diff --git a/atom/common/api/atom_api_shell.cc b/atom/common/api/atom_api_shell.cc
index d0e795e87455..f99e2ba1854e 100644
--- a/atom/common/api/atom_api_shell.cc
+++ b/atom/common/api/atom_api_shell.cc
@@ -12,12 +12,23 @@
 
 namespace {
 
+bool OpenExternal(const GURL& url, mate::Arguments* args) {
+  bool activate = true;
+  if (args->Length() == 2) {
+    mate::Dictionary options;
+    if (args->GetNext(&options)) {
+      options.Get("activate", &activate);
+    }
+  }
+  return platform_util::OpenExternal(url, activate);
+}
+
 void Initialize(v8::Local<v8::Object> exports, v8::Local<v8::Value> unused,
                 v8::Local<v8::Context> context, void* priv) {
   mate::Dictionary dict(context->GetIsolate(), exports);
   dict.SetMethod("showItemInFolder", &platform_util::ShowItemInFolder);
   dict.SetMethod("openItem", &platform_util::OpenItem);
-  dict.SetMethod("_openExternal", &platform_util::OpenExternal);
+  dict.SetMethod("openExternal", &OpenExternal);
   dict.SetMethod("moveItemToTrash", &platform_util::MoveItemToTrash);
   dict.SetMethod("beep", &platform_util::Beep);
 }
diff --git a/atom/common/api/lib/shell.js b/atom/common/api/lib/shell.js
index d62280277c53..08cc4e8eb41c 100644
--- a/atom/common/api/lib/shell.js
+++ b/atom/common/api/lib/shell.js
@@ -1,17 +1 @@
-'use strict';
-
-const bindings = process.atomBinding('shell');
-
-exports.beep = bindings.beep;
-exports.moveItemToTrash = bindings.moveItemToTrash;
-exports.openItem = bindings.openItem;
-exports.showItemInFolder = bindings.showItemInFolder;
-
-exports.openExternal = (url, options) => {
-  var activate = true;
-  if (options != null && options.activate != null) {
-    activate = !!options.activate;
-  }
-
-  return bindings._openExternal(url, activate);
-};
+module.exports = process.atomBinding('shell');