diff --git a/autoload/ale.vim b/autoload/ale.vim
index 51c0ce83..3747539b 100644
--- a/autoload/ale.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale.vim
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ function! ale#ShouldDoNothing(buffer) abort
         return 1
     endif
 
+    " Don't start linting and so on when an operator is pending.
+    if ale#util#Mode(1) is# 'no'
+        return 1
+    endif
+
     " Do nothing if running in the sandbox.
     if ale#util#InSandbox()
         return 1
diff --git a/test/test_should_do_nothing_conditions.vader b/test/test_should_do_nothing_conditions.vader
index 062ab875..de2e2782 100644
--- a/test/test_should_do_nothing_conditions.vader
+++ b/test/test_should_do_nothing_conditions.vader
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@ Before:
   Save g:ale_enabled
   Save &l:statusline
 
+  let b:fake_mode = 'n'
+
   call ale#test#SetDirectory('/testplugin/test')
 
   let b:funky_command_created = 0
 
+  runtime autoload/ale/util.vim
+
+  function! ale#util#Mode(...) abort
+    return b:fake_mode
+  endfunction
+
   " We will test for the existence of this command, so create one if needed.
   if !exists(':CtrlPFunky')
     command CtrlPFunky echo
@@ -25,6 +33,9 @@ After:
   endif
 
   unlet! b:funky_command_created
+  unlet! b:fake_mode
+
+  runtime autoload/ale/util.vim
 
 Given foobar(An empty file):
 Execute(ALE shouldn't do much of anything for ctrlp-funky buffers):
@@ -44,7 +55,7 @@ Execute(ALE shouldn't try to check buffers with '.' as the filename):
 
   Assert ale#ShouldDoNothing(bufnr(''))
 
-Execute(DoNothing should return 0 when the filetype is empty):
+Execute(DoNothing should return 1 when the filetype is empty):
   AssertEqual
   \ 0,
   \ ale#ShouldDoNothing(bufnr('')),
@@ -54,6 +65,11 @@ Execute(DoNothing should return 0 when the filetype is empty):
 
   AssertEqual 1, ale#ShouldDoNothing(bufnr(''))
 
+Execute(DoNothing should return 1 when an operator is pending):
+  let b:fake_mode = 'no'
+
+  AssertEqual 1, ale#ShouldDoNothing(bufnr(''))
+
 Execute(The DoNothing check should work if the ALE globals aren't defined):
   unlet! g:ale_filetype_blacklist
   unlet! g:ale_maximum_file_size