diff --git a/src/browser/atom-application.coffee b/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
index fa18a59c1..5331bac58 100644
--- a/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
+++ b/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ class AtomApplication
       createAtomApplication()
       return
 
+    # The net.connect is slow in atom-shell for now, use this workaround until
+    # atom/atom-shell#159 is fixed.
+    process.activateUvLoop()
+
     client = net.connect {path: socketPath}, ->
       client.write JSON.stringify(options), ->
         client.end()