diff --git a/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee b/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee
index 737f9c000d2b..86b5c190d69e 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee
+++ b/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@ class MenuItem
 
     {click, @selector, @type, @role, @label, @sublabel, @accelerator, @icon, @enabled, @visible, @checked} = options
 
-    if options.submenu? and options.submenu.constructor isnt Menu
-      @submenu = Menu.buildFromTemplate options.submenu
+    if options.submenu?
+      if options.submenu.constructor is Menu
+        @submenu = options.submenu
+      else
+        @submenu = Menu.buildFromTemplate options.submenu
     @type = 'submenu' if not @type? and @submenu?
     throw new Error('Invalid submenu') if @type is 'submenu' and @submenu?.constructor isnt Menu