diff --git a/benchmark/benchmark-helper.coffee b/benchmark/benchmark-helper.coffee
index 9ccb4dfb2..f06dc97d2 100644
--- a/benchmark/benchmark-helper.coffee
+++ b/benchmark/benchmark-helper.coffee
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ keymap.bindKeys '*',
   'meta-w': 'close'
   'alt-meta-i': 'show-console'
 $(document).on 'close', -> window.close()
-$(document).on 'show-console', -> $native.showDevTools()
+$(document).on 'show-console', -> atom.toggleDevTools()
 
 defaultCount = 100
 window.pbenchmark = (args...) -> window.benchmark(args..., profile: true)
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ window.benchmark = (args...) ->
   [fn, options] = args
   { profile, focused } = (options ? {})
 
-  $native.showDevTools() if profile
+  atom.showDevTools() if profile
   method = if focused then fit else it
   method description, ->
     total = measure ->
diff --git a/native/atom_cef_client.cpp b/native/atom_cef_client.cpp
index 650616423..b5b90af5a 100644
--- a/native/atom_cef_client.cpp
+++ b/native/atom_cef_client.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ bool AtomCefClient::OnProcessMessageReceived(CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser,
   else if (name == "toggleDevTools") {
     ToggleDevTools(browser);
   }
+  else if (name == "showDevTools") {
+    ShowDevTools(browser);
+  }
   else if (name == "confirm") {
     std::string message = argumentList->GetString(1).ToString();
     std::string detailedMessage = argumentList->GetString(2).ToString();
diff --git a/native/atom_cef_client.h b/native/atom_cef_client.h
index 0d3e821b3..3fabf3e74 100644
--- a/native/atom_cef_client.h
+++ b/native/atom_cef_client.h
@@ -99,12 +99,13 @@ class AtomCefClient : public CefClient,
   void Open(std::string path);
   void Open();
   void NewWindow();
+  void ToggleDevTools(CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser);
+  void ShowDevTools(CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser);
   void Confirm(int replyId,
                std::string message,
                std::string detailedMessage,
                std::vector<std::string> buttonLabels,
                CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser);
-  void ToggleDevTools(CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser);
   void ShowSaveDialog(int replyId, CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser);
   CefRefPtr<CefListValue> CreateReplyDescriptor(int replyId, int callbackIndex);
 
diff --git a/native/atom_cef_client_mac.mm b/native/atom_cef_client_mac.mm
index 728ab0c6a..704e2cbf2 100644
--- a/native/atom_cef_client_mac.mm
+++ b/native/atom_cef_client_mac.mm
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ void AtomCefClient::ToggleDevTools(CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser) {
   [windowController toggleDevTools];
 }
 
+void AtomCefClient::ShowDevTools(CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser) {
+  AtomWindowController *windowController = [[browser->GetHost()->GetWindowHandle() window] windowController];
+  [windowController showDevTools];
+}
+
 void AtomCefClient::ShowSaveDialog(int replyId, CefRefPtr<CefBrowser> browser) {
   CefRefPtr<CefProcessMessage> replyMessage = CefProcessMessage::Create("reply");
   CefRefPtr<CefListValue> replyArguments = replyMessage->GetArgumentList();
diff --git a/native/atom_window_controller.h b/native/atom_window_controller.h
index 921ed27c1..10391ad79 100644
--- a/native/atom_window_controller.h
+++ b/native/atom_window_controller.h
@@ -26,5 +26,6 @@ class AtomCefClient;
 - (id)initBenchmarks;
 
 - (void)toggleDevTools;
+- (void)showDevTools;
 
 @end
diff --git a/native/atom_window_controller.mm b/native/atom_window_controller.mm
index c068b3848..d2689f58f 100644
--- a/native/atom_window_controller.mm
+++ b/native/atom_window_controller.mm
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@
 }
 
 - (void)showDevTools {
+  if (_devToolsView) return;
+
   if (_cefClient && _cefClient->GetBrowser()) {
     _devToolsView = [[NSView alloc] initWithFrame:_splitView.bounds];
     [_splitView addSubview:_devToolsView];
diff --git a/spec/spec-helper.coffee b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
index acddcb475..223722b55 100644
--- a/spec/spec-helper.coffee
+++ b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ TextMateBundle = require 'text-mate-bundle'
 TextMateTheme = require 'text-mate-theme'
 fs = require 'fs'
 require 'window'
-$native.showDevTools()
+atom.showDevTools()
 
 requireStylesheet "jasmine.css"
 TextMateBundle.loadAll()
diff --git a/src/app/atom.coffee b/src/app/atom.coffee
index ebfb2b0d9..771c37009 100644
--- a/src/app/atom.coffee
+++ b/src/app/atom.coffee
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ originalSendMessageToBrowserProcess = atom.sendMessageToBrowserProcess
 
 atom.pendingBrowserProcessCallbacks = {}
 
-atom.sendMessageToBrowserProcess = (name, data, callbacks) ->
+atom.sendMessageToBrowserProcess = (name, data=[], callbacks) ->
   messageId = messageIdCounter++
   data.unshift(messageId)
   callbacks = [callbacks] if typeof callbacks is 'function'
@@ -37,8 +37,11 @@ atom.confirm = (message, detailedMessage, buttonLabelsAndCallbacks...) ->
 atom.showSaveDialog = (callback) ->
   @sendMessageToBrowserProcess('showSaveDialog', [], callback)
 
-atom.toggleDevTools = (args...)->
-  @sendMessageToBrowserProcess('toggleDevTools', args)
+atom.toggleDevTools = ->
+  @sendMessageToBrowserProcess('toggleDevTools')
+
+atom.showDevTools = ->
+  @sendMessageToBrowserProcess('showDevTools')
 
 atom.getRootViewStateForPath = (path) ->
   if json = localStorage[path]
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 02b3f6914..04c516b91 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
         if (bootstrapScript) require(bootstrapScript);
       }
       catch (error) {
-        //$native.showDevTools();
+        atom.showDevTools();
         console.error(error.stack || error);
       }
     }