diff --git a/src/atom-package.coffee b/src/atom-package.coffee
index b37e5d66d..9d6503da9 100644
--- a/src/atom-package.coffee
+++ b/src/atom-package.coffee
@@ -60,19 +60,34 @@ class AtomPackage extends Package
     @grammars = []
     @scopedProperties = []
 
-  activate: ({immediate}={}) ->
+  activate: ->
     return @activationDeferred.promise if @activationDeferred?
 
     @activationDeferred = Q.defer()
     @measure 'activateTime', =>
       @activateResources()
-      if @metadata.activationEvents? and not immediate
+      if @metadata.activationEvents?
         @subscribeToActivationEvents()
       else
         @activateNow()
 
     @activationDeferred.promise
 
+  # Deprecated
+  activateSync: ({immediate}={}) ->
+    @activateResources()
+    if @metadata.activationEvents? and not immediate
+      @subscribeToActivationEvents()
+    else
+      try
+        @activateConfig()
+        @activateStylesheets()
+        if @requireMainModule()
+          @mainModule.activate(atom.packages.getPackageState(@name) ? {})
+          @mainActivated = true
+      catch e
+        console.warn "Failed to activate package named '#{@name}'", e.stack
+
   activateNow: ->
     try
       @activateConfig()
diff --git a/src/package-manager.coffee b/src/package-manager.coffee
index 5cfa58c5e..3523474ea 100644
--- a/src/package-manager.coffee
+++ b/src/package-manager.coffee
@@ -98,11 +98,12 @@ class PackageManager
         @activePackages[pack.name] = pack
         pack
 
+  # Deprecated
   activatePackageSync: (name, options) ->
     return pack if pack = @getActivePackage(name)
     if pack = @loadPackage(name)
       @activePackages[pack.name] = pack
-      pack.activate(options)
+      pack.activateSync(options)
       pack
 
   # Private: Deactivate all packages