diff --git a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
index f59e23ce4ce..bc246f6ed0c 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/list/browser/listService.ts
@@ -480,7 +480,8 @@ export class TreeResourceNavigator extends Disposable {
 		const isMouseEvent = payload && payload.origin === 'mouse';
 		const isDoubleClick = isMouseEvent && originalEvent && originalEvent.detail === 2;
 
-		if (!payload.preventOpenOnFocus && (!isMouseEvent || this.tree.openOnSingleClick || isDoubleClick)) {
+		const preventOpen = payload && payload.preventOpenOnFocus;
+		if (!preventOpen && (!isMouseEvent || this.tree.openOnSingleClick || isDoubleClick)) {
 			this._openResource.fire({
 				editorOptions: {
 					preserveFocus: true,