diff --git a/spec/integration/helpers/atom-launcher.sh b/spec/integration/helpers/atom-launcher.sh
index 5cc3b8a12..905ed976c 100755
--- a/spec/integration/helpers/atom-launcher.sh
+++ b/spec/integration/helpers/atom-launcher.sh
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@
 # arguments, so this script accepts the following special switches:
 #
 # * `atom-path`: The path to the `Atom` binary.
-# * `atom-arg`:  A positional argument to pass to Atom. This flag can be specified
-#                multiple times.
-# * `atom-env`:  A key=value environment variable to set for Atom. This flag can
-#                be specified multiple times.
+# * `atom-args`: A space-separated list of positional arguments to pass to Atom.
+# * `atom-env`:  A space-separated list of key=value pairs representing environment
+#                variables to set for Atom.
 #
 # Any other switches will be passed through to `Atom`.
 
@@ -23,12 +22,18 @@ for arg in "$@"; do
       atom_path="${arg#*=}"
       ;;
 
-    --atom-arg=*)
-      atom_args+=(${arg#*=})
+    --atom-args=*)
+      atom_arg_string="${arg#*=}"
+      for atom_arg in $atom_arg_string; do
+        atom_args+=($atom_arg)
+      done
       ;;
 
     --atom-env=*)
-      export ${arg#*=}
+      atom_env_string="${arg#*=}"
+      for atom_env_pair in $atom_env_string; do
+        export $atom_env_pair
+      done
       ;;
 
     *)
diff --git a/spec/integration/helpers/start-atom.coffee b/spec/integration/helpers/start-atom.coffee
index 9716b82de..6c5eea295 100644
--- a/spec/integration/helpers/start-atom.coffee
+++ b/spec/integration/helpers/start-atom.coffee
@@ -50,13 +50,13 @@ module.exports =
           binary: AtomLauncherPath
           args: [
             "atom-path=#{AtomPath}"
+            "atom-args=#{args.join(" ")}"
+            "atom-env=#{map(env, (value, key) -> "#{key}=#{value}").join(" ")}"
             "dev"
             "safe"
             "user-data-dir=#{temp.mkdirSync('integration-spec-')}"
             "socket-path=#{SocketPath}"
-          ]
-          .concat(map args, (arg) -> "atom-arg=#{arg}")
-          .concat(map env, (value, key) -> "atom-env=#{key}=#{value}"))
+          ])
       .init()
       .addCommand "waitForCondition", (conditionFn, timeout, cb) ->
         timedOut = succeeded = false