diff --git a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.cc b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.cc
index 55300819617..81e2423a351 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.cc
@@ -1127,12 +1127,6 @@ bool WebContents::IsGuest() const {
   return type_ == WEB_VIEW;
 }
 
-void WebContents::MergeWebPreferences(const base::DictionaryValue& extend) {
-  WebContentsPreferences* web_preferences =
-      WebContentsPreferences::FromWebContents(web_contents());
-  web_preferences->Merge(extend);
-}
-
 v8::Local<v8::Value> WebContents::GetWebPreferences(v8::Isolate* isolate) {
   WebContentsPreferences* web_preferences =
       WebContentsPreferences::FromWebContents(web_contents());
@@ -1227,7 +1221,6 @@ void WebContents::BuildPrototype(v8::Isolate* isolate,
       .SetMethod("endFrameSubscription", &WebContents::EndFrameSubscription)
       .SetMethod("setSize", &WebContents::SetSize)
       .SetMethod("isGuest", &WebContents::IsGuest)
-      .SetMethod("mergeWebPreferences", &WebContents::MergeWebPreferences)
       .SetMethod("getWebPreferences", &WebContents::GetWebPreferences)
       .SetMethod("getOwnerBrowserWindow", &WebContents::GetOwnerBrowserWindow)
       .SetMethod("hasServiceWorker", &WebContents::HasServiceWorker)
diff --git a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.h b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.h
index 91b860bff9a..0cb2a348e17 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.h
+++ b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_web_contents.h
@@ -144,7 +144,6 @@ class WebContents : public mate::TrackableObject<WebContents>,
                       WindowOpenDisposition disposition);
 
   // Returns the web preferences of current WebContents.
-  void MergeWebPreferences(const base::DictionaryValue& extend);
   v8::Local<v8::Value> GetWebPreferences(v8::Isolate* isolate);
 
   // Returns the owner window.
diff --git a/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc b/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc
index 14bbf3e719a..05286a2d3ba 100644
--- a/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/web_contents_preferences.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "atom/browser/native_window.h"
 #include "atom/common/native_mate_converters/value_converter.h"
 #include "atom/common/options_switches.h"
 #include "base/command_line.h"
@@ -147,9 +148,12 @@ void WebContentsPreferences::AppendExtraCommandLineSwitches(
                                     blink_features);
 
   // The initial visibility state.
-  std::string visibility;
-  if (web_preferences.GetString(options::kVisibilityState, &visibility))
-    command_line->AppendSwitchASCII(switches::kVisibilityState, visibility);
+  NativeWindow* window = NativeWindow::FromWebContents(web_contents);
+  if (window) {
+    bool visible = window->IsVisible() && !window->IsMinimized();
+    if (!visible)  // Default state is visible.
+      command_line->AppendSwitch("hidden-page");
+  }
 }
 
 // static
diff --git a/atom/common/options_switches.cc b/atom/common/options_switches.cc
index bd9657eb372..ce28cc98fac 100644
--- a/atom/common/options_switches.cc
+++ b/atom/common/options_switches.cc
@@ -106,9 +106,6 @@ const char kOpenerID[] = "openerId";
 // Enable blink features.
 const char kBlinkFeatures[] = "blinkFeatures";
 
-// The initiali visibility state.
-const char kVisibilityState[] = "visibilityState";
-
 }  // namespace options
 
 namespace switches {
@@ -152,7 +149,6 @@ const char kPreloadURL[]      = "preload-url";
 const char kNodeIntegration[] = "node-integration";
 const char kGuestInstanceID[] = "guest-instance-id";
 const char kOpenerID[]        = "opener-id";
-const char kVisibilityState[] = "visibility-state";
 
 // Widevine options
 // Path to Widevine CDM binaries.
diff --git a/atom/common/options_switches.h b/atom/common/options_switches.h
index f7548c5388d..52d64c00d51 100644
--- a/atom/common/options_switches.h
+++ b/atom/common/options_switches.h
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ extern const char kGuestInstanceID[];
 extern const char kExperimentalFeatures[];
 extern const char kExperimentalCanvasFeatures[];
 extern const char kOpenerID[];
-extern const char kVisibilityState[];
 extern const char kBlinkFeatures[];
 
 }   // namespace options
@@ -84,7 +83,6 @@ extern const char kPreloadURL[];
 extern const char kNodeIntegration[];
 extern const char kGuestInstanceID[];
 extern const char kOpenerID[];
-extern const char kVisibilityState[];
 
 extern const char kWidevineCdmPath[];
 extern const char kWidevineCdmVersion[];
diff --git a/lib/browser/api/browser-window.js b/lib/browser/api/browser-window.js
index 0524c43942c..c9d63278f97 100644
--- a/lib/browser/api/browser-window.js
+++ b/lib/browser/api/browser-window.js
@@ -93,11 +93,6 @@ BrowserWindow.prototype._init = function () {
   this.on('restore', visibilityChanged)
   this.on('maximize', visibilityChanged)
 
-  // Make renderer process have correct initial state.
-  if (!isVisible) {
-    this.webContents.mergeWebPreferences({visibilityState: 'hidden'})
-  }
-
   // Notify the creation of the window.
   app.emit('browser-window-created', {}, this)
 
diff --git a/lib/renderer/init.js b/lib/renderer/init.js
index 689307ed684..a9f4acc5cbf 100644
--- a/lib/renderer/init.js
+++ b/lib/renderer/init.js
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ for (let arg of process.argv) {
     nodeIntegration = arg.substr(arg.indexOf('=') + 1)
   } else if (arg.indexOf('--preload=') === 0) {
     preloadScript = arg.substr(arg.indexOf('=') + 1)
-  } else if (arg.indexOf('--visibility-state=') === 0) {
-    process.visibilityState = arg.substr(arg.indexOf('=') + 1)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/renderer/override.js b/lib/renderer/override.js
index 1d01d2b5b75..db56eadd348 100644
--- a/lib/renderer/override.js
+++ b/lib/renderer/override.js
@@ -225,10 +225,7 @@ Object.defineProperty(window.history, 'length', {
 })
 
 // The initial visibilityState.
-let cachedVisibilityState = 'visible'
-if (process.visibilityState) {
-  cachedVisibilityState = process.visibilityState
-}
+let cachedVisibilityState = process.argv.includes('--hidden-page') ? 'hidden' : 'visible'
 
 // Subscribe to visibilityState changes.
 ipcRenderer.on('ELECTRON_RENDERER_WINDOW_VISIBILITY_CHANGE', function (event, visibilityState) {