diff --git a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
index 96819bfa6..5f7c5fabf 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
       editor2 = null
 
       atom.config.set('core.fileEncoding', 'utf16le')
-      atom.config.set('core.fileEncoding', 'macroman', { scopeSelector: '.js' })
+      atom.config.set('core.fileEncoding', 'macroman', scopeSelector: '.js')
 
       waitsForPromise ->
         atom.workspace.open('a').then (o) -> editor1 = o
diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index 8519be042..b49299afe 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
 
     @languageMode = new LanguageMode(this)
 
-    @setEncoding(atom.config.get("core.fileEncoding", { scope: @getRootScopeDescriptor() }))
+    @setEncoding(atom.config.get("core.fileEncoding", scope: @getRootScopeDescriptor() ))
 
     @subscribe @$scrollTop, (scrollTop) =>
       @emit 'scroll-top-changed', scrollTop