diff --git a/spec/workspace-spec.coffee b/spec/workspace-spec.coffee
index ade8664b6..b9e2a5912 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/workspace-spec.coffee
@@ -49,23 +49,6 @@ describe "Workspace", ->
         workspace.openSync('b', activatePane: false)
         expect(activePane.activate).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
-    describe "when the 'split' option is specified", ->
-      it "activates the editor on the active pane if it has a sibling and otherwise creates a new pane", ->
-        pane1 = workspace.activePane
-
-        editor = workspace.openSync('a', split: 'right')
-        pane2 = workspace.activePane
-        expect(pane2).not.toBe pane1
-
-        expect(workspace.paneContainer.root.children).toEqual [pane1, pane2]
-
-        editor = workspace.openSync('file1', split: 'right')
-        expect(workspace.activePane).toBe pane2
-
-        expect(workspace.paneContainer.root.children).toEqual [pane1, pane2]
-        expect(pane1.items.length).toBe 0
-        expect(pane2.items.length).toBe 2
-
   describe "::openSingletonSync(uri, options)", ->
     describe "when an editor for the given uri is already open on the active pane", ->
       it "activates the existing editor", ->
diff --git a/src/workspace.coffee b/src/workspace.coffee
index 32d1657f4..d98e6a131 100644
--- a/src/workspace.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace.coffee
@@ -78,37 +78,20 @@ class Workspace extends Model
 
   # Private: Only used in specs
   openSync: (uri, options={}) ->
-    {initialLine, pane, split} = options
+    {initialLine} = options
     # TODO: Remove deprecated changeFocus option
     activatePane = options.activatePane ? options.changeFocus ? true
-    pane ?= @activePane
     uri = atom.project.relativize(uri)
 
-    if pane
-      if uri
-        paneItem = pane.itemForUri(uri) ? atom.project.openSync(uri, {initialLine})
-      else
-        paneItem = atom.project.openSync()
-
-      if split == 'right'
-        panes = @getPanes()
-        if panes.length == 1
-          pane = panes[0].splitRight()
-        else
-          pane = last(panes)
-      else if split == 'left'
-        pane = @getPanes()[0]
-
-      pane.activateItem(paneItem)
+    if uri?
+      editor = @activePane.itemForUri(uri) ? atom.project.openSync(uri, {initialLine})
     else
-      paneItem = atom.project.openSync(uri, {initialLine})
-      pane = new Pane(items: [paneItem])
-      @paneContainer.root = pane
+      editor = atom.project.openSync()
 
-    @itemOpened(paneItem)
-
-    pane.activate() if activatePane
-    paneItem
+    @activePane.activateItem(editor)
+    @itemOpened(editor)
+    @activePane.activate() if activatePane
+    editor
 
   # Public: Synchronously open an editor for the given URI or activate an existing
   # editor in any pane if one already exists.