diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostEditors.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostEditors.ts
index 0a6a73b859a..dd59e5c1972 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostEditors.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostEditors.ts
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export class ExtHostEditors {
 			if (editor) {
 				return editor;
 			} else {
-				throw new Error('Failed to create editor with id: ' + id);
+				throw new Error(`Failed to show text document ${document.uri.toString()}, should show in editor #${id}`);
 			}
 		});
 	}
@@ -626,6 +626,10 @@ export class MainThreadEditors {
 
 		return this._workbenchEditorService.openEditor(input, position).then(editor => {
 
+			if (!editor) {
+				return;
+			}
+
 			return new TPromise<void>(c => {
 				// not very nice but the way it is: changes to the editor state aren't
 				// send to the ext host as they happen but stuff is delayed a little. in