diff --git a/atom/browser/atom_resource_dispatcher_host_delegate.cc b/atom/browser/atom_resource_dispatcher_host_delegate.cc
index abd2fb53f1..12038ff1bf 100644
--- a/atom/browser/atom_resource_dispatcher_host_delegate.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/atom_resource_dispatcher_host_delegate.cc
@@ -4,13 +4,16 @@
 
 #include "atom/browser/atom_resource_dispatcher_host_delegate.h"
 
+#include "atom/browser/atom_browser_context.h"
 #include "atom/browser/login_handler.h"
 #include "atom/browser/web_contents_permission_helper.h"
+#include "atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.h"
 #include "atom/common/atom_constants.h"
 #include "atom/common/platform_util.h"
 #include "base/strings/stringprintf.h"
 #include "base/strings/utf_string_conversions.h"
 #include "content/public/browser/browser_thread.h"
+#include "content/public/browser/download_manager.h"
 #include "content/public/browser/stream_info.h"
 #include "net/base/escape.h"
 #include "net/ssl/client_cert_store.h"
@@ -69,6 +72,17 @@ void OnPdfResourceIntercepted(
   if (!web_contents)
     return;
 
+  if (!WebContentsPreferences::IsPluginsEnabled(web_contents)) {
+    auto browser_context = web_contents->GetBrowserContext();
+    auto download_manager =
+      content::BrowserContext::GetDownloadManager(browser_context);
+
+    download_manager->DownloadUrl(
+        content::DownloadUrlParameters::CreateForWebContentsMainFrame(
+            web_contents, original_url));
+    return;
+  }
+
   // The URL passes the original pdf resource url, that will be requested
   // by the webui page.
   // chrome://pdf-viewer/index.html?src=https://somepage/123.pdf
diff --git a/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc b/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc
index 2bd0900311..a17c44fe05 100644
--- a/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc
@@ -206,22 +206,8 @@ void WebContentsPreferences::AppendExtraCommandLineSwitches(
   }
 }
 
-bool WebContentsPreferences::IsSandboxed(content::WebContents* web_contents) {
-  WebContentsPreferences* self;
-  if (!web_contents)
-    return false;
-
-  self = FromWebContents(web_contents);
-  if (!self)
-    return false;
-
-  base::DictionaryValue& web_preferences = self->web_preferences_;
-  bool sandboxed = false;
-  web_preferences.GetBoolean("sandbox", &sandboxed);
-  return sandboxed;
-}
-
-bool WebContentsPreferences::UsesNativeWindowOpen(
+bool WebContentsPreferences::IsPreferenceEnabled(
+    const std::string& attribute_name,
     content::WebContents* web_contents) {
   WebContentsPreferences* self;
   if (!web_contents)
@@ -232,9 +218,23 @@ bool WebContentsPreferences::UsesNativeWindowOpen(
     return false;
 
   base::DictionaryValue& web_preferences = self->web_preferences_;
-  bool use = false;
-  web_preferences.GetBoolean("nativeWindowOpen", &use);
-  return use;
+  bool bool_value = false;
+  web_preferences.GetBoolean(attribute_name, &bool_value);
+  return bool_value;
+}
+
+bool WebContentsPreferences::IsSandboxed(content::WebContents* web_contents) {
+  return IsPreferenceEnabled("sandbox", web_contents);
+}
+
+bool WebContentsPreferences::UsesNativeWindowOpen(
+    content::WebContents* web_contents) {
+  return IsPreferenceEnabled("nativeWindowOpen", web_contents);
+}
+
+bool WebContentsPreferences::IsPluginsEnabled(
+    content::WebContents* web_contents) {
+  return IsPreferenceEnabled("plugins", web_contents);
 }
 
 // static
diff --git a/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.h b/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.h
index f046cdfc99..a2312e4ab4 100644
--- a/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.h
+++ b/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.h
@@ -37,8 +37,11 @@ class WebContentsPreferences
   static void AppendExtraCommandLineSwitches(
       content::WebContents* web_contents, base::CommandLine* command_line);
 
+  static bool IsPreferenceEnabled(const std::string& attribute_name,
+                                  content::WebContents* web_contents);
   static bool IsSandboxed(content::WebContents* web_contents);
   static bool UsesNativeWindowOpen(content::WebContents* web_contents);
+  static bool IsPluginsEnabled(content::WebContents* web_contents);
 
   // Modify the WebPreferences according to |web_contents|'s preferences.
   static void OverrideWebkitPrefs(
diff --git a/spec/chromium-spec.js b/spec/chromium-spec.js
index 6567477b07..fe132166d6 100644
--- a/spec/chromium-spec.js
+++ b/spec/chromium-spec.js
@@ -1012,16 +1012,18 @@ describe('chromium feature', function () {
       slashes: true
     })
 
-    beforeEach(function () {
+    function createBrowserWindow ({plugins}) {
       w = new BrowserWindow({
         show: false,
         webPreferences: {
-          preload: path.join(fixtures, 'module', 'preload-inject-ipc.js')
+          preload: path.join(fixtures, 'module', 'preload-inject-ipc.js'),
+          plugins: plugins
         }
       })
-    })
+    }
 
     it('opens when loading a pdf resource as top level navigation', function (done) {
+      createBrowserWindow({plugins: true})
       ipcMain.once('pdf-loaded', function (event, success) {
         if (success) done()
       })
@@ -1043,7 +1045,21 @@ describe('chromium feature', function () {
       w.webContents.loadURL(pdfSource)
     })
 
+    it('should download a pdf when plugins are disabled', function (done) {
+      createBrowserWindow({plugins: false})
+      ipcRenderer.sendSync('set-download-option', false, false)
+      ipcRenderer.once('download-done', function (event, state, url, mimeType, receivedBytes, totalBytes, disposition, filename) {
+        assert.equal(state, 'completed')
+        assert.equal(filename, 'cat.pdf')
+        assert.equal(mimeType, 'application/pdf')
+        fs.unlinkSync(path.join(fixtures, 'mock.pdf'))
+        done()
+      })
+      w.webContents.loadURL(pdfSource)
+    })
+
     it('should not open when pdf is requested as sub resource', function (done) {
+      createBrowserWindow({plugins: true})
       webFrame.registerURLSchemeAsPrivileged('file', {
         secure: false,
         bypassCSP: false,