diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostCLIServer.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostCLIServer.ts
index b3857616f70..ad9e9fe5933 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostCLIServer.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostCLIServer.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { ILogService } from 'vs/platform/log/common/log';
 export interface OpenCommandPipeArgs {
 	type: 'open';
 	fileURIs?: string[];
-	folderURIs: string[];
+	folderURIs?: string[];
 	forceNewWindow?: boolean;
 	diffMode?: boolean;
 	addMode?: boolean;
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ export interface OpenCommandPipeArgs {
 	waitMarkerFilePath?: string;
 }
 
+export interface OpenExternalCommandPipeArgs {
+	type: 'openExternal';
+	uris: string[];
+}
+
 export interface StatusPipeArgs {
 	type: 'status';
 }
@@ -34,6 +39,8 @@ export interface RunCommandPipeArgs {
 	args: any[];
 }
 
+export type PipeCommand = OpenCommandPipeArgs | StatusPipeArgs | RunCommandPipeArgs | OpenExternalCommandPipeArgs;
+
 export interface ICommandsExecuter {
 	executeCommand<T>(id: string, ...args: any[]): Promise<T>;
 }
@@ -73,11 +80,14 @@ export class CLIServerBase {
 		req.setEncoding('utf8');
 		req.on('data', (d: string) => chunks.push(d));
 		req.on('end', () => {
-			const data: OpenCommandPipeArgs | StatusPipeArgs | RunCommandPipeArgs | any = JSON.parse(chunks.join(''));
+			const data: PipeCommand | any = JSON.parse(chunks.join(''));
 			switch (data.type) {
 				case 'open':
 					this.open(data, res);
 					break;
+				case 'openExternal':
+					this.openExternal(data, res);
+					break;
 				case 'status':
 					this.getStatus(data, res);
 					break;
@@ -133,6 +143,14 @@ export class CLIServerBase {
 		res.end();
 	}
 
+	private openExternal(data: OpenExternalCommandPipeArgs, res: http.ServerResponse) {
+		for (const uri of data.uris) {
+			this._commands.executeCommand('_workbench.open', URI.parse(uri));
+		}
+		res.writeHead(200);
+		res.end();
+	}
+
 	private async getStatus(data: StatusPipeArgs, res: http.ServerResponse) {
 		try {
 			const status = await this._commands.executeCommand('_issues.getSystemStatus');