diff --git a/buffer/__init__.py b/buffer/__init__.py
index eb03ea6..2d2ff50 100644
--- a/buffer/__init__.py
+++ b/buffer/__init__.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class Buffer(object):
         self.highlights  = {}
         self.settings    = {}
         self.indentlvl   = 4
+        self.hastabs     = False
         self.usetabs     = False
         self.writetabs   = False
         self.metadata    = {}
@@ -226,13 +227,15 @@ class Buffer(object):
     def num_lines(self):
         return len(self.lines)
     def make_string(self):
-        if self.writetabs:
+        if not self.hastabs:
+            lines2 = self.lines
+        elif self.writetabs:
             # reverse the "horrible hack" mentioned below when writing
             # out the string.
             lines2 = [s.replace('\t  \t', '\t') for s in self.lines]
         else:
-            lines2 = self.lines
-        return self.nl.join(self.lines)
+            lines2 = [s.replace('\t  \t', '    ') for s in self.lines]
+        return self.nl.join(lines2)
 
     # methods to be overridden by subclasses
     def name(self):
@@ -643,6 +646,7 @@ class FileBuffer(Buffer):
         data = data.decode(self.codec)
 
         if '\t' in data:
+            self.hastabs   = True
             self.writetabs = True
             self.usetabs   = True
 
diff --git a/method/buffers.py b/method/buffers.py
index 1c63e48..d163980 100644
--- a/method/buffers.py
+++ b/method/buffers.py
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@ class ToggleTabs(Method):
         b = w.buffer
         b.writetabs = not b.writetabs
         if b.writetabs:
-            w.set_error("Buffer will translate %d spaces to a tab" % b.indentlvl)
+            w.set_error("Buffer will save tabs")
         else:
-            w.set_error("Buffer will not write tabs")
+            w.set_error("Buffer will not save tabs")
 
 class Pwd(Method):
     '''Print the buffer's current working directory'''