diff --git a/src/cursor.coffee b/src/cursor.coffee
index 6dc01eec6..47ab7fdc3 100644
--- a/src/cursor.coffee
+++ b/src/cursor.coffee
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class Cursor extends Model
 
   # Public: Retrieves the scope descriptor for the cursor's current position.
   #
-  # Returns an {Array} of {String}s.
+  # Returns a {ScopeDescriptor}
   getScopeDescriptor: ->
     @editor.scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition(@getBufferPosition())
   getScopes: ->
diff --git a/src/display-buffer.coffee b/src/display-buffer.coffee
index aa9c22737..b00621467 100644
--- a/src/display-buffer.coffee
+++ b/src/display-buffer.coffee
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ class DisplayBuffer extends Model
   #
   # bufferPosition - A {Point} in the {TextBuffer}
   #
-  # Returns an {Array} of {String}s.
+  # Returns a {ScopeDescriptor}.
   scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition: (bufferPosition) ->
     @tokenizedBuffer.scopeDescriptorForPosition(bufferPosition)
 
diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index 129d08ff6..3f4175ce4 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -2370,8 +2370,8 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
   Section: Managing Syntax Scopes
   ###
 
-  # Essential: Returns the scope descriptor that includes the language. eg.
-  # `['.source.ruby']`, or `['.source.coffee']`. You can use this with
+  # Essential: Returns a {ScopeDescriptor} that includes this editor's language.
+  # eg. `['.source.ruby']`, or `['.source.coffee']`. You can use this with
   # {Config::get} to get language specific config values.
   getRootScopeDescriptor: ->
     @displayBuffer.getRootScopeDescriptor()
@@ -2385,7 +2385,7 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
   #
   # * `bufferPosition` A {Point} or {Array} of [row, column].
   #
-  # Returns an {Array} of {String}s.
+  # Returns a {ScopeDescriptor}.
   scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition: (bufferPosition) -> @displayBuffer.scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition(bufferPosition)
   scopesForBufferPosition: (bufferPosition) ->
     deprecate 'Use ::scopeDescriptorForBufferPosition instead'
@@ -2397,9 +2397,11 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
   # For example, if you wanted to find the string surrounding the cursor, you
   # could call `editor.bufferRangeForScopeAtCursor(".string.quoted")`.
   #
+  # * `scopeSelector` {String} selector. eg. `'.source.ruby'`
+  #
   # Returns a {Range}.
-  bufferRangeForScopeAtCursor: (selector) ->
-    @displayBuffer.bufferRangeForScopeAtPosition(selector, @getCursorBufferPosition())
+  bufferRangeForScopeAtCursor: (scopeSelector) ->
+    @displayBuffer.bufferRangeForScopeAtPosition(scopeSelector, @getCursorBufferPosition())
 
   # Extended: Determine if the given row is entirely a comment
   isBufferRowCommented: (bufferRow) ->
diff --git a/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee b/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee
index 213c63364..2e3691b32 100644
--- a/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee
+++ b/src/tokenized-buffer.coffee
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class TokenizedBuffer extends Model
     return if grammar is @grammar
     @unsubscribe(@grammar) if @grammar
     @grammar = grammar
-    @rootScopeDescriptor = [@grammar.scopeName]
+    @rootScopeDescriptor = new ScopeDescriptor(descriptor: [@grammar.scopeName])
     @currentGrammarScore = score ? grammar.getScore(@buffer.getPath(), @buffer.getText())
     @subscribe @grammar.onDidUpdate => @retokenizeLines()
 
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ class TokenizedBuffer extends Model
       0
 
   scopeDescriptorForPosition: (position) ->
-    @tokenForPosition(position).scopeDescriptor
+    new ScopeDescriptor descriptor: @tokenForPosition(position).scopeDescriptor
 
   tokenForPosition: (position) ->
     {row, column} = Point.fromObject(position)