diff --git a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
index d2b17c92720..1f89c13f399 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
@@ -707,13 +707,14 @@ export class TreeResourceNavigator2<T, TFilterData> extends Disposable {
 			return;
 		}
 
+		const isKeyboardEvent = e.browserEvent instanceof KeyboardEvent;
 		const isMiddleClick = e.browserEvent instanceof MouseEvent ? e.browserEvent.button === 1 : false;
 		const isDoubleClick = e.browserEvent.detail === 2;
 		const preserveFocus = (e.browserEvent instanceof KeyboardEvent && typeof (<SelectionKeyboardEvent>e.browserEvent).preserveFocus === 'boolean') ?
 			!!(<SelectionKeyboardEvent>e.browserEvent).preserveFocus :
 			!isDoubleClick;
 
-		if (this.tree.openOnSingleClick || isDoubleClick) {
+		if (this.tree.openOnSingleClick || isDoubleClick || isKeyboardEvent) {
 			const sideBySide = e.browserEvent instanceof MouseEvent && (e.browserEvent.ctrlKey || e.browserEvent.metaKey || e.browserEvent.altKey);
 			this.open(preserveFocus, isDoubleClick || isMiddleClick, sideBySide);
 		}