diff --git a/src/vs/platform/files/common/files.ts b/src/vs/platform/files/common/files.ts
index fe73cfd090e46abaa46802e4426106b5bd410542..6fba116d6303a6bfabb53f1766891a0888482eb0 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/files/common/files.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/files/common/files.ts
@@ -464,6 +464,8 @@ export const AutoSaveConfiguration = {
 	ON_WINDOW_CHANGE: 'onWindowChange'
 };
 
+export const CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY = 1000;
+
 export interface IFilesConfiguration {
 	files: {
 		associations: { [filepattern: string]: string };
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/editor/untitledEditorModel.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/editor/untitledEditorModel.ts
index 88b5dcc8a2083385e4db6e560f4fa236ebe28c2f..6d4507fa1f468a1efb52e7a4ac28f92133df105b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/editor/untitledEditorModel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/editor/untitledEditorModel.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { StringEditorModel } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor/stringEditorModel'
 import URI from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import { PLAINTEXT_MODE_ID } from 'vs/editor/common/modes/modesRegistry';
 import { EndOfLinePreference } from 'vs/editor/common/editorCommon';
-import { IFilesConfiguration } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
+import { IFilesConfiguration, CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
 import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
 import { IModeService } from 'vs/editor/common/services/modeService';
 import { IModelService } from 'vs/editor/common/services/modelService';
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { ITextFileService } from 'vs/workbench/services/textfile/common/textfile
 
 export class UntitledEditorModel extends StringEditorModel implements IEncodingSupport {
 
-	public static DEFAULT_CONTENT_CHANGE_BUFFER_DELAY = 1000;
+	public static DEFAULT_CONTENT_CHANGE_BUFFER_DELAY = CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY;
 
 	private textModelChangeListener: IDisposable;
 	private configurationChangeListener: IDisposable;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/backup/common/backupModelTracker.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/backup/common/backupModelTracker.ts
index 95a59514a3b2630122c90c8a023d2c83adc04219..c437b4d70f8756eeabb8ece2415444a6ffb38da4 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/backup/common/backupModelTracker.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/backup/common/backupModelTracker.ts
@@ -13,18 +13,24 @@ import { ITextFileService, TextFileModelChangeEvent, StateChange } from 'vs/work
 import { IUntitledEditorService } from 'vs/workbench/services/untitled/common/untitledEditorService';
 import { IEnvironmentService } from 'vs/platform/environment/common/environment';
 import { IWorkbenchContribution } from 'vs/workbench/common/contributions';
+import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
+import { IFilesConfiguration, AutoSaveConfiguration, CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
+
+const AUTO_SAVE_AFTER_DELAY_DISABLED_TIME = CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY + 500;
 
 export class BackupModelTracker implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 
 	public _serviceBrand: any;
 
+	private configuredAutoSaveAfterDelay: boolean;
 	private toDispose: IDisposable[];
 
 	constructor(
 		@IBackupFileService private backupFileService: IBackupFileService,
 		@ITextFileService private textFileService: ITextFileService,
 		@IUntitledEditorService private untitledEditorService: IUntitledEditorService,
-		@IEnvironmentService private environmentService: IEnvironmentService
+		@IEnvironmentService private environmentService: IEnvironmentService,
+		@IConfigurationService private configurationService: IConfigurationService
 	) {
 		this.toDispose = [];
 
@@ -44,14 +50,32 @@ export class BackupModelTracker implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 		// Listen for untitled model changes
 		this.toDispose.push(this.untitledEditorService.onDidChangeContent((e) => this.onUntitledModelChanged(e)));
 		this.toDispose.push(this.untitledEditorService.onDidDisposeModel((e) => this.discardBackup(e)));
+
+		// Listen to config changes
+		this.toDispose.push(this.configurationService.onDidUpdateConfiguration(e => this.onConfigurationChange(e.config)));
+	}
+
+	private onConfigurationChange(configuration: IFilesConfiguration): void {
+		if (!configuration || !configuration.files) {
+			this.configuredAutoSaveAfterDelay = false;
+			return;
+		}
+		this.configuredAutoSaveAfterDelay =
+			(configuration.files.autoSave === AutoSaveConfiguration.AFTER_DELAY &&
+				configuration.files.autoSaveDelay <= AUTO_SAVE_AFTER_DELAY_DISABLED_TIME);
 	}
 
 	private onTextFileModelChanged(event: TextFileModelChangeEvent): void {
 		if (event.kind === StateChange.REVERTED) {
+			// This must proceed even if auto save after delay is configured in order to clean up
+			// any backups made before the config change
 			this.discardBackup(event.resource);
 		} else if (event.kind === StateChange.CONTENT_CHANGE) {
-			const model = this.textFileService.models.get(event.resource);
-			this.backupFileService.backupResource(model.getResource(), model.getValue(), model.getVersionId()).done(null, errors.onUnexpectedError);
+			// Do not backup when auto save after delay is configured
+			if (!this.configuredAutoSaveAfterDelay) {
+				const model = this.textFileService.models.get(event.resource);
+				this.backupFileService.backupResource(model.getResource(), model.getValue(), model.getVersionId()).done(null, errors.onUnexpectedError);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/textfile/common/textFileEditorModel.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/textfile/common/textFileEditorModel.ts
index af093986eb13833f5eabf1d9f42671979e641eb4..1f77ec2ae4e7e659d9c62dd883e1e49e089513ef 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/textfile/common/textFileEditorModel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/textfile/common/textFileEditorModel.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { ITextFileService, IAutoSaveConfiguration, ModelState, ITextFileEditorMo
 import { EncodingMode, EditorModel } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor';
 import { BaseTextEditorModel } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor/textEditorModel';
 import { IBackupFileService, BACKUP_FILE_RESOLVE_OPTIONS } from 'vs/workbench/services/backup/common/backup';
-import { IFileService, IFileStat, IFileOperationResult, FileOperationResult, IContent } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
+import { IFileService, IFileStat, IFileOperationResult, FileOperationResult, IContent, CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
 import { IInstantiationService } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
 import { IMessageService, Severity } from 'vs/platform/message/common/message';
 import { IModeService } from 'vs/editor/common/services/modeService';
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export class TextFileEditorModel extends BaseTextEditorModel implements ITextFil
 
 	public static ID = 'workbench.editors.files.textFileEditorModel';
 
-	public static DEFAULT_CONTENT_CHANGE_BUFFER_DELAY = 1000;
+	public static DEFAULT_CONTENT_CHANGE_BUFFER_DELAY = CONTENT_CHANGE_EVENT_BUFFER_DELAY;
 
 	private static saveErrorHandler: ISaveErrorHandler;
 	private static saveParticipant: ISaveParticipant;