diff --git a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
index 6a94cacbe..01ba9e65e 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
@@ -3038,6 +3038,25 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
         atom.workspace.open(null, softTabs: false).then (editor) ->
           expect(editor.getSoftTabs()).toBeFalsy()
 
+  describe '.getTabLength(scopeDescriptor)', ->
+    describe 'when scoped settings are used', ->
+      coffeeEditor = null
+      beforeEach ->
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          atom.packages.activatePackage('language-coffee-script')
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          atom.project.open('coffee.coffee', autoIndent: false).then (o) -> coffeeEditor = o
+
+      it 'will return correct values based on the scope of the set grammars', ->
+        atom.config.set '.source.coffee', 'editor.tabLength', 6
+        atom.config.set '.source.coffee .class', 'editor.tabLength', 4
+
+        expect(editor.getTabLength()).toBe 2
+        expect(coffeeEditor.getTabLength()).toBe 6
+
+        coffeeEditor.setCursorBufferPosition [0, 10]
+        expect(coffeeEditor.getTabLength(coffeeEditor.scopesAtCursor())).toBe 4
+
   describe ".indentLevelForLine(line)", ->
     it "returns the indent level when the line has only leading whitespace", ->
       expect(editor.indentLevelForLine("    hello")).toBe(2)
diff --git a/src/display-buffer.coffee b/src/display-buffer.coffee
index fc465e5d7..f32c4efd4 100644
--- a/src/display-buffer.coffee
+++ b/src/display-buffer.coffee
@@ -396,8 +396,8 @@ class DisplayBuffer extends Model
   # Retrieves the current tab length.
   #
   # Returns a {Number}.
-  getTabLength: ->
-    @tokenizedBuffer.getTabLength()
+  getTabLength: (scopeDescriptor) ->
+    @tokenizedBuffer.getTabLength(scopeDescriptor)
 
   # Specifies the tab length.
   #
diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index d1fca0412..eec6432e1 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -2173,12 +2173,16 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
 
   # Essential: Get the on-screen length of tab characters.
   #
-  # Returns a {Number}.
-  getTabLength: -> @displayBuffer.getTabLength()
-
-  # Essential: Set the on-screen length of tab characters.
+  # * `scopeDescriptor` (optional) {Array} of {String}s.
   #
-  # * `tabLength` {Number} length of a single tab
+  # Returns a {Number}.
+  getTabLength: (scopeDescriptor) -> @displayBuffer.getTabLength(scopeDescriptor)
+
+  # Essential: Set the on-screen length of tab characters. Setting this to a
+  # {Number} This will override the `editor.tabLength` setting.
+  #
+  # * `tabLength` {Number} length of a single tab. Setting to `null` will
+  #   fallback to using the `editor.tabLength` config setting
   setTabLength: (tabLength) -> @displayBuffer.setTabLength(tabLength)
 
   # Extended: Determine if the buffer uses hard or soft tabs.
diff --git a/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee b/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee
index ae2fa559a..23a6fe882 100644
--- a/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee
+++ b/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee
@@ -25,16 +25,14 @@ class TokenizedBuffer extends Model
   constructor: ({@buffer, @tabLength, @invisibles}) ->
     @emitter = new Emitter
 
-    @tabLength ?= atom.config.get('editor.tabLength')
-
     @subscribe atom.syntax.onDidAddGrammar(@grammarAddedOrUpdated)
     @subscribe atom.syntax.onDidUpdateGrammar(@grammarAddedOrUpdated)
 
     @subscribe @buffer.onDidChange (e) => @handleBufferChange(e)
     @subscribe @buffer.onDidChangePath (@bufferPath) => @reloadGrammar()
 
+    # TODO: FIXME: make this work for scoped properties
     @subscribe @$tabLength.changes, (tabLength) => @retokenizeLines()
-
     @subscribe atom.config.onDidChange 'editor.tabLength', ({newValue}) => @setTabLength(newValue)
 
     @reloadGrammar()
@@ -81,6 +79,7 @@ class TokenizedBuffer extends Model
     return if grammar is @grammar
     @unsubscribe(@grammar) if @grammar
     @grammar = grammar
+    @grammarScopeDescriptor = [@grammar.scopeName]
     @currentGrammarScore = score ? grammar.getScore(@buffer.getPath(), @buffer.getText())
     @subscribe @grammar.onDidUpdate => @retokenizeLines()
     @retokenizeLines()
@@ -112,15 +111,9 @@ class TokenizedBuffer extends Model
   setVisible: (@visible) ->
     @tokenizeInBackground() if @visible
 
-  # Retrieves the current tab length.
-  #
-  # Returns a {Number}.
-  getTabLength: ->
-    @tabLength
+  getTabLength: (scopeDescriptor) ->
+    @tabLength ? atom.config.get(scopeDescriptor ? @grammarScopeDescriptor, 'editor.tabLength')
 
-  # Specifies the tab length.
-  #
-  # tabLength - A {Number} that defines the new tab length.
   setTabLength: (@tabLength) ->
 
   setInvisibles: (invisibles) ->