diff --git a/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee b/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee
index 4621886dc..a575b993d 100644
--- a/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ describe "AtomEnvironment", ->
 
       atom.state.stuff = "cool"
       atom.project.setPaths([dir1, dir2])
-      atom.saveStateSync()
+      atom.saveState(true)
 
       atom.state = {}
       atom.loadStateSync()
@@ -174,18 +174,18 @@ describe "AtomEnvironment", ->
       atom.loadStateSync()
       expect(atom.state.stuff).toBe("cool")
 
-    it "saves state on keypress and mousedown events", ->
-      spyOn(atom, 'saveStateSync')
+    it "saves state on keydown and mousedown events", ->
+      spyOn(atom, 'saveState')
 
-      keypress = new KeyboardEvent('keypress')
-      atom.document.dispatchEvent(keypress)
+      keydown = new KeyboardEvent('keydown')
+      atom.document.dispatchEvent(keydown)
       advanceClock atom.saveStateDebounceInterval
-      expect(atom.saveStateSync).toHaveBeenCalled()
+      expect(atom.saveState).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
       mousedown = new MouseEvent('mousedown')
       atom.document.dispatchEvent(mousedown)
       advanceClock atom.saveStateDebounceInterval
-      expect(atom.saveStateSync).toHaveBeenCalled()
+      expect(atom.saveState).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
   describe "openInitialEmptyEditorIfNecessary", ->
     describe "when there are no paths set", ->
@@ -243,9 +243,10 @@ describe "AtomEnvironment", ->
 
       atomEnvironment.destroy()
 
+    # TODO: fix failing test. devtools show that ::saveState just goes to jasmine.createSpy.spyObj function
     it "saves the serialized state of the window so it can be deserialized after reload", ->
       atomEnvironment = new AtomEnvironment({applicationDelegate: atom.applicationDelegate, window, document})
-      spyOn(atomEnvironment, 'saveStateSync')
+      spyOn(atomEnvironment, 'saveState')
 
       workspaceState = atomEnvironment.workspace.serialize()
       grammarsState = {grammarOverridesByPath: atomEnvironment.grammars.grammarOverridesByPath}
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ describe "AtomEnvironment", ->
       expect(atomEnvironment.state.workspace).toEqual workspaceState
       expect(atomEnvironment.state.grammars).toEqual grammarsState
       expect(atomEnvironment.state.project).toEqual projectState
-      expect(atomEnvironment.saveStateSync).toHaveBeenCalled()
+      expect(atomEnvironment.saveState).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
       atomEnvironment.destroy()
 
diff --git a/src/atom-environment.coffee b/src/atom-environment.coffee
index fc89864eb..247b73b40 100644
--- a/src/atom-environment.coffee
+++ b/src/atom-environment.coffee
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ class AtomEnvironment extends Model
   constructor: (params={}) ->
     {@blobStore, @applicationDelegate, @window, @document, configDirPath, @enablePersistence, onlyLoadBaseStyleSheets} = params
 
-    debouncedSaveStateSync = _.debounce((=> @saveStateSync()), @saveStateDebounceInterval)
-    @document.addEventListener('mousedown', debouncedSaveStateSync, true)
+    debouncedSaveState = _.debounce((=> @saveState()), @saveStateDebounceInterval)
+    @document.addEventListener('mousedown', debouncedSaveState, true)
     @document.addEventListener('keydown', debouncedSaveState, true)
 
     @state = {version: @constructor.version}
@@ -653,9 +653,8 @@ class AtomEnvironment extends Model
     return if not @project
 
     @storeWindowBackground()
-    @serialize()
+    @saveState(true)
     @packages.deactivatePackages()
-    @saveStateSync()
     @saveBlobStoreSync()
 
   openInitialEmptyEditorIfNecessary: ->
@@ -789,12 +788,15 @@ class AtomEnvironment extends Model
 
     @blobStore.save()
 
-  saveStateSync: ->
+  saveState: (synchronous) ->
     return unless @enablePersistence
     @serialize()
 
     if storageKey = @getStateKey(@project?.getPaths())
-      @getStorageFolder().storeSync(storageKey, @state)
+      if synchronous
+        @getStorageFolder().storeSync(storageKey, @state)
+      else
+        @getStorageFolder().storeAsync(storageKey, @state)
     else
       @getCurrentWindow().loadSettings.windowState = JSON.stringify(@state)
 
diff --git a/src/storage-folder.coffee b/src/storage-folder.coffee
index 06beae56a..d94a6f013 100644
--- a/src/storage-folder.coffee
+++ b/src/storage-folder.coffee
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ class StorageFolder
 
     fs.writeFileSync(@pathForKey(name), JSON.stringify(object), 'utf8')
 
+  storeAsync: (name, object) ->
+    return unless @path?
+
+    fs.writeFile(@pathForKey(name), JSON.stringify(object), 'utf8')
+
   load: (name) ->
     return unless @path?