diff --git a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
index 8a7af3aa7..5175f91c4 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
@@ -85,80 +85,6 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
         expect(editor.tokenizedLineForScreenRow(0).tokens.length).toBe 1
         expect(editor.tokenizedLineForScreenRow(1).tokens.length).toBe 2 # sof tab
 
-  describe "when the editor is constructed with an initialLine option", ->
-    it "positions the cursor on the specified line", ->
-      editor = null
-
-      waitsForPromise ->
-        atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialLine: 5).then (o) -> editor = o
-
-      runs ->
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 5
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 0
-
-  describe "when the editor is constructed with an initialColumn option", ->
-    it "positions the cursor on the specified column", ->
-      editor = null
-
-      waitsForPromise ->
-        atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialColumn: 8).then (o) -> editor = o
-
-      runs ->
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 0
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 8
-
-  describe "when the editor is reopened with an initialLine option", ->
-    it "positions the cursor on the specified line", ->
-      editor = null
-
-      waitsForPromise ->
-        atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialLine: 5).then (o) -> editor = o
-
-      waitsForPromise ->
-        atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialLine: 4).then (o) -> editor = o
-
-      runs ->
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 4
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 0
-
-  describe "when the editor is reopened with an initialColumn option", ->
-    it "positions the cursor on the specified column", ->
-      editor = null
-
-      waitsForPromise ->
-        atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialColumn: 8).then (o) -> editor = o
-
-      waitsForPromise ->
-        atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialColumn: 7).then (o) -> editor = o
-
-      runs ->
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 0
-        expect(editor.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 7
-
-  it "ignores non-numeric initialLine and initialColumn options", ->
-    [editor1, editor2, editor3] = []
-
-    waitsForPromise ->
-      atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialColumn: 8, initialLine: NaN).then (o) -> editor1 = o
-
-    runs ->
-      expect(editor1.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 0
-      expect(editor1.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 8
-
-    waitsForPromise ->
-      atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialColumn: NaN, initialLine: 3).then (o) -> editor2 = o
-
-    runs ->
-      expect(editor2.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 3
-      expect(editor2.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 0
-
-    waitsForPromise ->
-      atom.workspace.open('sample.less', initialColumn: NaN, initialLine: NaN).then (o) -> editor3 = o
-
-    runs ->
-      expect(editor3.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().row).toEqual 3
-      expect(editor3.getLastCursor().getBufferPosition().column).toEqual 0
-
   describe ".copy()", ->
     it "returns a different edit session with the same initial state", ->
       editor.setSelectedBufferRange([[1, 2], [3, 4]])
diff --git a/spec/workspace-spec.coffee b/spec/workspace-spec.coffee
index 721310d35..ea4566bd0 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/workspace-spec.coffee
@@ -225,6 +225,44 @@ describe "Workspace", ->
               expect(workspace.paneContainer.root.children[0]).toBe pane1
               expect(workspace.paneContainer.root.children[1]).toBe pane4
 
+    describe "when an initialLine and initialColumn are specified", ->
+      it "moves the cursor to the indicated location", ->
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          workspace.open('a', initialLine: 1, initialColumn: 5)
+
+        runs ->
+          expect(workspace.getActiveTextEditor().getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [1, 5]
+
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          workspace.open('a', initialLine: 2, initialColumn: 4)
+
+        runs ->
+          expect(workspace.getActiveTextEditor().getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [2, 4]
+
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          workspace.open('a', initialLine: 0, initialColumn: 0)
+
+        runs ->
+          expect(workspace.getActiveTextEditor().getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [0, 0]
+
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          workspace.open('a', initialLine: NaN, initialColumn: 4)
+
+        runs ->
+          expect(workspace.getActiveTextEditor().getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [0, 4]
+
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          workspace.open('a', initialLine: 2, initialColumn: NaN)
+
+        runs ->
+          expect(workspace.getActiveTextEditor().getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [2, 0]
+
+        waitsForPromise ->
+          workspace.open('a', initialLine: Infinity, initialColumn: Infinity)
+
+        runs ->
+          expect(workspace.getActiveTextEditor().getCursorBufferPosition()).toEqual [2, 11]
+
     describe "when the file is over 2MB", ->
       it "opens the editor with largeFileMode: true", ->
         spyOn(fs, 'getSizeSync').andReturn 2 * 1048577 # 2MB
diff --git a/src/workspace.coffee b/src/workspace.coffee
index 4122d8dad..9f1f35e56 100644
--- a/src/workspace.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace.coffee
@@ -468,11 +468,11 @@ class Workspace extends Model
         pane.activate() if activatePane
 
         initialLine = initialColumn = 0
-        if Number.isFinite(options.initialLine)
+        unless Number.isNaN(options.initialLine)
           initialLine = options.initialLine
-        if Number.isFinite(options.initialColumn)
+        unless Number.isNaN(options.initialColumn)
           initialColumn = options.initialColumn
-        if initialLine > 0 or initialColumn > 0
+        if initialLine >= 0 or initialColumn >= 0
           item.setCursorBufferPosition?([initialLine, initialColumn])
 
         index = pane.getActiveItemIndex()