diff --git a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
index 11bb7d71c..93a0b3848 100644
--- a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ describe "Editor", ->
         expect(editor.getCursorPosition()).toEqual(row: 1, column: 7)
         expect(editor.lines.find('pre:eq(1)')).toHaveText editor.getCurrentLine()
 
-    fdescribe "when there is a selection", ->
+    describe "when there is a selection", ->
       it "replaces the selected text with the typed text", ->
         editor.selection.setRange(new Range([1, 6], [2, 4]))
         editor.hiddenInput.textInput 'q'
@@ -367,9 +367,34 @@ describe "Editor", ->
         editor.setCursorPosition(row: 0, column: 0)
         editor.trigger keydownEvent('backspace')
 
-    fdescribe "when there is a selection", ->
+    describe "when there is a selection", ->
       it "deletes the selection, but not the character before it", ->
         editor.selection.setRange(new Range([0,5], [0,9]))
         editor.trigger keydownEvent('backspace')
         expect(editor.buffer.getLine(0)).toBe 'var qsort = function () {'
 
+  describe "when delete is pressed", ->
+    describe "when the cursor is on the middle of a line", ->
+      it "deletes the character following the cursor", ->
+        editor.setCursorPosition([1, 6])
+        editor.trigger keydownEvent('delete')
+        expect(buffer.getLine(1)).toBe '  var ort = function(items) {'
+
+    describe "when the cursor is on the end of a line", ->
+      it "joins the line with the following line", ->
+        editor.setCursorPosition([1, buffer.getLine(1).length])
+        editor.trigger keydownEvent('delete')
+        expect(buffer.getLine(1)).toBe '  var sort = function(items) {    if (items.length <= 1) return items;'
+
+    describe "when there is a selection", ->
+      it "deletes the selection, but not the character following it", ->
+        editor.selection.setRange(new Range([1,6], [1,8]))
+        editor.trigger keydownEvent 'delete'
+        expect(buffer.getLine(1)).toBe '  var rt = function(items) {'
+
+    describe "when the cursor is on the last column of the last line", ->
+      it "does nothing, but doesn't raise an error", ->
+        editor.setCursorPosition([12, buffer.getLine(12).length])
+        editor.trigger keydownEvent('delete')
+        expect(buffer.getLine(12)).toBe '};'
+
diff --git a/src/atom/editor.coffee b/src/atom/editor.coffee
index c71d584fe..91085388e 100644
--- a/src/atom/editor.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/editor.coffee
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class Editor extends Template
         'shift-down': 'select-down'
         enter: 'newline'
         backspace: 'backspace'
+        delete: 'delete'
 
       @on 'move-right', => @moveCursorRight()
       @on 'move-left', => @moveCursorLeft()
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ class Editor extends Template
       @on 'select-down', => @selectDown()
       @on 'newline', =>  @insertNewline()
       @on 'backspace', => @backspace()
+      @on 'delete', => @delete()
 
 
     buildCursorAndSelection: ->
@@ -158,4 +160,5 @@ class Editor extends Template
     insertText: (text) -> @selection.insertText(text)
     insertNewline: -> @selection.insertNewline()
     backspace: -> @selection.backspace()
+    delete: -> @selection.delete()
 
diff --git a/src/atom/selection.coffee b/src/atom/selection.coffee
index 897c180e3..a3068bf94 100644
--- a/src/atom/selection.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/selection.coffee
@@ -90,13 +90,26 @@ class Selection extends Template
       if range.isEmpty()
         if range.start.column == 0
           return if range.start.row == 0
-          range.start.column = @editor.buffer.lines[range.start.row - 1].length
+          range.start.column = @editor.buffer.getLine(range.start.row - 1).length
           range.start.row--
         else
           range.start.column--
 
       @editor.buffer.change(range, '')
 
+    delete: ->
+      range = @getRange()
+
+      if range.isEmpty()
+        if range.end.column == @editor.buffer.getLine(range.end.row).length
+          return if range.end.row == @editor.buffer.numLines() - 1
+          range.end.column = 0
+          range.end.row++
+        else
+          range.end.column++
+
+      @editor.buffer.change(range, '')
+
     isEmpty: ->
       @getRange().isEmpty()