diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadUriOpeners.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadUriOpeners.ts
index c4c5c42bbb0..e5627d11389 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadUriOpeners.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadUriOpeners.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,18 @@
  *  Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+import { Action } from 'vs/base/common/actions';
 import { isPromiseCanceledError } from 'vs/base/common/errors';
 import { Disposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { Schemas } from 'vs/base/common/network';
 import { URI } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import { localize } from 'vs/nls';
 import { ExtensionIdentifier } from 'vs/platform/extensions/common/extensions';
-import { INotificationService } from 'vs/platform/notification/common/notification';
+import { INotificationService, Severity } from 'vs/platform/notification/common/notification';
+import { IOpenerService } from 'vs/platform/opener/common/opener';
 import { IStorageService } from 'vs/platform/storage/common/storage';
 import { ExtHostContext, ExtHostUriOpenersShape, IExtHostContext, MainContext, MainThreadUriOpenersShape } from 'vs/workbench/api/common/extHost.protocol';
+import { defaultExternalUriOpenerId } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/externalUriOpener/common/configuration';
 import { ContributedExternalUriOpenersStore } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/externalUriOpener/common/contributedOpeners';
 import { IExternalOpenerProvider, IExternalUriOpener, IExternalUriOpenerService } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/externalUriOpener/common/externalUriOpenerService';
 import { IExtensionService } from 'vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensions';
@@ -35,6 +38,7 @@ export class MainThreadUriOpeners extends Disposable implements MainThreadUriOpe
 		@IStorageService storageService: IStorageService,
 		@IExternalUriOpenerService externalUriOpenerService: IExternalUriOpenerService,
 		@IExtensionService private readonly extensionService: IExtensionService,
+		@IOpenerService private readonly openerService: IOpenerService,
 		@INotificationService private readonly notificationService: INotificationService,
 	) {
 		super();
@@ -73,7 +77,23 @@ export class MainThreadUriOpeners extends Disposable implements MainThreadUriOpe
 					await this.proxy.$openUri(id, { resolvedUri: uri, sourceUri: ctx.sourceUri }, token);
 				} catch (e) {
 					if (!isPromiseCanceledError(e)) {
-						this.notificationService.error(localize('openerFailedMessage', "Could not open uri: {0}", e.toString()));
+						const openDefaultAction = new Action('default', localize('openerFailedUseDefault', "Open using default opener"), undefined, undefined, () => {
+							return this.openerService.open(uri, {
+								allowTunneling: false,
+								allowContributedOpeners: defaultExternalUriOpenerId,
+							});
+						});
+						openDefaultAction.tooltip = uri.toString();
+
+						this.notificationService.notify({
+							severity: Severity.Error,
+							message: localize('openerFailedMessage', 'Could not open uri with \'{0}\': {1}', id, e.toString()),
+							actions: {
+								primary: [
+									openDefaultAction
+								]
+							}
+						});
 					}
 				}
 				return true;