diff --git a/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee b/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee
index 5150540bc..f9dbc02f9 100644
--- a/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom-environment-spec.coffee
@@ -141,10 +141,13 @@ describe "AtomEnvironment", ->
         expect(errors).toEqual []
 
   describe "saving and loading", ->
-    it "selects the state based on the current project paths", ->
-      jasmine.unspy(atom, 'saveStateSync')
-      # jasmine.unspy(atom, 'loadStateSync')
+    beforeEach ->
+      atom.enablePersistence = true
 
+    afterEach ->
+      atom.enablePersistence = false
+
+    it "selects the state based on the current project paths", ->
       [dir1, dir2] = [temp.mkdirSync("dir1-"), temp.mkdirSync("dir2-")]
 
       loadSettings = _.extend atom.getLoadSettings(),
diff --git a/spec/spec-helper.coffee b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
index 61cdec1ab..9a2ef83ce 100644
--- a/spec/spec-helper.coffee
+++ b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ beforeEach ->
   spyOn(window, "setTimeout").andCallFake window.fakeSetTimeout
   spyOn(window, "clearTimeout").andCallFake window.fakeClearTimeout
 
-  spyOn(atom, 'saveStateSync')
-
   spy = spyOn(atom.packages, 'resolvePackagePath').andCallFake (packageName) ->
     if specPackageName and packageName is specPackageName
       resolvePackagePath(specPackagePath)
diff --git a/src/atom-environment.coffee b/src/atom-environment.coffee
index acccef475..f60f2ec97 100644
--- a/src/atom-environment.coffee
+++ b/src/atom-environment.coffee
@@ -758,12 +758,16 @@ class AtomEnvironment extends Model
     @applicationDelegate.showSaveDialog(options)
 
   saveStateSync: ->
+    return unless @enablePersistence
+
     if storageKey = @getStateKey(@project?.getPaths())
       @getStorageFolder().store(storageKey, @state)
     else
       @getCurrentWindow().loadSettings.windowState = JSON.stringify(@state)
 
   loadStateSync: ->
+    return unless @enablePersistence
+
     startTime = Date.now()
 
     if stateKey = @getStateKey(@getLoadSettings().initialPaths)