diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadWebviewPanels.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadWebviewPanels.ts
index 5e00e96f690..c8329367c1e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadWebviewPanels.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadWebviewPanels.ts
@@ -154,9 +154,10 @@ export class MainThreadWebviewPanels extends Disposable implements extHostProtoc
 		initData: extHostProtocol.IWebviewInitData,
 		showOptions: extHostProtocol.WebviewPanelShowOptions,
 	): void {
+		const targetGroup = this.getTargetGroupFromShowOptions(showOptions);
 		const mainThreadShowOptions: ICreateWebViewShowOptions = showOptions ? {
 			preserveFocus: !!showOptions.preserveFocus,
-			group: columnToEditorGroup(this._editorGroupService, showOptions.viewColumn)
+			group: targetGroup
 		} : {};
 
 		const extension = reviveWebviewExtension(extensionData);
@@ -197,7 +198,19 @@ export class MainThreadWebviewPanels extends Disposable implements extHostProtoc
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this._webviewWorkbenchService.revealWebview(webview, showOptions.viewColumn ?? ACTIVE_GROUP, !!showOptions.preserveFocus);
+		const targetGroup = this.getTargetGroupFromShowOptions(showOptions);
+		this._webviewWorkbenchService.revealWebview(webview, targetGroup, !!showOptions.preserveFocus);
+	}
+
+	private getTargetGroupFromShowOptions(showOptions: extHostProtocol.WebviewPanelShowOptions) {
+		if (typeof showOptions.viewColumn !== 'undefined') {
+			if (showOptions.viewColumn >= 0) {
+				return columnToEditorGroup(this._editorGroupService, showOptions.viewColumn);
+			} else {
+				return showOptions.viewColumn;
+			}
+		}
+		return ACTIVE_GROUP;
 	}
 
 	public $registerSerializer(viewType: string, options: { serializeBuffersForPostMessage: boolean }): void {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostWebviewPanels.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostWebviewPanels.ts
index 188bda392c1..ed1dfe47592 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostWebviewPanels.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostWebviewPanels.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class ExtHostWebviewPanel extends Disposable implements vscode.WebviewPanel {
 	public reveal(viewColumn?: vscode.ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean): void {
 		this.assertNotDisposed();
 		this.#proxy.$reveal(this.#handle, {
-			viewColumn: viewColumn ? typeConverters.ViewColumn.from(viewColumn) : undefined,
+			viewColumn: typeof viewColumn === 'undefined' ? undefined : typeConverters.ViewColumn.from(viewColumn),
 			preserveFocus: !!preserveFocus
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/webviewPanel/browser/webviewWorkbenchService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/webviewPanel/browser/webviewWorkbenchService.ts
index 779cf22256c..836162dbe84 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/webviewPanel/browser/webviewWorkbenchService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/webviewPanel/browser/webviewWorkbenchService.ts
@@ -244,9 +244,6 @@ export class WebviewEditorService extends Disposable implements IWebviewWorkbenc
 		preserveFocus: boolean
 	): void {
 		const topLevelEditor = this.findTopLevelEditorForWebview(webview);
-		if (this._editorService.activeEditor === topLevelEditor) {
-			return;
-		}
 
 		this._editorService.openEditor(topLevelEditor, {
 			preserveFocus,