diff --git a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
index 094077dea..f47649201 100644
--- a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ describe "Editor", ->
   beforeEach ->
     filePath = require.resolve 'fixtures/sample.txt'
     tempFilePath = '/tmp/temp.txt'
-    spyOn(Editor.prototype.viewProperties, 'open').andCallThrough()
     editor = Editor.build()
 
   afterEach ->
@@ -44,41 +43,19 @@ describe "Editor", ->
 
       expect(editor.getAceSession().getMode().name).toBe 'javascript'
 
-  describe "open(url)", ->
-    describe "when called with a url", ->
-      it "loads a buffer for the given url into the editor", ->
-        editor.open(filePath)
-        fileContents = fs.read(filePath)
-        expect(editor.getAceSession().getValue()).toBe fileContents
-        expect(editor.buffer.url).toBe(filePath)
-        expect(editor.buffer.getText()).toEqual fileContents
-
-      it "sets the mode on the session based on the file extension", ->
-        editor.open('something.js')
-        expect(editor.getAceSession().getMode().name).toBe 'javascript'
-
-        editor.open('something.text')
-        expect(editor.getAceSession().getMode().name).toBe 'text'
-
-    describe "when called with null", ->
-      it "loads an empty buffer with no url", ->
-        editor.open()
-        expect(editor.getAceSession().getValue()).toBe ""
-        expect(editor.buffer.url).toBeUndefined()
-        expect(editor.buffer.getText()).toEqual ""
-
   describe "when the text is changed via the ace editor", ->
     it "updates the buffer text", ->
-      editor.open(filePath)
-      expect(editor.buffer.getText()).not.toMatch /^.ooo/
+      buffer = new Buffer(filePath)
+      editor.setBuffer(buffer)
+      expect(buffer.getText()).not.toMatch /^.ooo/
       editor.getAceSession().insert {row: 0, column: 1}, 'ooo'
-      expect(editor.buffer.getText()).toMatch /^.ooo/
+      expect(buffer.getText()).toMatch /^.ooo/
 
   describe "save", ->
     describe "when the current buffer has a url", ->
       beforeEach ->
-        editor.open tempFilePath
-        expect(editor.buffer.url).toBe tempFilePath
+        buffer = new Buffer(tempFilePath)
+        editor.setBuffer(buffer)
 
       it "saves the current buffer to disk", ->
         editor.buffer.setText 'Edited buffer!'
diff --git a/src/atom/editor.coffee b/src/atom/editor.coffee
index 9cf6f3fe7..13e387560 100644
--- a/src/atom/editor.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/editor.coffee
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class Editor extends Template
 
     initialize: () ->
       @buildAceEditor()
-      @open()
+      @setBuffer(new Buffer)
 
     shutdown: ->
       @destroy()
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ class Editor extends Template
       session = new EditSession(@buffer.aceDocument, @buffer.getMode())
       @aceEditor.setSession(session)
 
-    open: (url) ->
-      @setBuffer(new Buffer(url))
-
     buildAceEditor: ->
       @aceEditor = ace.edit this[0]
       @aceEditor.setTheme(require "ace/theme/twilight")
diff --git a/src/atom/root-view.coffee b/src/atom/root-view.coffee
index 6e51e798f..4c1af06de 100644
--- a/src/atom/root-view.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/root-view.coffee
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ $ = require 'jquery'
 fs = require 'fs'
 
 Template = require 'template'
+Buffer = require 'buffer'
 Editor = require 'editor'
 FileFinder = require 'file-finder'
 Project = require 'project'
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ class RootView extends Template
 
       if url
         @project = new Project(fs.directory(url))
-        @editor.open(url) if fs.isFile(url)
+        @editor.setBuffer(new Buffer(url)) if fs.isFile(url)
 
     addPane: (view) ->
       pane = $('<div class="pane">')
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ class RootView extends Template
           relativePaths = (path.replace(@project.url, "") for path in paths)
           @fileFinder = FileFinder.build
             urls: relativePaths
-            selected: (relativePath) => @editor.open(@project.url + relativePath)
+            selected: (relativePath) =>
+              buffer = new Buffer(@project.url + relativePath)
+              @editor.setBuffer buffer
           @addPane(@fileFinder)
           @fileFinder.input.focus()