diff --git a/spec/atom/selection-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/selection-spec.coffee
index 0e8e59bc7..9effd1a7e 100644
--- a/spec/atom/selection-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/selection-spec.coffee
@@ -19,6 +19,30 @@ describe "Selection", ->
       expect(selection.anchor.getPosition()).toEqual range.start
       expect(selection.cursor.getPosition()).toEqual range.end
 
+  describe ".delete()", ->
+    describe "when nothing is selected", ->
+      it "deletes nothing", ->
+        selection.setRange new Range([0,3], [0,3])
+        selection.delete()
+        expect(editor.buffer.getLine(0)).toBe "var quicksort = function () {"
+
+    describe "when one line is selected", ->
+      it "deletes selected text", ->
+        selection.setRange new Range([0,4], [0,14])
+        selection.delete()
+        expect(editor.buffer.getLine(0)).toBe "var = function () {"
+
+        endOfLine = editor.buffer.getLine(0).length
+        selection.setRange new Range([0,0], [0, endOfLine])
+        selection.delete()
+        expect(editor.buffer.getLine(0)).toBe ""
+
+    describe "when multiple lines are selected", ->
+      it "deletes selected text", ->
+        selection.setRange new Range([0,1], [2,39])
+        selection.delete()
+        expect(editor.buffer.getLine(0)).toBe "v;"
+
   describe ".updateAppearence()", ->
     [charWidth, lineHeight] = []
 
diff --git a/src/atom/selection.coffee b/src/atom/selection.coffee
index ab7db1dd2..d34b85e05 100644
--- a/src/atom/selection.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/selection.coffee
@@ -81,31 +81,9 @@ class Selection extends Template
     insertNewline: ->
       @insertText('\n')
 
-    backspace: ->
-      range = @getRange()
-
-      if range.isEmpty()
-        if range.start.column == 0
-          return if range.start.row == 0
-          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, '')
+      @editor.buffer.change(range, '') unless range.isEmpty()
 
     isEmpty: ->
       @getRange().isEmpty()