diff --git a/spec/atom/root-view-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/root-view-spec.coffee
index 8c32a604a..1aae9bbb6 100644
--- a/spec/atom/root-view-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/root-view-spec.coffee
@@ -6,6 +6,21 @@ describe "RootView", ->
   rootView = null
   beforeEach -> rootView = RootView.build()
 
+  describe "initialize", ->
+    describe "when called with a url", ->
+      it "opens the given url in the editor", ->
+        url = require.resolve 'fixtures/sample.txt'
+        rootView = RootView.build {url}
+
+        expect(rootView.editor.buffer.url).toBe url
+
+    describe "when not called with a url", ->
+      it "opens an empty buffer", ->
+        url = null
+        rootView = RootView.build {url}
+
+        expect(rootView.editor.buffer.url).toBeNull()
+
   describe ".addPane(view)", ->
     it "adds the given view to the rootView (at the bottom by default)", ->
       expect(rootView.vertical.children().length).toBe 1
diff --git a/src/atom/root-view.coffee b/src/atom/root-view.coffee
index ba6581388..c03d44314 100644
--- a/src/atom/root-view.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/root-view.coffee
@@ -7,11 +7,6 @@ Template = require 'template'
 
 module.exports =
 class RootView extends Template
-  @attach: ->
-    view = @build()
-    $('body').append view
-    view
-
   content: ->
     @link rel: 'stylesheet', href: "#{require.resolve('atom.css')}?#{(new Date).getTime()}"
     @div id: 'app-horizontal', =>
@@ -20,11 +15,13 @@ class RootView extends Template
           @subview 'editor', Editor.build()
 
   viewProperties:
-    initialize: ->
+    initialize: ({url}) ->
       @bindKey 'meta+s', => @editor.save()
       @bindKey 'meta+w', => window.close()
       @bindKey 'meta+t', => @toggleFileFinder()
 
+      @editor.open url
+
     addPane: (view) ->
       pane = $('<div class="pane">')
       pane.append(view)
diff --git a/src/atom/window.coffee b/src/atom/window.coffee
index 3c194715b..9e4777e90 100644
--- a/src/atom/window.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/window.coffee
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ windowAdditions =
 
   startup: ->
     @menuItemActions = {}
-    @rootView = RootView.attach()
-    @rootView.editor.open $atomController.url?.toString()
+    @rootView = RootView.build(url: $atomController.url?.toString())
+    $('body').append @rootView
     @registerEventHandlers()
     @bindMenuItems()
     $(window).focus()