diff --git a/spec/app/atom-spec.coffee b/spec/app/atom-spec.coffee
index dd936a98a..7e317df3c 100644
--- a/spec/app/atom-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/atom-spec.coffee
@@ -205,6 +205,18 @@ describe "the `atom` global", ->
           atom.activatePackage('ruby-tmbundle', sync: true)
           expect(syntax.getProperty(['.source.ruby'], 'editor.commentStart')).toBe '# '
 
+        describe "when the package has no grammars but does have preferences", ->
+          it "loads the package's preferences as scoped properties", ->
+            jasmine.unspy(window, 'setTimeout')
+            spyOn(syntax, 'addProperties').andCallThrough()
+
+            atom.activatePackage('package-with-preferences-tmbundle')
+
+            waitsFor ->
+              syntax.addProperties.callCount > 0
+            runs ->
+              expect(syntax.getProperty(['.source.pref'], 'editor.increaseIndentPattern')).toBe '^abc$'
+
     describe ".activatePackageConfig(id)", ->
       it "calls the optional .activateConfigMenu method on the package's main module", ->
         pack = atom.activatePackageConfig('package-with-activate-config')
diff --git a/spec/fixtures/packages/package-with-preferences-tmbundle/preferences/misc.json b/spec/fixtures/packages/package-with-preferences-tmbundle/preferences/misc.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..784dd0cbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/fixtures/packages/package-with-preferences-tmbundle/preferences/misc.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "name": "my preferences",
+  "scope": "source.pref",
+  "settings": {
+    "increaseIndentPattern": "^abc$"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/app/text-mate-package.coffee b/src/app/text-mate-package.coffee
index 64707eac2..6540267f0 100644
--- a/src/app/text-mate-package.coffee
+++ b/src/app/text-mate-package.coffee
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ class TextMatePackage extends Package
 
   @getLoadQueue: ->
     return @loadQueue if @loadQueue
-    @loadQueue = async.queue (pack, done) -> pack.loadGrammars(done)
+    @loadQueue = async.queue (pack, done) ->
+      pack.loadGrammars ->
+        pack.loadScopedProperties(done)
+
     @loadQueue
 
   constructor: ->
@@ -44,21 +47,15 @@ class TextMatePackage extends Package
 
   loadGrammars: (done) ->
     fsUtils.isDirectoryAsync @getSyntaxesPath(), (isDirectory) =>
-      return done() unless isDirectory
-
-      fsUtils.listAsync @getSyntaxesPath(), @legalGrammarExtensions, (error, paths) =>
-        if error?
-          console.log("Error loading grammars of TextMate package '#{@path}':", error.stack, error)
-          done()
-          return
-
-        async.waterfall [
-            (next) =>
-              async.eachSeries paths, @loadGrammarAtPath, next
-            (next) =>
-              @loadScopedProperties()
-              next()
-        ], done
+      if isDirectory
+        fsUtils.listAsync @getSyntaxesPath(), @legalGrammarExtensions, (error, paths) =>
+          if error?
+            console.log("Error loading grammars of TextMate package '#{@path}':", error.stack, error)
+            done()
+          else
+            async.eachSeries(paths, @loadGrammarAtPath, done)
+      else
+        done()
 
   loadGrammarAtPath: (path, done) =>
     TextMateGrammar.load path, (err, grammar) =>
@@ -105,7 +102,7 @@ class TextMatePackage extends Package
     for {selector, properties} in @scopedProperties
       syntax.addProperties(@path, selector, properties)
 
-  loadScopedProperties: ->
+  loadScopedProperties: (callback) ->
     scopedProperties = []
 
     for grammar in @getGrammars()
@@ -124,6 +121,7 @@ class TextMatePackage extends Package
       if @isActive()
         for {selector, properties} in @scopedProperties
           syntax.addProperties(@path, selector, properties)
+      callback?()
     @loadTextMatePreferenceObjects(preferenceObjects, done)
 
   loadTextMatePreferenceObjects: (preferenceObjects, done) ->