diff --git a/atom/common/platform_util_linux.cc b/atom/common/platform_util_linux.cc
index 8fad8609342a..7789bdb00656 100644
--- a/atom/common/platform_util_linux.cc
+++ b/atom/common/platform_util_linux.cc
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #include "url/gurl.h"
 
 #define ELECTRON_TRASH "ELECTRON_TRASH"
-#define ELECTRON_DEFAULT_TRASH "gvfs-trash"
+#define ELECTRON_DEFAULT_TRASH "gio"
 
 namespace {
 
@@ -126,12 +126,13 @@ bool MoveItemToTrash(const base::FilePath& full_path) {
   } else if (trash.compare("trash-cli") == 0) {
     argv.push_back("trash-put");
     argv.push_back(full_path.value());
-  } else if (trash.compare("gio") == 0) {
-    argv.push_back("gio");
-    argv.push_back("trash");
+  } else if (trash.compare("gvfs-trash") == 0) {
+    // retain support for deprecated gvfs-trash
+    argv.push_back("gvfs-trash");
     argv.push_back(full_path.value());
   } else {
     argv.push_back(ELECTRON_DEFAULT_TRASH);
+    argv.push_back("trash");
     argv.push_back(full_path.value());
   }
   return XDGUtilV(argv, true);
diff --git a/docs/api/environment-variables.md b/docs/api/environment-variables.md
index 72f75e6b8165..9fdc0507ce83 100644
--- a/docs/api/environment-variables.md
+++ b/docs/api/environment-variables.md
@@ -58,6 +58,16 @@ Don't attach to the current console session.
 
 Don't use the global menu bar on Linux.
 
+### `ELECTRON_TRASH` _Linux_
+
+Set the trash implementation on Linux. Default is `gio`.
+
+Options:
+* `gvfs-trash`
+* `trash-cli`
+* `kioclient5`
+* `kioclient`
+
 ## Development Variables
 
 The following environment variables are intended primarily for development and