diff --git a/spec/package-manager-spec.coffee b/spec/package-manager-spec.coffee
index 2badac3b2..d9da575a1 100644
--- a/spec/package-manager-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/package-manager-spec.coffee
@@ -526,8 +526,8 @@ describe "PackageManager", ->
       atom.packages.deactivatePackages()
       atom.packages.unloadPackages()
 
-      Syntax = require '../src/syntax'
-      atom.syntax = window.syntax = new Syntax()
+      GrammarRegistry = require '../src/grammar-registry'
+      atom.syntax = window.syntax = new GrammarRegistry()
 
     it "activates all the packages, and none of the themes", ->
       atom.packages.activate()
diff --git a/src/atom.coffee b/src/atom.coffee
index a8e6ba8f8..ff964f715 100644
--- a/src/atom.coffee
+++ b/src/atom.coffee
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class Atom extends Model
     TooltipManager = require './tooltip-manager'
     PackageManager = require './package-manager'
     Clipboard = require './clipboard'
-    Syntax = require './syntax'
+    GrammarRegistry = require './grammar-registry'
     ThemeManager = require './theme-manager'
     StyleManager = require './style-manager'
     ContextMenuManager = require './context-menu-manager'
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ class Atom extends Model
     @menu = new MenuManager({resourcePath})
     @clipboard = new Clipboard()
 
-    @syntax = @deserializers.deserialize(@state.syntax) ? new Syntax()
+    @syntax = @deserializers.deserialize(@state.syntax) ? new GrammarRegistry()
 
     @subscribe @packages.onDidActivateAll => @watchThemes()
 
diff --git a/src/syntax.coffee b/src/grammar-registry.coffee
similarity index 93%
rename from src/syntax.coffee
rename to src/grammar-registry.coffee
index 8c04a424a..ab3f2e5be 100644
--- a/src/syntax.coffee
+++ b/src/grammar-registry.coffee
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ _ = require 'underscore-plus'
 {deprecate} = require 'grim'
 {specificity} = require 'clear-cut'
 {Subscriber} = require 'emissary'
-{GrammarRegistry, ScopeSelector} = require 'first-mate'
+FirstMate = require 'first-mate'
+{ScopeSelector} = FirstMate
 ScopedPropertyStore = require 'scoped-property-store'
 PropertyAccessors = require 'property-accessors'
 
@@ -16,13 +17,13 @@ Token = require './token'
 # The Syntax class also contains properties for things such as the
 # language-specific comment regexes. See {::getProperty} for more details.
 module.exports =
-class Syntax extends GrammarRegistry
+class GrammarRegistry extends FirstMate.GrammarRegistry
   PropertyAccessors.includeInto(this)
   Subscriber.includeInto(this)
   atom.deserializers.add(this)
 
   @deserialize: ({grammarOverridesByPath}) ->
-    syntax = new Syntax()
+    syntax = new GrammarRegistry()
     syntax.grammarOverridesByPath = grammarOverridesByPath
     syntax