diff --git a/autoload/ale/balloon.vim b/autoload/ale/balloon.vim
index 41fa95f..552ced8 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/balloon.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/balloon.vim
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 " Description: balloonexpr support for ALE.
 
 function! ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr, lnum, col) abort
+    " Don't show balloons if they are disabled, or linting is disabled.
+    if !ale#Var(a:bufnr, 'set_balloons')
+    \|| !g:ale_enabled
+    \|| !getbufvar(a:bufnr, 'ale_enabled', 1)
+        return ''
+    endif
+
     let l:loclist = get(g:ale_buffer_info, a:bufnr, {'loclist': []}).loclist
     let l:index = ale#util#BinarySearch(l:loclist, a:bufnr, a:lnum, a:col)
 
@@ -13,7 +20,7 @@ function! ale#balloon#Expr() abort
 endfunction
 
 function! ale#balloon#Disable() abort
-    set noballooneval
+    set noballooneval balloonexpr=
 endfunction
 
 function! ale#balloon#Enable() abort
diff --git a/autoload/ale/toggle.vim b/autoload/ale/toggle.vim
index e9cc29b..2fa98b4 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/toggle.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/toggle.vim
@@ -84,10 +84,6 @@ function! s:EnablePreamble() abort
 
     " Lint immediately, including running linters against the file.
     call ale#Queue(0, 'lint_file')
-
-    if g:ale_set_balloons
-        call ale#balloon#Enable()
-    endif
 endfunction
 
 function! s:DisablePostamble() abort
@@ -95,10 +91,6 @@ function! s:DisablePostamble() abort
     if g:ale_set_highlights
         call ale#highlight#UpdateHighlights()
     endif
-
-    if g:ale_set_balloons
-        call ale#balloon#Disable()
-    endif
 endfunction
 
 function! s:CleanupEveryBuffer() abort
@@ -121,9 +113,17 @@ function! ale#toggle#Toggle() abort
 
     if g:ale_enabled
         call s:EnablePreamble()
+
+        if g:ale_set_balloons
+            call ale#balloon#Enable()
+        endif
     else
         call s:CleanupEveryBuffer()
         call s:DisablePostamble()
+
+        if has('balloon_eval')
+            call ale#balloon#Disable()
+        endif
     endif
 
     call ale#toggle#InitAuGroups()
diff --git a/doc/ale.txt b/doc/ale.txt
index d3fc576..47a7d33 100644
--- a/doc/ale.txt
+++ b/doc/ale.txt
@@ -1291,13 +1291,19 @@ g:ale_pattern_options_enabled                   *g:ale_pattern_options_enabled*
 
 
 g:ale_set_balloons                                         *g:ale_set_balloons*
+                                                           *b:ale_set_balloons*
 
   Type: |Number|
   Default: `has('balloon_eval')`
 
   When this option is set to `1`, balloon messages will be displayed for
   problems. Problems nearest to the cursor on the line the cursor is over will
-  be displayed.
+  be displayed. Balloons will not be shown when either |g:ale_enabled| is `0`
+  or |b:ale_enabled| is `0`.
+
+  `b:ale_set_balloons` can be set to `0` to disable balloons for a buffer.
+  Balloons cannot be enabled for a specific buffer when not initially enabled
+  globally.
 
 
 g:ale_set_highlights                                     *g:ale_set_highlights*
diff --git a/test/test_ale_toggle.vader b/test/test_ale_toggle.vader
index d56f8c2..ca8b25d 100644
--- a/test/test_ale_toggle.vader
+++ b/test/test_ale_toggle.vader
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ Before:
   Save g:ale_run_synchronously
   Save g:ale_pattern_options
   Save g:ale_pattern_options_enabled
+  Save g:ale_set_balloons
 
   let g:ale_set_signs = 1
   let g:ale_set_lists_synchronously = 1
   let g:ale_run_synchronously = 1
   let g:ale_pattern_options = {}
   let g:ale_pattern_options_enabled = 1
+  let g:ale_set_balloons = has('balloon_eval')
 
   unlet! b:ale_enabled
 
@@ -344,3 +346,41 @@ Execute(ALEResetBuffer should reset everything for a buffer):
 
   AssertEqual 1, g:ale_enabled
   AssertEqual 1, get(b:, 'ale_enabled', 1)
+
+Execute(Disabling ALE should disable balloons):
+  " These tests won't run in the console, but we can run them manually in GVim.
+  if has('balloon_eval')
+    call ale#linter#Reset()
+
+    " Enable balloons, so we can check the expr value.
+    call ale#balloon#Enable()
+
+    AssertEqual 1, &ballooneval
+    AssertEqual 'ale#balloon#Expr()', &balloonexpr
+
+    " Toggle ALE off.
+    ALEToggle
+
+    " The balloon settings should be reset.
+    AssertEqual 0, &ballooneval
+    AssertEqual '', &balloonexpr
+  endif
+
+Execute(Enabling ALE should enable balloons if the setting is on):
+  if has('balloon_eval')
+    call ale#linter#Reset()
+    call ale#balloon#Disable()
+    ALEDisable
+    let g:ale_set_balloons = 0
+    ALEEnable
+
+    AssertEqual 0, &ballooneval
+    AssertEqual '', &balloonexpr
+
+    ALEDisable
+    let g:ale_set_balloons = 1
+    ALEEnable
+
+    AssertEqual 1, &ballooneval
+    AssertEqual 'ale#balloon#Expr()', &balloonexpr
+  endif
diff --git a/test/test_balloon_messages.vader b/test/test_balloon_messages.vader
index ec09fe2..8f4415a 100644
--- a/test/test_balloon_messages.vader
+++ b/test/test_balloon_messages.vader
@@ -1,21 +1,25 @@
 Before:
   Save g:ale_buffer_info
+  Save g:ale_enabled
+  Save g:ale_set_balloons
 
-  let g:ale_buffer_info[347] = {'loclist': [
+  let g:ale_set_balloons = 1
+
+  let g:ale_buffer_info[bufnr('')] = {'loclist': [
   \ {
-  \   'bufnr': 347,
+  \   'bufnr': bufnr(''),
   \   'lnum': 1,
   \   'col': 10,
   \   'text': 'Missing semicolon. (semi)',
   \ },
   \ {
-  \   'bufnr': 347,
+  \   'bufnr': bufnr(''),
   \   'lnum': 2,
   \   'col': 10,
   \   'text': 'Infix operators must be spaced. (space-infix-ops)'
   \ },
   \ {
-  \   'bufnr': 347,
+  \   'bufnr': bufnr(''),
   \   'lnum': 2,
   \   'col': 15,
   \   'text': 'Missing radix parameter (radix)'
@@ -25,17 +29,50 @@ Before:
 After:
   Restore
 
+  unlet! b:ale_enabled
+  unlet! b:ale_set_balloons
+
 Execute(Balloon messages should be shown for the correct lines):
   AssertEqual
   \ 'Missing semicolon. (semi)',
-  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(347, 1, 1)
+  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 1, 1)
 
 Execute(Balloon messages should be shown for earlier columns):
   AssertEqual
   \ 'Infix operators must be spaced. (space-infix-ops)',
-  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(347, 2, 1)
+  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 2, 1)
 
 Execute(Balloon messages should be shown for later columns):
   AssertEqual
   \ 'Missing radix parameter (radix)',
-  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(347, 2, 16)
+  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 2, 16)
+
+Execute(Balloon messages should be disabled if ALE is disabled globally):
+  let g:ale_enabled = 0
+  " Enabling the buffer should not make a difference.
+  let b:ale_enabled = 1
+
+  AssertEqual '', ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 1, 1)
+
+Execute(Balloon messages should be disabled if ALE is disabled for a buffer):
+  let b:ale_enabled = 0
+
+  AssertEqual '', ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 1, 1)
+
+Execute(Balloon messages should be disabled if the global setting is off):
+  let g:ale_set_balloons = 0
+
+  AssertEqual '', ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 1, 1)
+
+Execute(Balloon messages should be disabled if the buffer setting is off):
+  let b:ale_set_balloons = 0
+
+  AssertEqual '', ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 1, 1)
+
+Execute(The balloon buffer setting should override the global one):
+  let g:ale_set_balloons = 0
+  let b:ale_set_balloons = 1
+
+  AssertEqual
+  \ 'Missing semicolon. (semi)',
+  \ ale#balloon#MessageForPos(bufnr(''), 1, 1)