diff --git a/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/spec/fuzzy-finder-spec.coffee b/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/spec/fuzzy-finder-spec.coffee
index 77bcd4ab4..f11ecda55 100644
--- a/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/spec/fuzzy-finder-spec.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/spec/fuzzy-finder-spec.coffee
@@ -243,11 +243,6 @@ describe 'FuzzyFinder', ->
         $(window).trigger 'focus'
         rootView.trigger 'fuzzy-finder:toggle-file-finder'
         rootView.trigger 'fuzzy-finder:toggle-file-finder'
-
-      waitsFor ->
-        finder.list.children('li').length > 0
-
-      runs ->
         expect(rootView.project.getFilePaths).toHaveBeenCalled()
 
   describe "path ignoring", ->
diff --git a/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/src/fuzzy-finder.coffee b/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/src/fuzzy-finder.coffee
index 1e2566c15..44dc4441e 100644
--- a/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/src/fuzzy-finder.coffee
+++ b/src/packages/fuzzy-finder/src/fuzzy-finder.coffee
@@ -17,12 +17,13 @@ class FuzzyFinder extends SelectList
   allowActiveEditorChange: null
   maxItems: 10
   projectPaths: null
+  reloadProjectPaths: true
 
   initialize: (@rootView) ->
     super
-    @subscribe $(window), 'focus', => @projectPaths = null
-    @observeConfig 'fuzzy-finder.ignoredNames', (ignoredNames) =>
-      @projectPaths = null
+
+    @subscribe $(window), 'focus', => @reloadProjectPaths = true
+    @observeConfig 'fuzzy-finder.ignoredNames', => @reloadProjectPaths = true
 
     @miniEditor.command 'editor:split-left', =>
       @splitOpenPath (editor, session) -> editor.splitLeft(session)
@@ -93,6 +94,8 @@ class FuzzyFinder extends SelectList
       @setArray(@projectPaths)
     else
       @setLoading("Indexing...")
+
+    if @reloadProjectPaths
       @rootView.project.getFilePaths().done (paths) =>
         ignoredNames = config.get("fuzzyFinder.ignoredNames") or []
         ignoredNames = ignoredNames.concat(config.get("core.ignoredNames") or [])
@@ -103,6 +106,7 @@ class FuzzyFinder extends SelectList
               return false if _.contains(ignoredNames, segment)
             return true
 
+        @reloadProjectPaths = false
         @setArray(@projectPaths)
 
   populateOpenBufferPaths: ->