diff --git a/spec/jasmine-test-runner.coffee b/spec/jasmine-test-runner.coffee
index 5a11530b705..8bf1d3ede69 100644
--- a/spec/jasmine-test-runner.coffee
+++ b/spec/jasmine-test-runner.coffee
@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@ module.exports = ({logFile, headless, testPaths, buildAtomEnvironment}) ->
   window[key] = value for key, value of require '../vendor/jasmine'
   require 'jasmine-tagged'
 
+  # Rewrite global jasmine functions to have support for async tests.
+  # This way packages can create async specs without having to import these from the
+  # async-spec-helpers file.
+  global.it = asyncifyJasmineFn global.it, 1
+  global.fit = asyncifyJasmineFn global.fit, 1
+  global.ffit = asyncifyJasmineFn global.ffit, 1
+  global.fffit = asyncifyJasmineFn global.fffit, 1
+  global.beforeEach = asyncifyJasmineFn global.beforeEach, 0
+  global.afterEach = asyncifyJasmineFn global.afterEach, 0
+
   # Allow document.title to be assigned in specs without screwing up spec window title
   documentTitle = null
   Object.defineProperty document, 'title',
@@ -59,6 +69,28 @@ module.exports = ({logFile, headless, testPaths, buildAtomEnvironment}) ->
   jasmineEnv.execute()
   promise
 
+asyncifyJasmineFn = (fn, callbackPosition) ->
+  (args...) ->
+    if typeof args[callbackPosition] is 'function'
+      callback = args[callbackPosition]
+
+      args[callbackPosition] = (args...) ->
+        result = callback.apply this, args
+        if result instanceof Promise
+          waitsForPromise(-> result)
+
+    fn.apply this, args
+
+waitsForPromise = (fn) ->
+  promise = fn()
+
+  global.waitsFor('spec promise to resolve', (done) ->
+    promise.then(done, (error) ->
+      jasmine.getEnv().currentSpec.fail error
+      done()
+    )
+  )
+
 disableFocusMethods = ->
   ['fdescribe', 'ffdescribe', 'fffdescribe', 'fit', 'ffit', 'fffit'].forEach (methodName) ->
     focusMethod = window[methodName]
@@ -124,4 +156,4 @@ buildTerminalReporter = (logFile, resolveWithExitCode) ->
     new JasmineListReporter(options)
   else
     {TerminalReporter} = require 'jasmine-tagged'
-    new TerminalReporter(options)
+    new TerminalReporter(options)
\ No newline at end of file