diff --git a/runtime/doc/message.txt b/runtime/doc/message.txt
index c4e08f2..8160d21 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/message.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/message.txt
@@ -582,7 +582,8 @@
 Vim was not able to create a swap file.  You can still edit the file, but if
 Vim unexpectedly exits the changes will be lost.  And Vim may consume a lot of
 memory when editing a big file.  You may want to change the 'directory' option
-to avoid this error.  See |swap-file|.
+to avoid this error.  This error is not given when 'directory' is empty.  See
+|swap-file|.
 
 							*E140*  >
   Use ! to write partial buffer
diff --git a/runtime/doc/options.txt b/runtime/doc/options.txt
index 34fb484..8436c8a 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/options.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/options.txt
@@ -2693,7 +2693,7 @@
 	- The swap file will be created in the first directory where this is
 	  possible.
 	- Empty means that no swap file will be used (recovery is
-	  impossible!).
+	  impossible!) and no |E303| error will be given.
 	- A directory "." means to put the swap file in the same directory as
 	  the edited file.  On Unix, a dot is prepended to the file name, so
 	  it doesn't show in a directory listing.  On MS-Windows the "hidden"
diff --git a/src/memline.c b/src/memline.c
index c77d1df..a26e401 100644
--- a/src/memline.c
+++ b/src/memline.c
@@ -804,9 +804,9 @@
 	}
     }
 
-    if (mfp->mf_fname == NULL)		/* Failed! */
+    if (*p_dir != NUL && mfp->mf_fname == NULL)
     {
-	need_wait_return = TRUE;	/* call wait_return later */
+	need_wait_return = TRUE;	// call wait_return later
 	++no_wait_return;
 	(void)semsg(_("E303: Unable to open swap file for \"%s\", recovery impossible"),
 		    buf_spname(buf) != NULL ? buf_spname(buf) : buf->b_fname);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_recover.vim b/src/testdir/test_recover.vim
index a9934a1..a1c7bc4 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_recover.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_recover.vim
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
     set dir=/notexist/
   endif
   call assert_fails('split Xtest', 'E303:')
+
+  " No error with empty 'directory' setting.
+  set directory=
+  split XtestOK
+  close!
+
   set dir&
 endfunc
 
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 38f8277..aebadab 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -742,6 +742,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    2180,
+/**/
     2179,
 /**/
     2178,