diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 26e5d955e..d32336da2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
     "autocomplete-plus": "2.35.1",
     "autocomplete-snippets": "1.11.0",
     "autoflow": "0.29.0",
-    "autosave": "0.24.1",
+    "autosave": "0.24.2",
     "background-tips": "0.27.0",
     "bookmarks": "0.44.3",
     "bracket-matcher": "0.85.5",
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
     "dev-live-reload": "0.47.1",
     "encoding-selector": "0.23.3",
     "exception-reporting": "0.41.3",
-    "find-and-replace": "0.207.3",
+    "find-and-replace": "0.207.4",
     "fuzzy-finder": "1.5.4",
     "git-diff": "1.3.5",
     "go-to-line": "0.32.0",
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
     "status-bar": "1.8.5",
     "styleguide": "0.49.6",
     "symbols-view": "0.115.5",
-    "tabs": "0.105.0",
+    "tabs": "0.105.1",
     "timecop": "0.36.0",
     "tree-view": "0.216.0",
     "update-package-dependencies": "0.11.0",
diff --git a/spec/workspace-spec.js b/spec/workspace-spec.js
index 73eaf162c..5c02b8852 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-spec.js
+++ b/spec/workspace-spec.js
@@ -281,6 +281,18 @@ describe('Workspace', () => {
           })
         })
 
+        describe("when the 'activateItem' option is false", () => {
+          it('adds the item to the workspace', () => {
+            let editor
+            waitsForPromise(() => workspace.open('a'))
+            waitsForPromise(() => workspace.open('b', {activateItem: false}).then(o => { editor = o }))
+            runs(() => {
+              expect(workspace.getPaneItems()).toContain(editor)
+              expect(workspace.getActivePaneItem()).not.toBe(editor)
+            })
+          })
+        })
+
         describe('when the active pane does not have an editor for the given uri', () => {
           it('adds and activates a new editor for the given path on the active pane', () => {
             let editor = null
diff --git a/src/workspace.js b/src/workspace.js
index 7e7ddbe30..894d67b62 100644
--- a/src/workspace.js
+++ b/src/workspace.js
@@ -719,7 +719,9 @@ module.exports = class Workspace extends Model {
 
     this.itemOpened(item)
 
-    if (options.activateItem !== false) {
+    if (options.activateItem === false) {
+      pane.addItem(item, {pending: options.pending})
+    } else {
       pane.activateItem(item, {pending: options.pending})
     }
 
@@ -841,6 +843,13 @@ module.exports = class Workspace extends Model {
     return this.open(uri, {pane})
   }
 
+  // Public: Creates a new item that corresponds to the provided URI.
+  //
+  // If no URI is given, or no registered opener can open the URI, a new empty
+  // {TextEditor} will be created.
+  //
+  // * `uri` A {String} containing a URI.
+  //
   // Returns a {Promise} that resolves to the {TextEditor} (or other item) for the given URI.
   createItemForURI (uri, options) {
     if (uri != null) {