diff --git a/docs/customizing-atom.md b/docs/customizing-atom.md
index a2e7fecb8..302faa486 100644
--- a/docs/customizing-atom.md
+++ b/docs/customizing-atom.md
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@ built-in keymaps:
 '.editor':
   'enter': 'editor:newline'
 
-".select-list .editor.mini":
-  'enter': 'core:confirm'
+'body':
+  'ctrl-P': 'core:move-up'
+  'ctrl-p': 'core:move-down'
 ```
 
 This keymap defines the meaning of `enter` in two different contexts. In a
@@ -40,10 +41,9 @@ the editor to insert a newline. But if the same keystroke occurs inside of a
 select list's mini-editor, it instead emits the `core:confirm` event based on
 the binding in the more-specific selector.
 
-By default, any keymap files in your `~/.atom/keymaps` directory are loaded
-in alphabetical order when Atom is started. They will always be loaded last,
-giving you the chance to override bindings that are defined by Atom's core
-keymaps or third-party packages.
+By default, `~/.atom/keymap.cson` is loaded when Atom is started. It will always
+be loaded last, giving you the chance to override bindings that are defined by
+Atom's core keymaps or third-party packages.
 
 ## Advanced Configuration
 
diff --git a/dot-atom/keymap.cson b/dot-atom/keymap.cson
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..872395168
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot-atom/keymap.cson
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# User keymap
+#
+# Atom keymaps work similarly to stylesheets. Just as stylesheets use selectors
+# to apply styles to elements, Atom keymaps use selectors to associate
+# keystrokes with events in specific contexts. Here's a small example, excerpted
+# from Atom's built-in keymaps:
+#
+# '.editor':
+#   'enter': 'editor:newline'
+#
+# 'body':
+#   'ctrl-P': 'core:move-up'
+#   'ctrl-p': 'core:move-down'
diff --git a/src/keymap.coffee b/src/keymap.coffee
index 69525dfa7..d64b1f082 100644
--- a/src/keymap.coffee
+++ b/src/keymap.coffee
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ class Keymap
     @loadDirectory(config.bundledKeymapsDirPath)
     @emit('bundled-keymaps-loaded')
 
-  loadUserKeymaps: ->
-    @loadDirectory(path.join(config.configDirPath, 'keymaps'))
+  loadUserKeymap: ->
+    userKeymapPath = CSON.resolve(path.join(config.configDirPath, 'keymap'))
+    @load(userKeymapPath) if userKeymapPath
 
   loadDirectory: (directoryPath) ->
     @load(filePath) for filePath in fsUtils.listSync(directoryPath, ['.cson', '.json'])
diff --git a/src/window.coffee b/src/window.coffee
index 4282d2a0b..6f7ec2d0a 100644
--- a/src/window.coffee
+++ b/src/window.coffee
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ window.startEditorWindow = ->
   atom.packages.loadPackages()
   deserializeEditorWindow()
   atom.packages.activate()
-  atom.keymap.loadUserKeymaps()
+  atom.keymap.loadUserKeymap()
   atom.requireUserInitScript()
   atom.menu.update()
   $(window).on 'unload', ->