diff --git a/spec/pane-spec.coffee b/spec/pane-spec.coffee
index 36803bde6..5c5cd9e95 100644
--- a/spec/pane-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/pane-spec.coffee
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ describe "Pane", ->
     onDidDestroy: (fn) -> @emitter.on('did-destroy', fn)
     destroy: -> @destroyed = true; @emitter.emit('did-destroy')
     isDestroyed: -> @destroyed
+    isPending: -> @pending
+    pending: false
 
   beforeEach ->
     confirm = spyOn(atom.applicationDelegate, 'confirm')
@@ -153,6 +155,26 @@ describe "Pane", ->
       pane.activateItem(pane.itemAtIndex(1))
       expect(observed).toEqual [pane.itemAtIndex(1)]
 
+    it "replaces pending items", ->
+      itemC = new Item("C")
+      itemD = new Item("D")
+      itemC.pending = true
+      itemD.pending = true
+
+      expect(itemC.isPending()).toBe true
+      pane.activateItem(itemC)
+      expect(pane.getItems().length).toBe 3
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe pane.itemAtIndex(1)
+
+      expect(itemD.isPending()).toBe true
+      pane.activateItem(itemD)
+      expect(pane.getItems().length).toBe 3
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe pane.itemAtIndex(1)
+
+      pane.activateItem(pane.itemAtIndex(2))
+      expect(pane.getItems().length).toBe 2
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe pane.itemAtIndex(1)
+
   describe "::activateNextItem() and ::activatePreviousItem()", ->
     it "sets the active item to the next/previous item, looping around at either end", ->
       pane = new Pane(paneParams(items: [new Item("A"), new Item("B"), new Item("C")]))
diff --git a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
index 02d2e4a96..ce84d2c50 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
@@ -5804,3 +5804,29 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
           screenRange: marker1.getRange(),
           rangeIsReversed: false
         }
+
+  describe "pending state", ->
+    editor1 = null
+    beforeEach ->
+      waitsForPromise ->
+        atom.workspace.open('sample.txt', pending: true).then (o) -> editor1 = o
+
+    it "should open file in pending state if 'pending' option is true", ->
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe true
+      expect(editor.isPending()).toBe false # By default pending status is false
+
+    it "invokes ::onDidTerminatePendingState observers if pending status is terminated", ->
+      events = []
+      editor1.onDidTerminatePendingState (event) -> events.push(event)
+      editor1.terminatePendingState()
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe false
+      expect(events).toEqual [editor1]
+
+    it "should terminate pending state when buffer is changed", ->
+      events = []
+      editor1.onDidTerminatePendingState (event) -> events.push(event)
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe true
+      editor1.insertText('I\'ll be back!')
+      advanceClock(500)
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe false
+      expect(events).toEqual [editor1]
diff --git a/src/pane.coffee b/src/pane.coffee
index c006e29fe..a9c4d45e2 100644
--- a/src/pane.coffee
+++ b/src/pane.coffee
@@ -337,13 +337,19 @@ class Pane extends Model
   #
   # * `index` {Number}
   activateItemAtIndex: (index) ->
-    @activateItem(@itemAtIndex(index))
+    item = @itemAtIndex(index) or @getActiveItem()
+    @setActiveItem(item)
 
   # Public: Make the given item *active*, causing it to be displayed by
   # the pane's view.
   activateItem: (item) ->
     if item?
-      @addItem(item, @getActiveItemIndex() + 1, false)
+      if @activeItem?.isPending?()
+        index = @getActiveItemIndex()
+        @destroyActiveItem() unless item is @activeItem
+      else
+        index = @getActiveItemIndex() + 1
+      @addItem(item, index, false)
       @setActiveItem(item)
 
   # Public: Add the given item to the pane.
@@ -574,7 +580,6 @@ class Pane extends Model
   # Public: Makes this pane the *active* pane, causing it to gain focus.
   activate: ->
     throw new Error("Pane has been destroyed") if @isDestroyed()
-
     @container?.setActivePane(this)
     @emitter.emit 'did-activate'
 
diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index 91b1409a4..ae2645567 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
       softWrapped, @displayBuffer, @selectionsMarkerLayer, buffer, suppressCursorCreation,
       @mini, @placeholderText, lineNumberGutterVisible, largeFileMode, @config,
       @notificationManager, @packageManager, @clipboard, @viewRegistry, @grammarRegistry,
-      @project, @assert, @applicationDelegate
+      @project, @assert, @applicationDelegate, @pending
     } = params
 
     throw new Error("Must pass a config parameter when constructing TextEditors") unless @config?
@@ -161,6 +161,9 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
     @disposables.add @buffer.onDidChangeEncoding =>
       @emitter.emit 'did-change-encoding', @getEncoding()
     @disposables.add @buffer.onDidDestroy => @destroy()
+    if @pending
+      @disposables.add @buffer.onDidChangeModified =>
+        @terminatePendingState() if @buffer.isModified()
 
     @preserveCursorPositionOnBufferReload()
 
@@ -569,6 +572,13 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
   getEditorWidthInChars: ->
     @displayBuffer.getEditorWidthInChars()
 
+  onDidTerminatePendingState: (callback) ->
+    @emitter.on 'did-terminate-pending-state', callback
+
+  terminatePendingState: ->
+    @pending = false
+    @emitter.emit 'did-terminate-pending-state', this
+
   ###
   Section: File Details
   ###
@@ -652,6 +662,9 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
   # Essential: Returns {Boolean} `true` if this editor has no content.
   isEmpty: -> @buffer.isEmpty()
 
+  # Returns {Boolean} `true` if this editor is pending and `false` if it is permanent.
+  isPending: -> Boolean(@pending)
+
   # Copies the current file path to the native clipboard.
   copyPathToClipboard: ->
     if filePath = @getPath()