diff --git a/src/atom.coffee b/src/atom.coffee
index 4c0807dc4..06c8e4bd2 100644
--- a/src/atom.coffee
+++ b/src/atom.coffee
@@ -247,8 +247,6 @@ class Atom extends Model
   #
   # Call after this instance has been assigned to the `atom` global.
   initialize: ->
-    @displayWindow() unless @inSpecMode()
-
     @setBodyPlatformClass()
 
     {devMode, safeMode, resourcePath} = @getLoadSettings()
@@ -762,7 +760,6 @@ class Atom extends Model
   loadThemes: ->
     @themes.load()
 
-
   # Notify the browser project of the window's current project path
   watchProjectPath: ->
     @disposables.add @project.onDidChangePaths =>
diff --git a/src/initialize-application-window.coffee b/src/initialize-application-window.coffee
index 69c7e6582..3e4b435e2 100644
--- a/src/initialize-application-window.coffee
+++ b/src/initialize-application-window.coffee
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ path = require 'path'
 require './window'
 getWindowLoadSettings = require './get-window-load-settings'
 
-{devMode, resourcePath} = getWindowLoadSettings()
+{resourcePath, isSpec, devMode} = getWindowLoadSettings()
 
 # Add application-specific exports to module search path.
 exportsPath = path.join(resourcePath, 'exports')
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ process.env.NODE_ENV ?= 'production' unless devMode
 
 Atom = require './atom'
 window.atom = Atom.loadOrCreate('editor')
+
+atom.displayWindow() unless isSpec
 atom.initialize()
 atom.startEditorWindow()