diff --git a/src/browser/atom-application.coffee b/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
index 8bb44349e..79062cca7 100644
--- a/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
+++ b/src/browser/atom-application.coffee
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ class AtomApplication
   # Configures required javascript environment flags.
   setupJavaScriptArguments: ->
     app.commandLine.appendSwitch 'js-flags', '--harmony'
+    app.commandLine.appendSwitch 'disable-renderer-backgrounding'
 
   # Registers basic application commands, non-idempotent.
   handleEvents: ->