diff --git a/spec/command-registry-spec.coffee b/spec/command-registry-spec.coffee
index 98c480375..03c0b4717 100644
--- a/spec/command-registry-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/command-registry-spec.coffee
@@ -145,3 +145,31 @@ describe "CommandRegistry", ->
       expect(registry.dispatch(grandchild, 'command')).toBe true
       expect(registry.dispatch(grandchild, 'bogus')).toBe false
       expect(registry.dispatch(parent, 'command')).toBe false
+
+  describe "::getSnapshot and ::restoreSnapshot", ->
+    it "removes all command handlers except for those in the snapshot", ->
+      registry.add '.parent', 'namespace:command-1', ->
+      registry.add '.child', 'namespace:command-2', ->
+      snapshot = registry.getSnapshot()
+      registry.add '.grandchild', 'namespace:command-3', ->
+
+      expect(registry.findCommands(target: grandchild)[0..2]).toEqual [
+        {name: 'namespace:command-3', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 3'}
+        {name: 'namespace:command-2', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 2'}
+        {name: 'namespace:command-1', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 1'}
+      ]
+
+      registry.restoreSnapshot(snapshot)
+
+      expect(registry.findCommands(target: grandchild)[0..1]).toEqual [
+        {name: 'namespace:command-2', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 2'}
+        {name: 'namespace:command-1', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 1'}
+      ]
+
+      registry.add '.grandchild', 'namespace:command-3', ->
+      registry.restoreSnapshot(snapshot)
+
+      expect(registry.findCommands(target: grandchild)[0..1]).toEqual [
+        {name: 'namespace:command-2', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 2'}
+        {name: 'namespace:command-1', displayName: 'Namespace: Command 1'}
+      ]
diff --git a/spec/spec-helper.coffee b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
index c4f39bbb7..a5a31ac4b 100644
--- a/spec/spec-helper.coffee
+++ b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ fixturePackagesPath = path.resolve(__dirname, './fixtures/packages')
 atom.packages.packageDirPaths.unshift(fixturePackagesPath)
 atom.keymaps.loadBundledKeymaps()
 keyBindingsToRestore = atom.keymaps.getKeyBindings()
+commandsToRestore = atom.commands.getSnapshot()
 
 $(window).on 'core:close', -> window.close()
 $(window).on 'beforeunload', ->
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ beforeEach ->
   atom.workspace = new Workspace()
   atom.keymaps.keyBindings = _.clone(keyBindingsToRestore)
   atom.commands.setRootNode(document.body)
+  atom.commands.restoreSnapshot(commandsToRestore)
 
   window.resetTimeouts()
   atom.packages.packageStates = {}
diff --git a/src/command-registry.coffee b/src/command-registry.coffee
index 11dec2dca..fb05341f8 100644
--- a/src/command-registry.coffee
+++ b/src/command-registry.coffee
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ class CommandRegistry
   constructor: (@rootNode) ->
     @listenersByCommandName = {}
 
+  getRootNode: -> @rootNode
+
   setRootNode: (newRootNode) ->
     oldRootNode = @rootNode
     @rootNode = newRootNode
@@ -149,6 +151,15 @@ class CommandRegistry
     eventWithTarget = Object.create(event, target: value: target)
     @handleCommandEvent(eventWithTarget)
 
+  getSnapshot: ->
+    _.deepClone(@listenersByCommandName)
+
+  restoreSnapshot: (snapshot) ->
+    rootNode = @getRootNode()
+    @setRootNode(null) # clear listeners for current commands
+    @listenersByCommandName = _.deepClone(snapshot)
+    @setRootNode(rootNode) # restore listeners for commands in snapshot
+
   handleCommandEvent: (event) =>
     propagationStopped = false
     immediatePropagationStopped = false