diff --git a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm
index f0b48adf2564..72011500bd04 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm
+++ b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
 
 #include "atom/browser/mac/dict_util.h"
+#include "atom/common/native_mate_converters/value_converter.h"
 #include "atom/common/native_mate_converters/gurl_converter.h"
 #include "base/strings/sys_string_conversions.h"
 #include "base/values.h"
@@ -66,8 +67,8 @@ v8::Local<v8::Value> SystemPreferences::GetUserDefault(
   NSUserDefaults* defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
   NSString* key = base::SysUTF8ToNSString(name);
   if (type == "string") {
-    return mate::StringToV8(
-        isolate(), base::SysNSStringToUTF8([defaults stringForKey:key]));
+    return mate::StringToV8(isolate(),
+      base::SysNSStringToUTF8([defaults stringForKey:key]));
   } else if (type == "boolean") {
     return v8::Boolean::New(isolate(), [defaults boolForKey:key]);
   } else if (type == "float") {
@@ -77,8 +78,14 @@ v8::Local<v8::Value> SystemPreferences::GetUserDefault(
   } else if (type == "double") {
     return v8::Number::New(isolate(), [defaults doubleForKey:key]);
   } else if (type == "url") {
-    return mate::ConvertToV8(
-        isolate(), net::GURLWithNSURL([defaults URLForKey:key]));
+    return mate::ConvertToV8(isolate(),
+      net::GURLWithNSURL([defaults URLForKey:key]));
+  } else if (type == "array") {
+    return mate::ConvertToV8(isolate(),
+      *NSArrayToListValue([defaults arrayForKey:key]));
+  } else if (type == "dictionary") {
+    return mate::ConvertToV8(isolate(),
+      *NSDictionaryToDictionaryValue([defaults dictionaryForKey:key]));
   } else {
     return v8::Undefined(isolate());
   }
diff --git a/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.h b/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.h
index 404636d1901a..3ffd8ba51006 100644
--- a/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.h
+++ b/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include "base/memory/scoped_ptr.h"
 
 namespace base {
-class Value;
+class ListValue;
 class DictionaryValue;
 }
 
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ NSDictionary* DictionaryValueToNSDictionary(const base::DictionaryValue& value);
 std::unique_ptr<base::DictionaryValue> NSDictionaryToDictionaryValue(
     NSDictionary* dict);
 
+std::unique_ptr<base::ListValue> NSArrayToListValue(NSArray* arr);
+
 }  // namespace atom
 
 #endif  // ATOM_BROWSER_MAC_DICT_UTIL_H_
diff --git a/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.mm b/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.mm
index 43b629cc32be..8692f001f6a8 100644
--- a/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.mm
+++ b/atom/browser/mac/dict_util.mm
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@
 
 namespace atom {
 
-namespace {
-
 std::unique_ptr<base::ListValue> NSArrayToListValue(NSArray* arr) {
   if (!arr)
     return nullptr;
@@ -51,8 +49,6 @@ std::unique_ptr<base::ListValue> NSArrayToListValue(NSArray* arr) {
   return result;
 }
 
-}  // namespace
-
 NSDictionary* DictionaryValueToNSDictionary(const base::DictionaryValue& value) {
   std::string json;
   if (!base::JSONWriter::Write(value, &json))
diff --git a/docs/api/system-preferences.md b/docs/api/system-preferences.md
index 8f4dc8993852..7b2f0724a4aa 100644
--- a/docs/api/system-preferences.md
+++ b/docs/api/system-preferences.md
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Removes the subscriber with `id`.
 
 * `key` String
 * `type` String - Can be `string`, `boolean`, `integer`, `float`, `double`,
-  `url`.
+  `url`, `array`, `dictionary`
 
 Get the value of `key` in system preferences.
 
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ are:
 * `AppleAquaColorVariant: integer`
 * `AppleHighlightColor: string`
 * `AppleShowScrollBars: string`
+* `NSNavRecentPlaces: array`
+* `NSPreferredWebServices: dictionary`
+* `NSUserDictionaryReplacementItems: array`
 
 ### `systemPreferences.isAeroGlassEnabled()` _Windows_
 
diff --git a/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js b/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..333c4dbacb4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+const assert = require('assert')
+const {remote} = require('electron')
+const {systemPreferences} = remote
+
+describe('systemPreferences module', function () {
+  if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
+    return
+  }
+
+  describe('systemPreferences.getUserDefault(key, type)', function () {
+    it('returns values for known user defaults', function () {
+      let locale = systemPreferences.getUserDefault('AppleLocale', 'string')
+      assert.notEqual(locale, null)
+      assert(locale.length > 0)
+
+      let languages = systemPreferences.getUserDefault('AppleLanguages', 'array')
+      assert.notEqual(languages, null)
+      assert(languages.length > 0)
+    })
+  })
+
+})