diff --git a/internal/buffer/buffer.go b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
index 0ad09a7e..a89edc99 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/buffer.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -363,13 +364,17 @@ func (b *Buffer) Fini() {
 // GetName returns the name that should be displayed in the statusline
 // for this buffer
 func (b *Buffer) GetName() string {
-	if b.name == "" {
+	name := b.name
+	if name == "" {
 		if b.Path == "" {
 			return "No name"
 		}
-		return b.Path
+		name = b.Path
 	}
-	return b.name
+	if b.Settings["basename"].(bool) {
+		return path.Base(name)
+	}
+	return name
 }
 
 //SetName changes the name for this buffer
diff --git a/internal/display/statusline.go b/internal/display/statusline.go
index c55be988..c84215db 100644
--- a/internal/display/statusline.go
+++ b/internal/display/statusline.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package display
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"path"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -32,9 +31,6 @@ type StatusLine struct {
 
 var statusInfo = map[string]func(*buffer.Buffer) string{
 	"filename": func(b *buffer.Buffer) string {
-		if b.Settings["basename"].(bool) {
-			return path.Base(b.GetName())
-		}
 		return b.GetName()
 	},
 	"line": func(b *buffer.Buffer) string {
diff --git a/runtime/help/options.md b/runtime/help/options.md
index 6ce5f4be..709bd5da 100644
--- a/runtime/help/options.md
+++ b/runtime/help/options.md
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ Here are the available options:
 
     default value: `true`
 
-* `basename`: in the infobar, show only the basename of the file being edited
-   rather than the full path.
+* `basename`: in the infobar and tabbar, show only the basename of the file
+   being edited rather than the full path.
 
     default value: `false`