diff --git a/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts b/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts
index f659d20660c..f95e97c3ced 100644
--- a/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/vscode.proposed.d.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,17 @@
 
 declare module 'vscode' {
 
+	//#region Joh - vscode.open
+
+	export namespace window {
+		/**
+		 *
+		 */
+		export function open(uri: Uri): void;
+	}
+
+	//#endregion
+
 	//#region Joh - selection range provider
 
 	export class SelectionRangeKind {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWindow.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWindow.ts
index 4c20602bd21..752cba581d5 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWindow.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWindow.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import { MainThreadWindowShape, ExtHostWindowShape, ExtHostContext, MainContext,
 import { IDisposable, dispose } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { extHostNamedCustomer } from 'vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/extHostCustomers';
 import { Event } from 'vs/base/common/event';
+import { UriComponents, URI } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
+import { ICommandService } from 'vs/platform/commands/common/commands';
 
 @extHostNamedCustomer(MainContext.MainThreadWindow)
 export class MainThreadWindow implements MainThreadWindowShape {
@@ -17,7 +19,8 @@ export class MainThreadWindow implements MainThreadWindowShape {
 
 	constructor(
 		extHostContext: IExtHostContext,
-		@IWindowService private readonly windowService: IWindowService
+		@IWindowService private readonly windowService: IWindowService,
+		@ICommandService private readonly commandService: ICommandService,
 	) {
 		this.proxy = extHostContext.getProxy(ExtHostContext.ExtHostWindow);
 
@@ -25,11 +28,17 @@ export class MainThreadWindow implements MainThreadWindowShape {
 			(this.proxy.$onDidChangeWindowFocus, this.proxy, this.disposables);
 	}
 
+	dispose(): void {
+		this.disposables = dispose(this.disposables);
+	}
+
 	$getWindowVisibility(): Promise<boolean> {
 		return this.windowService.isFocused();
 	}
 
-	dispose(): void {
-		this.disposables = dispose(this.disposables);
+	$openUri(uri: UriComponents): Promise<any> {
+		// todo@joh turn this around and let the command work with
+		// the proper implementation
+		return this.commandService.executeCommand('_workbench.open', URI.revive(uri));
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
index efaabac633b..6cb7c089487 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
@@ -497,6 +497,9 @@ export function createApiFactory(
 			createInputBox(): vscode.InputBox {
 				return extHostQuickOpen.createInputBox(extension.identifier);
 			},
+			open: proposedApiFunction(extension, (uri: URI) => {
+				return extHostWindow.openUri(uri);
+			})
 		};
 
 		// namespace: workspace
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
index 9a26e5fa431..04635c90791 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
@@ -621,6 +621,7 @@ export interface MainThreadDebugServiceShape extends IDisposable {
 
 export interface MainThreadWindowShape extends IDisposable {
 	$getWindowVisibility(): Promise<boolean>;
+	$openUri(uri: UriComponents): Promise<any>;
 }
 
 // -- extension host
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWindow.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWindow.ts
index 7eafd3bd06b..e995982451a 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWindow.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWindow.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import { Event, Emitter } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { ExtHostWindowShape, MainContext, MainThreadWindowShape, IMainContext } from './extHost.protocol';
 import { WindowState } from 'vscode';
+import { URI } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 
 export class ExtHostWindow implements ExtHostWindowShape {
 
@@ -34,4 +35,8 @@ export class ExtHostWindow implements ExtHostWindowShape {
 		this._state = { ...this._state, focused };
 		this._onDidChangeWindowState.fire(this._state);
 	}
+
+	openUri(uri: URI): Promise<boolean> {
+		return this._proxy.$openUri(uri);
+	}
 }