diff --git a/extensions/git/package.json b/extensions/git/package.json
index c1cd8b5135c..a7f9e33f31d 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.json
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@
   },
   "contributes": {
     "commands": [
+      {
+        "command": "git.activate",
+        "title": "%command.activate%",
+        "category": "Git"
+      },
       {
         "command": "git.setLogLevel",
         "title": "%command.setLogLevel%",
@@ -451,6 +456,10 @@
     ],
     "menus": {
       "commandPalette": [
+        {
+          "command": "git.activate",
+          "when": "false"
+        },
         {
           "command": "git.clone",
           "when": "config.git.enabled"
diff --git a/extensions/git/package.nls.json b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
index f3d75519653..8cd65b4e477 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 {
 	"displayName": "Git",
 	"description": "Git SCM Integration",
+	"command.activate": "Activate",
 	"command.setLogLevel": "Set Log Level...",
 	"command.clone": "Clone",
 	"command.init": "Initialize Repository",
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/commands.ts b/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
index be0f5387d15..25090369b71 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
@@ -253,6 +253,11 @@ export class CommandCenter {
 		});
 	}
 
+	@command('git.activate')
+	async activate(): Promise<void> {
+		// noop
+	}
+
 	@command('git.setLogLevel')
 	async setLogLevel(): Promise<void> {
 		const createItem = (logLevel: LogLevel) => ({
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts b/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts
index 5430ca5f1d8..966448e9429 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ suite('git smoke test', function () {
 		cp.execSync('git add .', { cwd });
 		cp.execSync('git commit -m "initial commit"', { cwd });
 
+		// make sure git is activated
+		await commands.executeCommand('git.activate');
 		git = extensions.getExtension<GitExtension>('vscode.git')!.exports.getAPI(1);
 
 		if (git.repositories.length === 0) {