diff --git a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
index 4c2b1d89ee8..656d89760b1 100644
--- a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
@@ -5217,8 +5217,9 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		 * method moves it to a new column.
 		 *
 		 * @param viewColumn View column to show the panel in. Shows in the current `viewColumn` if undefined.
+		 * @param preserveFocus When `true`, the webview will not take focus.
 		 */
-		reveal(viewColumn?: ViewColumn): void;
+		reveal(viewColumn?: ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean): void;
 
 		/**
 		 * Dispose of the webview panel.
@@ -5727,12 +5728,12 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		 *
 		 * @param viewType Identifies the type of the webview panel.
 		 * @param title Title of the panel.
-		 * @param position Editor column to show the new panel in.
+		 * @param showOptions Where to show the webview in the editor. If preserveFocus is set, the new webview will not take focus.
 		 * @param options Settings for the new panel.
 		 *
 		 * @return New webview panel.
 		 */
-		export function createWebviewPanel(viewType: string, title: string, position: ViewColumn, options?: WebviewPanelOptions & WebviewOptions): WebviewPanel;
+		export function createWebviewPanel(viewType: string, title: string, showOptions: ViewColumn | { viewColumn: ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean }, options?: WebviewPanelOptions & WebviewOptions): WebviewPanel;
 
 		/**
 		 * Set a message to the status bar. This is a short hand for the more powerful
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWebview.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWebview.ts
index d6255bc4454..4139bbcab43 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWebview.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadWebview.ts
@@ -69,11 +69,11 @@ export class MainThreadWebviews implements MainThreadWebviewsShape, WebviewReviv
 		handle: WebviewPanelHandle,
 		viewType: string,
 		title: string,
-		column: Position,
+		showOptions: { viewColumn: Position, preserveFocus: boolean },
 		options: WebviewInputOptions,
 		extensionFolderPath: string
 	): void {
-		const webview = this._webviewService.createWebview(MainThreadWebviews.viewType, title, column, options, extensionFolderPath, this.createWebviewEventDelegate(handle));
+		const webview = this._webviewService.createWebview(MainThreadWebviews.viewType, title, showOptions, options, extensionFolderPath, this.createWebviewEventDelegate(handle));
 		webview.state = {
 			viewType: viewType,
 			state: undefined
@@ -98,13 +98,13 @@ export class MainThreadWebviews implements MainThreadWebviewsShape, WebviewReviv
 		webview.html = value;
 	}
 
-	$reveal(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, column: Position | null): void {
+	$reveal(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, viewColumn: Position | null, preserveFocus: boolean): void {
 		const webview = this.getWebview(handle);
 		if (webview.isDisposed()) {
 			return;
 		}
 
-		this._webviewService.revealWebview(webview, column);
+		this._webviewService.revealWebview(webview, viewColumn, preserveFocus);
 	}
 
 	async $postMessage(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, message: any): TPromise<boolean> {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
index 1599bef1be7..198fc6026bb 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
@@ -409,8 +409,8 @@ export function createApiFactory(
 			createOutputChannel(name: string): vscode.OutputChannel {
 				return extHostOutputService.createOutputChannel(name);
 			},
-			createWebviewPanel(viewType: string, title: string, column: vscode.ViewColumn, options: vscode.WebviewPanelOptions & vscode.WebviewOptions): vscode.WebviewPanel {
-				return extHostWebviews.createWebview(viewType, title, column, options, extension.extensionFolderPath);
+			createWebviewPanel(viewType: string, title: string, showOptions: vscode.ViewColumn | { viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean }, options: vscode.WebviewPanelOptions & vscode.WebviewOptions): vscode.WebviewPanel {
+				return extHostWebviews.createWebview(viewType, title, showOptions, options, extension.extensionFolderPath);
 			},
 			createTerminal(nameOrOptions: vscode.TerminalOptions | string, shellPath?: string, shellArgs?: string[]): vscode.Terminal {
 				if (typeof nameOrOptions === 'object') {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
index 67ab3eab780..6d252aab2b4 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
@@ -354,9 +354,9 @@ export interface MainThreadTelemetryShape extends IDisposable {
 export type WebviewPanelHandle = string;
 
 export interface MainThreadWebviewsShape extends IDisposable {
-	$createWebviewPanel(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, viewType: string, title: string, column: EditorPosition, options: vscode.WebviewPanelOptions & vscode.WebviewOptions, extensionFolderPath: string): void;
+	$createWebviewPanel(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, viewType: string, title: string, viewOptions: { viewColumn: EditorPosition, preserveFocus: boolean }, options: vscode.WebviewPanelOptions & vscode.WebviewOptions, extensionFolderPath: string): void;
 	$disposeWebview(handle: WebviewPanelHandle): void;
-	$reveal(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, column: EditorPosition | undefined): void;
+	$reveal(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, viewColumn: EditorPosition | null, preserveFocus: boolean): void;
 	$setTitle(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, value: string): void;
 	$setHtml(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, value: string): void;
 	$postMessage(handle: WebviewPanelHandle, value: any): Thenable<boolean>;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts
index 285c1722e97..6744106acdf 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts
@@ -171,9 +171,11 @@ export class ExtHostWebviewPanel implements vscode.WebviewPanel {
 		return this._proxy.$postMessage(this._handle, message);
 	}
 
-	public reveal(viewColumn?: vscode.ViewColumn): void {
+	public reveal(viewColumn?: vscode.ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean): void {
 		this.assertNotDisposed();
-		this._proxy.$reveal(this._handle, viewColumn ? typeConverters.fromViewColumn(viewColumn) : undefined);
+		this._proxy.$reveal(this._handle,
+			viewColumn ? typeConverters.fromViewColumn(viewColumn) : undefined,
+			!!preserveFocus);
 	}
 
 	private assertNotDisposed() {
@@ -200,13 +202,20 @@ export class ExtHostWebviews implements ExtHostWebviewsShape {
 	createWebview(
 		viewType: string,
 		title: string,
-		viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn,
+		showOptions: vscode.ViewColumn | { viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean },
 		options: (vscode.WebviewPanelOptions & vscode.WebviewOptions) | undefined,
 		extensionFolderPath: string
 	): vscode.WebviewPanel {
 		options = options || {};
+
+		const viewColumn = typeof showOptions === 'object' ? showOptions.viewColumn : showOptions;
+		const webviewShowOptions = {
+			viewColumn: typeConverters.fromViewColumn(viewColumn),
+			preserveFocus: typeof showOptions === 'object' && !!showOptions.preserveFocus
+		};
+
 		const handle = ExtHostWebviews.webviewHandlePool++ + '';
-		this._proxy.$createWebviewPanel(handle, viewType, title, typeConverters.fromViewColumn(viewColumn), options, extensionFolderPath);
+		this._proxy.$createWebviewPanel(handle, viewType, title, webviewShowOptions, options, extensionFolderPath);
 
 		const webview = new ExtHostWebview(handle, this._proxy, options);
 		const panel = new ExtHostWebviewPanel(handle, this._proxy, viewType, title, viewColumn, options, webview);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/webview/electron-browser/webviewEditorService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/webview/electron-browser/webviewEditorService.ts
index bb51f95542b..a2394bbfc06 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/webview/electron-browser/webviewEditorService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/webview/electron-browser/webviewEditorService.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export interface IWebviewEditorService {
 	createWebview(
 		viewType: string,
 		title: string,
-		column: Position,
+		showOptions: { viewColumn: Position, preserveFocus: boolean },
 		options: WebviewInputOptions,
 		extensionFolderPath: string,
 		events: WebviewEvents
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ export interface IWebviewEditorService {
 
 	revealWebview(
 		webview: WebviewEditorInput,
-		column: Position | null
+		column: Position | null,
+		preserveFocus: boolean
 	): void;
 
 	registerReviver(
@@ -86,24 +87,25 @@ export class WebviewEditorService implements IWebviewEditorService {
 	createWebview(
 		viewType: string,
 		title: string,
-		column: Position,
+		showOptions: { viewColumn: Position, preserveFocus: boolean },
 		options: vscode.WebviewOptions,
 		extensionFolderPath: string,
 		events: WebviewEvents
 	): WebviewEditorInput {
 		const webviewInput = this._instantiationService.createInstance(WebviewEditorInput, viewType, title, options, {}, events, extensionFolderPath, undefined);
-		this._editorService.openEditor(webviewInput, { pinned: true }, column);
+		this._editorService.openEditor(webviewInput, { pinned: true, preserveFocus: showOptions.preserveFocus }, showOptions.viewColumn);
 		return webviewInput;
 	}
 
 	revealWebview(
 		webview: WebviewEditorInput,
-		column: Position | null
+		column: Position | null,
+		preserveFocus: boolean
 	): void {
 		if (!column || webview.position === column) {
-			this._editorService.openEditor(webview, { preserveFocus: false }, column || webview.position);
+			this._editorService.openEditor(webview, { preserveFocus }, column || webview.position);
 		} else {
-			this._editorGroupService.moveEditor(webview, webview.position, column, { preserveFocus: false });
+			this._editorGroupService.moveEditor(webview, webview.position, column, { preserveFocus });
 		}
 	}