diff --git a/spec/config-spec.coffee b/spec/config-spec.coffee
index cb4b19113..b33b9226b 100644
--- a/spec/config-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/config-spec.coffee
@@ -896,19 +896,15 @@ describe "Config", ->
     describe ".observeUserConfig()", ->
       updatedHandler = null
 
-      writeConfigFile = (data) ->
-        previousSetTimeoutCallCount = setTimeout.callCount
-        runs ->
-          fs.writeFileSync(atom.config.configFilePath, data)
-        # waitsFor "debounced config file load", ->
-        #   setTimeout.callCount > previousSetTimeoutCallCount
-        waitsFor "file written", ->
-          fs.readFileSync(atom.config.configFilePath, 'utf8') is data
-        runs ->
-          advanceClock(1000)
+      writeConfigFile = (data, secondsInFuture = 0) ->
+        fs.writeFileSync(atom.config.configFilePath, data)
+
+        future = (Date.now() / 1000) + secondsInFuture
+        fs.utimesSync(atom.config.configFilePath, future, future)
 
       beforeEach ->
-        console.log 'beforeEach'
+        jasmine.useRealClock()
+
         atom.config.setSchema 'foo',
           type: 'object'
           properties:
@@ -924,7 +920,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
               default: 12
 
         expect(fs.existsSync(atom.config.configDirPath)).toBeFalsy()
-        fs.writeFileSync atom.config.configFilePath, """
+        writeConfigFile """
           '*':
             foo:
               bar: 'baz'
@@ -955,9 +951,11 @@ describe "Config", ->
           atom.config.unobserveUserConfig()
           fs.removeSync(dotAtomPath)
 
-        fit "updates the config data", ->
-          writeConfigFile("foo: { bar: 'quux', baz: 'bar'}")
+        it "updates the config data", ->
+          writeConfigFile "foo: { bar: 'quux', baz: 'bar'}", 2
+
           waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
+
           runs ->
             expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar')).toBe 'quux'
             expect(atom.config.get('foo.baz')).toBe 'bar'
@@ -965,7 +963,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
         it "does not fire a change event for paths that did not change", ->
           atom.config.onDidChange 'foo.bar', noChangeSpy = jasmine.createSpy()
 
-          writeConfigFile("foo: { bar: 'baz', baz: 'ok'}")
+          writeConfigFile "foo: { bar: 'baz', baz: 'ok'}", 2
           waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
           runs ->
@@ -980,7 +978,8 @@ describe "Config", ->
               items:
                 type: 'string'
 
-            writeConfigFile("foo: { bar: ['baz', 'ok']}")
+            updatedHandler.reset()
+            writeConfigFile "foo: { bar: ['baz', 'ok']}", 4
             waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
             runs -> updatedHandler.reset()
 
@@ -988,7 +987,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
             noChangeSpy = jasmine.createSpy()
             atom.config.onDidChange('foo.bar', noChangeSpy)
 
-            writeConfigFile("foo: { bar: ['baz', 'ok'], baz: 'another'}")
+            writeConfigFile "foo: { bar: ['baz', 'ok'], baz: 'another'}", 2
             waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
             runs ->
@@ -1005,7 +1004,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
               '*':
                 foo:
                   scoped: false
-            """
+            """, 2
             waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
             runs ->
@@ -1023,7 +1022,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
               '.source.ruby':
                 foo:
                   scoped: true
-            """
+            """, 2
             waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
             runs ->
@@ -1033,7 +1032,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
 
       describe "when the config file changes to omit a setting with a default", ->
         it "resets the setting back to the default", ->
-          writeConfigFile("foo: { baz: 'new'}")
+          writeConfigFile "foo: { baz: 'new'}", 2
           waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
           runs ->
             expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar')).toBe 'def'
@@ -1041,20 +1040,20 @@ describe "Config", ->
 
       describe "when the config file changes to be empty", ->
         beforeEach ->
-          writeConfigFile("")
+          updatedHandler.reset()
+          writeConfigFile "", 4
           waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
         it "resets all settings back to the defaults", ->
           expect(updatedHandler.callCount).toBe 1
           expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar')).toBe 'def'
           atom.config.set("hair", "blonde") # trigger a save
-          advanceClock(500)
-          expect(atom.config.save).toHaveBeenCalled()
+          waitsFor 'save', -> atom.config.save.callCount > 0
 
         describe "when the config file subsequently changes again to contain configuration", ->
           beforeEach ->
             updatedHandler.reset()
-            writeConfigFile("foo: bar: 'newVal'")
+            writeConfigFile "foo: bar: 'newVal'", 2
             waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
           it "sets the setting to the value specified in the config file", ->
@@ -1064,24 +1063,25 @@ describe "Config", ->
         addErrorHandler = null
         beforeEach ->
           atom.notifications.onDidAddNotification addErrorHandler = jasmine.createSpy()
-          writeConfigFile("}}}")
+          writeConfigFile "}}}", 4
           waitsFor "error to be logged", -> addErrorHandler.callCount > 0
 
         it "logs a warning and does not update config data", ->
           expect(updatedHandler.callCount).toBe 0
           expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar')).toBe 'baz'
+
           atom.config.set("hair", "blonde") # trigger a save
           expect(atom.config.save).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
         describe "when the config file subsequently changes again to contain valid cson", ->
           beforeEach ->
-            writeConfigFile("foo: bar: 'newVal'")
+            updatedHandler.reset()
+            writeConfigFile "foo: bar: 'newVal'", 6
             waitsFor 'update event', -> updatedHandler.callCount > 0
 
           it "updates the config data and resumes saving", ->
             atom.config.set("hair", "blonde")
-            advanceClock(500)
-            expect(atom.config.save).toHaveBeenCalled()
+            waitsFor 'save', -> atom.config.save.callCount > 0
 
     describe ".initializeConfigDirectory()", ->
       beforeEach ->
@@ -1757,6 +1757,7 @@ describe "Config", ->
 
           expect(atom.config.set('foo.bar.str_options', 'One')).toBe false
           expect(atom.config.get('foo.bar.str_options')).toEqual 'two'
+
   describe "when .set/.unset is called prior to .loadUserConfig", ->
     console.log 'this test'
     beforeEach ->