                        (powerline-raw " " nil)
                        (powerline-raw "%p" nil 'r)
                        (powerline-chamfer-left nil face1)
-                       (powerline-hud state-face face1))))
+                       ;; display hud only if necessary
+                       (let ((progress (format-mode-line "%p")))
+                         (if (string-match "\%" progress)
+                             (powerline-hud state-face face1))))))
             (concat (powerline-render lhs)
                     (powerline-fill face2 (powerline-width rhs))
                     (powerline-render rhs))))))

      ;; color mode line faces
      (defun spacemacs/defface-flycheck-mode-line-color (state)
        "Define a face for the given Flycheck STATE."
        (let* ((fname (intern (format "spacemacs-mode-line-color-%s"
                                     (symbol-name state))))
              (background (face-foreground
                           (intern (format "flycheck-fringe-%s" state))))

                 (lhs (append (list
                      ;; window number
                      ;; (powerline-wave-left state-face face1)
                      (powerline-raw (spacemacs/window-number) state-face)
                      (powerline-wave-right state-face nil)
                      ;; evil state
                      ;; (powerline-raw evil-mode-line-tag state-face)
