diff --git a/spec/app/grammar-view-spec.coffee b/spec/app/grammar-view-spec.coffee
index afa03839d..45157aab0 100644
--- a/spec/app/grammar-view-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/grammar-view-spec.coffee
@@ -7,10 +7,8 @@ describe "GrammarView", ->
 
   beforeEach ->
     window.rootView = new RootView
-    project.removeGrammarOverrideForPath('sample.js')
     rootView.open('sample.js')
-    editor = rootView.getActiveEditor()
-    rootView.attachToDom()
+    editor = rootView.getActiveView()
     textGrammar = _.find syntax.grammars, (grammar) -> grammar.name is 'Plain Text'
     expect(textGrammar).toBeTruthy()
     jsGrammar = _.find syntax.grammars, (grammar) -> grammar.name is 'JavaScript'
diff --git a/src/app/pane-container.coffee b/src/app/pane-container.coffee
index ca4c2f254..aae999567 100644
--- a/src/app/pane-container.coffee
+++ b/src/app/pane-container.coffee
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ class PaneContainer extends View
   getActivePane: ->
     @find('.pane.active').view() ? @find('.pane:first').view()
 
+  getActivePaneItem: ->
+    @getActivePane()?.currentItem
+
+  getActiveView: ->
+    @getActivePane()?.currentView
 
   adjustPaneDimensions: ->
     if root = @getRoot()
diff --git a/src/app/root-view.coffee b/src/app/root-view.coffee
index c462de3a0..d1f49294f 100644
--- a/src/app/root-view.coffee
+++ b/src/app/root-view.coffee
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ class RootView extends View
     packageStates: atom.serializeAtomPackages()
 
   handleFocus: (e) ->
-    if @getActiveEditor()
-      @getActiveEditor().focus()
+    if @getActivePane()
+      @getActivePane().focus()
       false
     else
       @setTitle(null)
@@ -163,9 +163,13 @@ class RootView extends View
       editor.view()
     else
       @panes.find('.editor:first').view()
+  getActivePaneItem: ->
+    @panes.getActivePaneItem()
 
   getActiveEditSession: ->
     @getActiveEditor()?.activeEditSession
+  getActiveView: ->
+    @panes.getActiveView()
 
   focusNextPane: -> @panes.focusNextPane()
   getFocusedPane: -> @panes.getFocusedPane()