diff --git a/src/application-delegate.coffee b/src/application-delegate.coffee
index 18fb59f54..e174b2254 100644
--- a/src/application-delegate.coffee
+++ b/src/application-delegate.coffee
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ class ApplicationDelegate
   reloadWindow: ->
     ipcRenderer.send("call-window-method", "reload")
 
+  restartApplication: ->
+    ipcRenderer.send("restart-application")
+
   minimizeWindow: ->
     ipcRenderer.send("call-window-method", "minimize")
 
diff --git a/src/atom-environment.coffee b/src/atom-environment.coffee
index f84e90469..63bb7141c 100644
--- a/src/atom-environment.coffee
+++ b/src/atom-environment.coffee
@@ -545,6 +545,10 @@ class AtomEnvironment extends Model
   reload: ->
     @applicationDelegate.reloadWindow()
 
+  # Extended: Relaunch the entire application.
+  restartApplication: ->
+    @applicationDelegate.restartApplication()
+
   # Extended: Returns a {Boolean} that is `true` if the current window is maximized.
   isMaximized: ->
     @applicationDelegate.isWindowMaximized()
diff --git a/src/main-process/atom-application.coffee b/src/main-process/atom-application.coffee
index 8969a1763..b98ab1c5b 100644
--- a/src/main-process/atom-application.coffee
+++ b/src/main-process/atom-application.coffee
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class AtomApplication
   exit: (status) -> app.exit(status)
 
   constructor: (options) ->
-    {@resourcePath, @devResourcePath, @version, @devMode, @safeMode, @socketPath, timeout, clearWindowState} = options
+    {@resourcePath, @devResourcePath, @version, @devMode, @safeMode, @socketPath, @logFile, @setPortable, @userDataDir, timeout, clearWindowState} = options
     @socketPath = null if options.test
     @pidsToOpenWindows = {}
     @windows = []
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class AtomApplication
   initialize: (options) ->
     global.atomApplication = this
 
-    @config.onDidChange 'core.useCustomTitleBar', @promptForRelaunch
+    @config.onDidChange 'core.useCustomTitleBar', @promptForRestart
 
     @autoUpdateManager = new AutoUpdateManager(@version, options.test, @resourcePath, @config)
     @applicationMenu = new ApplicationMenu(@version, @autoUpdateManager)
@@ -254,6 +254,9 @@ class AtomApplication
       event?.preventDefault()
       @emit('application:new-window')
 
+    @disposable.add ipcHelpers.on ipcMain, 'restart-application', =>
+      @restart()
+
     # A request from the associated render process to open a new render process.
     @disposable.add ipcHelpers.on ipcMain, 'open', (event, options) =>
       window = @windowForEvent(event)
@@ -731,13 +734,24 @@ class AtomApplication
 
     dialog.showOpenDialog(parentWindow, openOptions, callback)
 
-  promptForRelaunch: ->
+  promptForRestart: ->
     chosen = dialog.showMessageBox BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow(),
       type: 'warning'
-      title: 'Relaunch required'
-      message: "You will need to relaunch Atom for this change to take effect."
-      buttons: ['Quit Atom', 'Cancel']
+      title: 'Restart required'
+      message: "You will need to restart Atom for this change to take effect."
+      buttons: ['Restart Atom', 'Cancel']
     if chosen is 0
-      # once we're using electron v.1.2.2
-      # app.relaunch()
-      app.quit()
+      @restart()
+
+  restart: ->
+    args = []
+    args.push("--safe") if @safeMode
+    args.push("--portable") if @setPortable
+    args.push("--log-file=#{@logFile}") if @logFile?
+    args.push("--socket-path=#{@socketPath}") if @socketPath?
+    args.push("--user-data-dir=#{@userDataDir}") if @userDataDir?
+    if @devMode
+      args.push('--dev')
+      args.push("--resource-path=#{@resourcePath}")
+    app.relaunch({args})
+    app.quit()