saveBeforeRun.never', 'Never saves editors before running.'),
+				nls.localize('task.SaveBeforeRun.prompt', 'Prompts whether to save editors before running.'),
+			],
+			default: 'always',
+		},
 	}
 });