diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/list/listWidget.ts b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/list/listWidget.ts
index fed74faefa2..1d2c65d40d2 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/list/listWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/list/listWidget.ts
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ export class MouseController<T> implements IDisposable {
 		list.onMouseDown(this.onMouseDown, this, this.disposables);
 		list.onContextMenu(this.onContextMenu, this, this.disposables);
 		list.onMouseClick(this.onPointer, this, this.disposables);
+		list.onMouseMiddleClick(this.onPointer, this, this.disposables);
 		list.onMouseDblClick(this.onDoubleClick, this, this.disposables);
 		list.onTouchStart(this.onMouseDown, this, this.disposables);
 		list.onTap(this.onPointer, this, this.disposables);
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
index 0a26a9aebf4..43eaa56afa9 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
@@ -181,12 +181,13 @@ class WorkbenchOpenController extends Disposable implements IOpenController {
 
 	shouldOpen(event: UIEvent): boolean {
 		if (event instanceof MouseEvent) {
+			const isLeftButton = event.button === 0;
 			const isDoubleClick = event.detail === 2;
-			if (!this.openOnSingleClick && !isDoubleClick) {
+			if (isLeftButton && !this.openOnSingleClick && !isDoubleClick) {
 				return false;
 			}
 
-			if (event.button === 0 /* left mouse button */ || event.button === 1 /* middle mouse button */) {
+			if (isLeftButton /* left mouse button */ || event.button === 1 /* middle mouse button */) {
 				return this.existingOpenController ? this.existingOpenController.shouldOpen(event) : true;
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts
index af6e35beda5..04251ca5fb9 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts
@@ -342,12 +342,13 @@ export class ExplorerView extends ViewletPanel {
 
 				if (e.browserEvent instanceof MouseEvent) {
 					isDoubleClick = e.browserEvent.detail === 2;
+					isMiddleClick = e.browserEvent.button === 1;
+					const isLeftButton = e.browserEvent.button === 0;
 
-					if (!this.tree.openOnSingleClick && !isDoubleClick) {
+					if (isLeftButton && !this.tree.openOnSingleClick && !isDoubleClick) {
 						return;
 					}
 
-					isMiddleClick = e.browserEvent.button === 1;
 					sideBySide = this.tree.useAltAsMultipleSelectionModifier ? (e.browserEvent.ctrlKey || e.browserEvent.metaKey) : e.browserEvent.altKey;
 				}