diff --git a/src/pane-axis.coffee b/src/pane-axis.coffee
index a7abd8e5c..adb2b3657 100644
--- a/src/pane-axis.coffee
+++ b/src/pane-axis.coffee
@@ -69,6 +69,12 @@ class PaneAxis extends View
   getContainer: ->
     @closest('#panes').view()
 
+  getActivePaneItem: ->
+    @getActivePane()?.activeItem
+
+  getActivePane: ->
+    @find('.pane.active').view() ? @find('.pane:first').view()
+
   insertChildBefore: (child, newChild, options={}) ->
     newChild.insertBefore(child)
     if options.updateState ? true
diff --git a/src/pane.coffee b/src/pane.coffee
index 23a7cd8b4..afbdc5801 100644
--- a/src/pane.coffee
+++ b/src/pane.coffee
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ class Pane extends View
     else
       @showItemAtIndex(@items.length - 1)
 
+  getActivePaneItem: ->
+    @activeItem
+
   # Public: Returns the index of the currently active item.
   getActiveItemIndex: ->
     @items.indexOf(@activeItem)