diff --git a/src/scope-descriptor.coffee b/src/scope-descriptor.coffee
index 89c13d13f..ca97a2a43 100644
--- a/src/scope-descriptor.coffee
+++ b/src/scope-descriptor.coffee
@@ -47,3 +47,11 @@ class ScopeDescriptor
 
   toString: ->
     @getScopeChain()
+
+  isEqual: (other) ->
+    if @scopes.length isnt other.scopes.length
+      return false
+    for scope, i in @scopes
+      if scope isnt other.scopes[i]
+        return false
+    true
diff --git a/src/text-editor-registry.js b/src/text-editor-registry.js
index c0e5ac9ff..0742a8477 100644
--- a/src/text-editor-registry.js
+++ b/src/text-editor-registry.js
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export default class TextEditorRegistry {
         this.subscriptions.add(
           this.config.onDidChange(settingKey, configOptions, ({newValue}) => {
             this.editorsWithMaintainedConfig.forEach(editor => {
-              if (editor.getRootScopeDescriptor().getScopeChain() === scopeChain) {
+              if (editor.getRootScopeDescriptor().isEqual(scopeDescriptor)) {
                 editor[setterName](newValue)
               }
             })
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ export default class TextEditorRegistry {
         const softTabs = this.config.get('editor.softTabs', configOptions)
 
         this.editorsWithMaintainedConfig.forEach(editor => {
-          if (editor.getRootScopeDescriptor().getScopeChain() === scopeChain) {
+          if (editor.getRootScopeDescriptor().isEqual(scopeDescriptor)) {
             editor.setSoftTabs(shouldEditorUseSoftTabs(editor, tabType, softTabs))
           }
         })