diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
index e6621fc362c..06e521040c9 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,10 @@ interface IUserFriendlyViewDescriptor {
 	id: string;
 	name: string;
 	when?: string;
+
+	// From 'remoteViewDescriptor' type
 	group?: string;
+	remoteAuthority?: string;
 }
 
 const viewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ const viewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
 	}
 };
 
-const nestableViewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
+const remoteViewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
 	type: 'object',
 	properties: {
 		id: {
@@ -119,6 +122,10 @@ const nestableViewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
 		group: {
 			description: localize('vscode.extension.contributes.view.group', 'Nested group in the viewlet'),
 			type: 'string'
+		},
+		remoteAuthority: {
+			description: localize('vscode.extension.contributes.view.remoteAuthority', 'The remote authority associated with this view'),
+			type: 'string'
 		}
 	}
 };
@@ -153,7 +160,7 @@ const viewsContribution: IJSONSchema = {
 		'remote': {
 			description: localize('views.remote', "Contributes views to Remote container in the Activity bar. To contribute to this container, enableProposedApi needs to be turned on"),
 			type: 'array',
-			items: nestableViewDescriptor,
+			items: remoteViewDescriptor,
 			default: []
 		}
 	},
@@ -427,7 +434,8 @@ class ViewsExtensionHandler implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 						order: order,
 						extensionId: extension.description.identifier,
 						originalContainerId: entry.key,
-						group: item.group
+						group: item.group,
+						remoteAuthority: item.remoteAuthority
 					};
 
 					viewIds.push(viewDescriptor.id);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/viewsViewlet.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/viewsViewlet.ts
index 6413ac3173f..76d8302ca88 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/viewsViewlet.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/viewsViewlet.ts
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ export abstract class ViewContainerViewlet extends PanelViewlet implements IView
 		if (!view) {
 			this.toggleViewVisibility(id);
 		}
-		view = this.getView(id);
+		view = this.getView(id)!;
 		view.setExpanded(true);
 		if (focus) {
 			view.focus();
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ export abstract class ViewContainerViewlet extends PanelViewlet implements IView
 		return (this.instantiationService as any).createInstance(viewDescriptor.ctorDescriptor.ctor, ...(viewDescriptor.ctorDescriptor.arguments || []), options) as ViewletPanel;
 	}
 
-	protected getView(id: string): ViewletPanel {
+	protected getView(id: string): ViewletPanel | undefined {
 		return this.panels.filter(view => view.id === id)[0];
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
index c0fc9afa809..a93bb3aca6c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
@@ -130,8 +130,6 @@ export interface IViewDescriptor {
 
 	readonly when?: ContextKeyExpr;
 
-	readonly group?: string;
-
 	readonly order?: number;
 
 	readonly weight?: number;
@@ -146,6 +144,11 @@ export interface IViewDescriptor {
 	readonly workspace?: boolean;
 
 	readonly focusCommand?: { id: string, keybindings?: IKeybindings };
+
+	// For contributed remote explorer views
+	readonly group?: string;
+
+	readonly remoteAuthority?: string;
 }
 
 export interface IViewDescriptorCollection extends IDisposable {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts
index 1abc5d22b22..0002bb19824 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import Severity from 'vs/base/common/severity';
 import { ReloadWindowAction } from 'vs/workbench/browser/actions/windowActions';
 import { IDisposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { LifecyclePhase } from 'vs/platform/lifecycle/common/lifecycle';
+import { IWorkbenchEnvironmentService } from 'vs/workbench/services/environment/common/environmentService';
 
 interface HelpInformation {
 	extensionDescription: IExtensionDescription;
@@ -378,7 +379,8 @@ export class RemoteViewlet extends ViewContainerViewlet implements IViewModel {
 		@IInstantiationService instantiationService: IInstantiationService,
 		@IThemeService themeService: IThemeService,
 		@IContextMenuService contextMenuService: IContextMenuService,
-		@IExtensionService extensionService: IExtensionService
+		@IExtensionService extensionService: IExtensionService,
+		@IWorkbenchEnvironmentService private environmentService: IWorkbenchEnvironmentService,
 	) {
 		super(VIEWLET_ID, `${VIEWLET_ID}.state`, true, configurationService, layoutService, telemetryService, storageService, instantiationService, themeService, contextMenuService, extensionService, contextService);
 
@@ -419,7 +421,29 @@ export class RemoteViewlet extends ViewContainerViewlet implements IViewModel {
 
 	onDidAddViews(added: IAddedViewDescriptorRef[]): ViewletPanel[] {
 		// too late, already added to the view model
-		return super.onDidAddViews(added);
+		const result = super.onDidAddViews(added);
+
+		const remoteAuthority = this.environmentService.configuration.remoteAuthority;
+		if (remoteAuthority) {
+			const actualRemoteAuthority = remoteAuthority.split('+')[0];
+			added.forEach((descriptor) => {
+				const panel = this.getView(descriptor.viewDescriptor.id);
+				if (!panel) {
+					return;
+				}
+
+				if (typeof descriptor.viewDescriptor.remoteAuthority === 'undefined' ||
+					descriptor.viewDescriptor.remoteAuthority === actualRemoteAuthority ||
+					descriptor.viewDescriptor.id === HelpPanel.ID
+				) {
+					panel.setExpanded(true);
+				} else {
+					panel.setExpanded(false);
+				}
+			});
+		}
+
+		return result;
 	}
 
 	getTitle(): string {