diff --git a/src/browser/atom-window.coffee b/src/browser/atom-window.coffee
index 398a3d01c..951b89ad9 100644
--- a/src/browser/atom-window.coffee
+++ b/src/browser/atom-window.coffee
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class AtomWindow
       title: 'Atom'
 
     if @isSpec
-      options.webPreferences.backgroundThrottling = false
+      options.webPreferences = {backgroundThrottling: false}
 
     # Don't set icon on Windows so the exe's ico will be used as window and
     # taskbar's icon. See https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/4811 for more.