diff --git a/spec/fixtures/sample.txt b/spec/fixtures/sample.txt
index 3e715502b..9701a96c5 100644
--- a/spec/fixtures/sample.txt
+++ b/spec/fixtures/sample.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Some text.
+Some textSome textSome text.
diff --git a/spec/native-compile-cache-spec.coffee b/spec/native-compile-cache-spec.coffee
index 9d6cb89b4..1531deaf9 100644
--- a/spec/native-compile-cache-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/native-compile-cache-spec.coffee
@@ -68,12 +68,12 @@ describe "NativeCompileCache", ->
 
   describe "when a previously required and cached file changes", ->
     beforeEach ->
-      fs.writeFileSync path.resolve('./spec/fixtures/native-cache/file-5'), """
+      fs.writeFileSync path.resolve(__dirname + '/fixtures/native-cache/file-5'), """
       module.exports = function () { return "file-5" }
       """
 
     afterEach ->
-      fs.unlinkSync path.resolve('./spec/fixtures/native-cache/file-5')
+      fs.unlinkSync path.resolve(__dirname + '/fixtures/native-cache/file-5')
 
     it "removes it from the store and re-inserts it with the new cache", ->
       fn5 = require('./fixtures/native-cache/file-5')
diff --git a/spec/pane-spec.coffee b/spec/pane-spec.coffee
index 5c5cd9e95..494dbc91a 100644
--- a/spec/pane-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/pane-spec.coffee
@@ -132,6 +132,16 @@ describe "Pane", ->
       expect(-> pane.addItem('foo')).toThrow()
       expect(-> pane.addItem(1)).toThrow()
 
+    it "destroys any existing pending item if the new item is pending", ->
+      pane = new Pane(paneParams(items: []))
+      itemA = new Item("A")
+      itemB = new Item("B")
+      itemA.pending = true
+      itemB.pending = true
+      pane.addItem(itemA)
+      pane.addItem(itemB)
+      expect(itemA.isDestroyed()).toBe true
+
   describe "::activateItem(item)", ->
     pane = null
 
@@ -155,25 +165,27 @@ 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
+    describe "when the item being activated is pending", ->
+      itemC = null
+      itemD = null
 
-      expect(itemC.isPending()).toBe true
-      pane.activateItem(itemC)
-      expect(pane.getItems().length).toBe 3
-      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe pane.itemAtIndex(1)
+      beforeEach ->
+        itemC = new Item("C")
+        itemD = new Item("D")
+        itemC.pending = true
+        itemD.pending = true
 
-      expect(itemD.isPending()).toBe true
-      pane.activateItem(itemD)
-      expect(pane.getItems().length).toBe 3
-      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe pane.itemAtIndex(1)
+      it "replaces the active item if it is pending", ->
+        pane.activateItem(itemC)
+        expect(pane.getItems().map (item) -> item.name).toEqual ['A', 'C', 'B']
+        pane.activateItem(itemD)
+        expect(pane.getItems().map (item) -> item.name).toEqual ['A', 'D', 'B']
 
-      pane.activateItem(pane.itemAtIndex(2))
-      expect(pane.getItems().length).toBe 2
-      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe pane.itemAtIndex(1)
+      it "adds the item after the active item if it is not pending", ->
+        pane.activateItem(itemC)
+        pane.activateItemAtIndex(2)
+        pane.activateItem(itemD)
+        expect(pane.getItems().map (item) -> item.name).toEqual ['A', 'B', 'D']
 
   describe "::activateNextItem() and ::activatePreviousItem()", ->
     it "sets the active item to the next/previous item, looping around at either end", ->
diff --git a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
index ce84d2c50..d77844015 100644
--- a/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/text-editor-spec.coffee
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
 
   beforeEach ->
     waitsForPromise ->
-      atom.workspace.open('sample.js', autoIndent: false).then (o) -> editor = o
+      atom.workspace.open('sample.js', {autoIndent: false}).then (o) -> editor = o
 
     runs ->
       buffer = editor.buffer
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
 
       expect(editor.tokenizedLineForScreenRow(0).invisibles.eol).toBe '?'
 
+    it "restores pending tabs in pending state", ->
+      expect(editor.isPending()).toBe false
+      editor2 = TextEditor.deserialize(editor.serialize(), atom)
+      expect(editor2.isPending()).toBe false
+
+      pendingEditor = atom.workspace.buildTextEditor(pending: true)
+      expect(pendingEditor.isPending()).toBe true
+      editor3 = TextEditor.deserialize(pendingEditor.serialize(), atom)
+      expect(editor3.isPending()).toBe true
+
   describe "when the editor is constructed with the largeFileMode option set to true", ->
     it "loads the editor but doesn't tokenize", ->
       editor = null
@@ -5807,26 +5817,50 @@ describe "TextEditor", ->
 
   describe "pending state", ->
     editor1 = null
+    eventCount = 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
+      runs ->
+        eventCount = 0
+        editor1.onDidTerminatePendingState -> eventCount++
 
-    it "invokes ::onDidTerminatePendingState observers if pending status is terminated", ->
-      events = []
-      editor1.onDidTerminatePendingState (event) -> events.push(event)
+    it "does not open file in pending state by default", ->
+      expect(editor.isPending()).toBe false
+
+    it "opens file in pending state if 'pending' option is true", ->
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe true
+
+    it "terminates pending state if ::terminatePendingState is invoked", ->
       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]
+      expect(eventCount).toBe 1
+
+    it "terminates pending state when buffer is changed", ->
+      editor1.insertText('I\'ll be back!')
+      advanceClock(editor1.getBuffer().stoppedChangingDelay)
+
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe false
+      expect(eventCount).toBe 1
+
+    it "only calls terminate handler once when text is modified twice", ->
+      editor1.insertText('Some text')
+      advanceClock(editor1.getBuffer().stoppedChangingDelay)
+
+      editor1.save()
+
+      editor1.insertText('More text')
+      advanceClock(editor1.getBuffer().stoppedChangingDelay)
+
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe false
+      expect(eventCount).toBe 1
+
+    it "only calls terminate handler once when terminatePendingState is called twice", ->
+      editor1.terminatePendingState()
+      editor1.terminatePendingState()
+
+      expect(editor1.isPending()).toBe false
+      expect(eventCount).toBe 1
diff --git a/src/pane.coffee b/src/pane.coffee
index a9c4d45e2..df8889aac 100644
--- a/src/pane.coffee
+++ b/src/pane.coffee
@@ -346,7 +346,6 @@ class Pane extends Model
     if item?
       if @activeItem?.isPending?()
         index = @getActiveItemIndex()
-        @destroyActiveItem() unless item is @activeItem
       else
         index = @getActiveItemIndex() + 1
       @addItem(item, index, false)
@@ -366,6 +365,12 @@ class Pane extends Model
 
     return if item in @items
 
+    if item.isPending?()
+      for existingItem, i in @items
+        if existingItem.isPending?()
+          @destroyItem(existingItem)
+          break
+
     if typeof item.onDidDestroy is 'function'
       @itemSubscriptions.set item, item.onDidDestroy => @removeItem(item, false)
 
diff --git a/src/text-editor.coffee b/src/text-editor.coffee
index e132b5500..363047c86 100644
--- a/src/text-editor.coffee
+++ b/src/text-editor.coffee
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
     firstVisibleScreenColumn: @getFirstVisibleScreenColumn()
     displayBuffer: @displayBuffer.serialize()
     selectionsMarkerLayerId: @selectionsMarkerLayer.id
+    pending: @isPending()
 
   subscribeToBuffer: ->
     @buffer.retain()
@@ -576,8 +577,9 @@ class TextEditor extends Model
     @emitter.on 'did-terminate-pending-state', callback
 
   terminatePendingState: ->
+    return if not @pending
     @pending = false
-    @emitter.emit 'did-terminate-pending-state', this
+    @emitter.emit 'did-terminate-pending-state'
 
   ###
   Section: File Details
diff --git a/src/workspace.coffee b/src/workspace.coffee
index 07e69cdcf..4682c2321 100644
--- a/src/workspace.coffee
+++ b/src/workspace.coffee
@@ -483,6 +483,8 @@ class Workspace extends Model
 
     Promise.resolve(item)
       .then (item) =>
+        return item if pane.isDestroyed()
+
         @itemOpened(item)
         pane.activateItem(item) if activateItem
         pane.activate() if activatePane