diff --git a/spec/history-manager-spec.js b/spec/history-manager-spec.js
index bc77cb9b8..ed6aac626 100644
--- a/spec/history-manager-spec.js
+++ b/spec/history-manager-spec.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe("HistoryManager", () => {
       return projectDisposable
     })
 
-    historyManager = new HistoryManager({stateStore, project, commands: commandRegistry})
+    historyManager = new HistoryManager({stateStore, localStorage: window.localStorage, project, commands: commandRegistry})
     await historyManager.loadState()
   })
 
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ describe("HistoryManager", () => {
 
       it("saves the state", async () => {
         await historyManager.clearProjects()
-        const historyManager2 = new HistoryManager({stateStore, project, commands: commandRegistry})
+        const historyManager2 = new HistoryManager({stateStore, localStorage: window.localStorage, project, commands: commandRegistry})
         await historyManager2.loadState()
         expect(historyManager.getProjects().length).toBe(0)
       })
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ describe("HistoryManager", () => {
     it("saves the state", async () => {
       await historyManager.addProject(["/save/state"])
       await historyManager.saveState()
-      const historyManager2 = new HistoryManager({stateStore, project, commands: commandRegistry})
+      const historyManager2 = new HistoryManager({stateStore, localStorage: window.localStorage, project, commands: commandRegistry})
       await historyManager2.loadState()
       expect(historyManager2.getProjects()[0].paths).toEqual(['/save/state'])
     })
diff --git a/src/atom-environment.coffee b/src/atom-environment.coffee
index cf5df00d2..6d9b3333f 100644
--- a/src/atom-environment.coffee
+++ b/src/atom-environment.coffee
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class AtomEnvironment extends Model
 
     @observeAutoHideMenuBar()
 
-    @history = new HistoryManager({@project, @commands, @stateStore})
+    @history = new HistoryManager({@project, @commands, @stateStore, localStorage: window.localStorage})
     # Keep instances of HistoryManager in sync
     @disposables.add @history.onDidChangeProjects (e) =>
       @applicationDelegate.didChangeHistoryManager() unless e.reloaded
diff --git a/src/history-manager.js b/src/history-manager.js
index 5087c3bf9..084bdc386 100644
--- a/src/history-manager.js
+++ b/src/history-manager.js
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ import {Emitter, CompositeDisposable} from 'event-kit'
 //
 // The project history is used to enable the 'Reopen Project' menu.
 export class HistoryManager {
-  constructor ({stateStore, project, commands}) {
+  constructor ({stateStore, localStorage, project, commands}) {
     this.stateStore = stateStore
+    this.localStorage = localStorage
     this.emitter = new Emitter()
     this.projects = []
     this.disposables = new CompositeDisposable()
@@ -93,7 +94,11 @@ export class HistoryManager {
   }
 
   async loadState () {
-    const history = await this.stateStore.load('history-manager')
+    let history = await this.stateStore.load('history-manager')
+    if (!history) {
+      history = JSON.parse(this.localStorage.getItem('history'))
+    }
+
     if (history && history.projects) {
       this.projects = history.projects.filter(p => Array.isArray(p.paths) && p.paths.length > 0).map(p => new HistoryProject(p.paths, new Date(p.lastOpened)))
       this.didChangeProjects({reloaded: true})