diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 6ba60379c..a756db839 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ ChangeLog for Pylint
 ====================
 
 --
+    * Do not emit [fixme] for every line if the config value 'notes'
+      is empty, but [fixme] is enabled.
+
     * Emit warnings about lines exceeding the column limit when
       those lines are inside multiline docstrings.
 
diff --git a/checkers/misc.py b/checkers/misc.py
index 11c43a905..ca88c8ba3 100644
--- a/checkers/misc.py
+++ b/checkers/misc.py
@@ -72,14 +72,17 @@ separated by a comma.'
         """
         stream = module.file_stream
         stream.seek(0) # XXX may be removed with astroid > 0.23
-        notes = re.compile('|'.join(self.config.notes))
+        if self.config.notes:
+            notes = re.compile('|'.join(self.config.notes))
+        else:
+            notes = None
         if module.file_encoding:
             encoding = module.file_encoding
         else:
             encoding = 'ascii'
         for lineno, line in enumerate(stream):
             line = self._check_encoding(lineno+1, line, encoding)
-            if line is not None:
+            if line is not None and notes:
                 self._check_note(notes, lineno+1, line)
 
 def register(linter):
diff --git a/test/test_misc.py b/test/test_misc.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68f3e4a3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_misc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Copyright 2013 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
+# the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+# Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+# version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+# ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
+"""
+Tests for the misc checker.
+"""
+
+import tempfile
+
+from logilab.common.testlib import unittest_main
+from astroid import test_utils
+from pylint.checkers import misc
+from pylint.testutils import CheckerTestCase, Message
+
+
+class FixmeTest(CheckerTestCase):
+    CHECKER_CLASS = misc.EncodingChecker
+
+    def create_file_backed_module(self, code):
+        tmp = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile()
+        tmp.write(code)
+        tmp.flush()
+        module = test_utils.build_module(code)
+        module.file = tmp.name
+        # Just make sure to keep a reference to the file
+        # so it isn't deleted.
+        module._tmpfile = tmp
+        return module
+
+    def test_fixme(self):
+        module = self.create_file_backed_module(
+            """a = 1
+            # FIXME
+            """)
+        with self.assertAddsMessages(
+            Message(msg_id='W0511', line=2, args=u'FIXME')):
+            self.checker.process_module(module)
+
+    def test_emtpy_fixme_regex(self):
+        self.checker.config.notes = []
+        module = self.create_file_backed_module(
+            """a = 1
+            # fixme
+            """)
+        with self.assertNoMessages():
+            self.checker.process_module(module)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest_main()