diff --git a/src/editor.coffee b/src/editor.coffee
index 7a58c8c5e..d06f964e7 100644
--- a/src/editor.coffee
+++ b/src/editor.coffee
@@ -374,10 +374,10 @@ class Editor extends Model
   # bufferRow - A {Number} indicating the buffer row.
   # newLevel - A {Number} indicating the new indentation level.
   # options - An {Object} with the following keys:
-  #   :ignoreLeadingWhitespace - true to not replace any of the leading
-  #                              whitespace already on the line (default: false)
-  setIndentationForBufferRow: (bufferRow, newLevel, {ignoreLeadingWhitespace}={}) ->
-    if ignoreLeadingWhitespace
+  #   :preserveLeadingWhitespace - true to preserve any whitespace already on
+  #                                the line (default: false).
+  setIndentationForBufferRow: (bufferRow, newLevel, {preserveLeadingWhitespace}={}) ->
+    if preserveLeadingWhitespace
       endColumn = 0
     else
       endColumn = @lineForBufferRow(bufferRow).match(/^\s*/)[0].length
diff --git a/src/selection.coffee b/src/selection.coffee
index 7c357cdb1..795e93004 100644
--- a/src/selection.coffee
+++ b/src/selection.coffee
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class Selection
     if options.autoIndent
       @editor.autoIndentBufferRow(row) for row in newBufferRange.getRows()
     else if options.autoIndentNewline and text == '\n'
-      @editor.autoIndentBufferRow(newBufferRange.end.row, ignoreLeadingWhitespace: true)
+      @editor.autoIndentBufferRow(newBufferRange.end.row, preserveLeadingWhitespace: true)
     else if options.autoDecreaseIndent and /\S/.test text
       @editor.autoDecreaseIndentForBufferRow(newBufferRange.start.row)