diff --git a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
index 84b213d6831..9324e3efd47 100644
--- a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
@@ -6499,10 +6499,11 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		 * By default revealed element is selected and not focused.
 		 * In order to not to select, set the option `select` to `false`.
 		 * In order to focus, set the option `focus` to `true`.
+		 * In order to expand the revealed element, set the option `expand` to `true` or `1`. To expand recursively set `expand` to the number of levels to expand.
 		 *
 		 * **NOTE:** [TreeDataProvider](#TreeDataProvider) is required to implement [getParent](#TreeDataProvider.getParent) method to access this API.
 		 */
-		reveal(element: T, options?: { select?: boolean, focus?: boolean }): Thenable<void>;
+		reveal(element: T, options?: { select?: boolean, focus?: boolean, expand?: boolean | number }): Thenable<void>;
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts
index 9ed8aff7cd0..e686cf33662 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@
 import { TPromise } from 'vs/base/common/winjs.base';
 import { Disposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { ExtHostContext, MainThreadTreeViewsShape, ExtHostTreeViewsShape, MainContext, IExtHostContext } from '../node/extHost.protocol';
-import { ITreeViewDataProvider, ITreeItem, IViewsService, ITreeViewer, ViewsRegistry, ICustomViewDescriptor } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
+import { ITreeViewDataProvider, ITreeItem, IViewsService, ITreeViewer, ViewsRegistry, ICustomViewDescriptor, IRevealOptions } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
 import { extHostNamedCustomer } from 'vs/workbench/api/electron-browser/extHostCustomers';
 import { distinct } from 'vs/base/common/arrays';
 import { INotificationService } from 'vs/platform/notification/common/notification';
+import { isUndefinedOrNull, isNumber } from 'vs/base/common/types';
 
 @extHostNamedCustomer(MainContext.MainThreadTreeViews)
 export class MainThreadTreeViews extends Disposable implements MainThreadTreeViewsShape {
@@ -40,11 +41,11 @@ export class MainThreadTreeViews extends Disposable implements MainThreadTreeVie
 		}
 	}
 
-	$reveal(treeViewId: string, item: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options: { select: boolean, focus: boolean }): Thenable<void> {
+	$reveal(treeViewId: string, item: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options: IRevealOptions): Thenable<void> {
 		return this.viewsService.openView(treeViewId, options.focus)
 			.then(() => {
 				const viewer = this.getTreeViewer(treeViewId);
-				return viewer ? viewer.reveal(item, parentChain, options) : null;
+				return this.reveal(viewer, this._dataProviders.get(treeViewId), item, parentChain, options);
 			});
 	}
 
@@ -58,6 +59,42 @@ export class MainThreadTreeViews extends Disposable implements MainThreadTreeVie
 		return TPromise.as(null);
 	}
 
+	private async reveal(treeViewer: ITreeViewer, dataProvider: TreeViewDataProvider, item: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options: IRevealOptions): TPromise<void> {
+		options = options ? options : { select: false, focus: false };
+		const select = isUndefinedOrNull(options.select) ? false : options.select;
+		const focus = isUndefinedOrNull(options.focus) ? false : options.focus;
+		let expand = isNumber(options.expand) ? options.expand : options.expand === true ? 1 : 0;
+
+		if (dataProvider.isEmpty()) {
+			// Refresh if empty
+			await treeViewer.refresh();
+		}
+		for (const parent of parentChain) {
+			await treeViewer.expand(parent);
+		}
+		item = dataProvider.getItem(item.handle);
+		if (item) {
+			await treeViewer.reveal(item);
+			if (select) {
+				treeViewer.setSelection([item]);
+			}
+			if (focus) {
+				treeViewer.setFocus(item);
+			}
+			let itemsToExpand = [item];
+			for (; itemsToExpand.length > 0 && expand > 0; expand--) {
+				await treeViewer.expand(itemsToExpand);
+				itemsToExpand = itemsToExpand.reduce((result, item) => {
+					item = dataProvider.getItem(item.handle);
+					if (item && item.children && item.children.length) {
+						result.push(...item.children);
+					}
+					return result;
+				}, []);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	private registerListeners(treeViewId: string, treeViewer: ITreeViewer): void {
 		this._register(treeViewer.onDidExpandItem(item => this._proxy.$setExpanded(treeViewId, item.handle, true)));
 		this._register(treeViewer.onDidCollapseItem(item => this._proxy.$setExpanded(treeViewId, item.handle, false)));
@@ -111,7 +148,7 @@ class TreeViewDataProvider implements ITreeViewDataProvider {
 		const itemsToRefresh: ITreeItem[] = [];
 		if (itemsToRefreshByHandle) {
 			for (const treeItemHandle of Object.keys(itemsToRefreshByHandle)) {
-				const currentTreeItem = this.itemsMap.get(treeItemHandle);
+				const currentTreeItem = this.getItem(treeItemHandle);
 				if (currentTreeItem) { // Refresh only if the item exists
 					const treeItem = itemsToRefreshByHandle[treeItemHandle];
 					// Update the current item with refreshed item
@@ -133,6 +170,14 @@ class TreeViewDataProvider implements ITreeViewDataProvider {
 		return itemsToRefresh;
 	}
 
+	getItem(treeItemHandle: string): ITreeItem {
+		return this.itemsMap.get(treeItemHandle);
+	}
+
+	isEmpty(): boolean {
+		return this.itemsMap.size === 0;
+	}
+
 	private postGetChildren(elements: ITreeItem[]): ITreeItem[] {
 		const result: ITreeItem[] = [];
 		if (elements) {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
index 78d9bd8fb9f..bc33b0928c6 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.protocol.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import { ThemeColor } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
 import { EndOfLine, IFileOperationOptions, TextEditorLineNumbersStyle } from 'vs/workbench/api/node/extHostTypes';
 import { EditorViewColumn } from 'vs/workbench/api/shared/editor';
 import { TaskDTO, TaskExecutionDTO, TaskFilterDTO, TaskHandleDTO, TaskProcessEndedDTO, TaskProcessStartedDTO, TaskSystemInfoDTO } from 'vs/workbench/api/shared/tasks';
-import { ITreeItem } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
+import { ITreeItem, IRevealOptions } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
 import { IAdapterDescriptor, IConfig, ITerminalSettings } from 'vs/workbench/parts/debug/common/debug';
 import { ITextQueryBuilderOptions } from 'vs/workbench/parts/search/common/queryBuilder';
 import { TaskSet } from 'vs/workbench/parts/tasks/common/tasks';
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ export interface MainThreadTextEditorsShape extends IDisposable {
 export interface MainThreadTreeViewsShape extends IDisposable {
 	$registerTreeViewDataProvider(treeViewId: string, options: { showCollapseAll: boolean }): void;
 	$refresh(treeViewId: string, itemsToRefresh?: { [treeItemHandle: string]: ITreeItem }): Thenable<void>;
-	$reveal(treeViewId: string, treeItem: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options: { select: boolean, focus: boolean }): Thenable<void>;
+	$reveal(treeViewId: string, treeItem: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options: IRevealOptions): Thenable<void>;
 }
 
 export interface MainThreadErrorsShape extends IDisposable {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostTreeViews.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostTreeViews.ts
index cd21bb1bb31..f84369ccaeb 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostTreeViews.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostTreeViews.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { URI } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import { debounceEvent, Emitter, Event } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { Disposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { ExtHostTreeViewsShape, MainThreadTreeViewsShape } from './extHost.protocol';
-import { ITreeItem, TreeViewItemHandleArg, ITreeItemLabel } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
+import { ITreeItem, TreeViewItemHandleArg, ITreeItemLabel, IRevealOptions } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
 import { ExtHostCommands, CommandsConverter } from 'vs/workbench/api/node/extHostCommands';
 import { asThenable } from 'vs/base/common/async';
 import { TreeItemCollapsibleState, ThemeIcon } from 'vs/workbench/api/node/extHostTypes';
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export class ExtHostTreeViews implements ExtHostTreeViewsShape {
 			get onDidChangeSelection() { return treeView.onDidChangeSelection; },
 			get visible() { return treeView.visible; },
 			get onDidChangeVisibility() { return treeView.onDidChangeVisibility; },
-			reveal: (element: T, options?: { select?: boolean, focus?: boolean }): Thenable<void> => {
+			reveal: (element: T, options?: IRevealOptions): Thenable<void> => {
 				return treeView.reveal(element, options);
 			},
 			dispose: () => {
@@ -209,10 +209,11 @@ class ExtHostTreeView<T> extends Disposable {
 		return this.elements.get(treeItemHandle);
 	}
 
-	reveal(element: T, options?: { select?: boolean, focus?: boolean }): Promise<void> {
+	reveal(element: T, options?: IRevealOptions): Promise<void> {
 		options = options ? options : { select: true, focus: false };
 		const select = isUndefinedOrNull(options.select) ? true : options.select;
 		const focus = isUndefinedOrNull(options.focus) ? false : options.focus;
+		const expand = isUndefinedOrNull(options.expand) ? false : options.expand;
 
 		if (typeof this.dataProvider.getParent !== 'function') {
 			return Promise.reject(new Error(`Required registered TreeDataProvider to implement 'getParent' method to access 'reveal' method`));
@@ -220,7 +221,7 @@ class ExtHostTreeView<T> extends Disposable {
 		return this.refreshPromise
 			.then(() => this.resolveUnknownParentChain(element))
 			.then(parentChain => this.resolveTreeNode(element, parentChain[parentChain.length - 1])
-				.then(treeNode => this.proxy.$reveal(this.viewId, treeNode.item, parentChain.map(p => p.item), { select, focus })), error => this.logService.error(error));
+				.then(treeNode => this.proxy.$reveal(this.viewId, treeNode.item, parentChain.map(p => p.item), { select, focus, expand })), error => this.logService.error(error));
 	}
 
 	setExpanded(treeItemHandle: TreeItemHandle, expanded: boolean): void {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/customView.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/customView.ts
index abaa1b7eb73..68d83bf2f06 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/customView.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/views/customView.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import { IExtensionService } from 'vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/exten
 import { IWorkbenchThemeService } from 'vs/workbench/services/themes/common/workbenchThemeService';
 import { ICommandService } from 'vs/platform/commands/common/commands';
 import * as DOM from 'vs/base/browser/dom';
-import { isUndefinedOrNull } from 'vs/base/common/types';
 import { IDataSource, ITree, IRenderer, ContextMenuEvent } from 'vs/base/parts/tree/browser/tree';
 import { ResourceLabel } from 'vs/workbench/browser/labels';
 import { ActionBar, IActionItemProvider, ActionItem } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/actionbar/actionbar';
@@ -409,32 +408,22 @@ export class CustomTreeViewer extends Disposable implements ITreeViewer {
 		return Promise.resolve(null);
 	}
 
-	reveal(item: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options?: { select?: boolean, focus?: boolean }): TPromise<void> {
-		if (this.dataProvider && this.tree && this.isVisible) {
-			options = options ? options : { select: false, focus: false };
-			const select = isUndefinedOrNull(options.select) ? false : options.select;
-			const focus = isUndefinedOrNull(options.focus) ? false : options.focus;
+	expand(itemOrItems: ITreeItem | ITreeItem[]): TPromise<void> {
+		itemOrItems = Array.isArray(itemOrItems) ? itemOrItems : [itemOrItems];
+		return this.tree.expandAll(itemOrItems);
+	}
 
-			const root: Root = this.tree.getInput();
-			const promise: Thenable<void> = root.children ? Promise.resolve(null) : this.refresh(); // Refresh if root is not populated
-			return promise.then(() => {
-				var result = Promise.resolve(null);
-				parentChain.forEach((e) => {
-					result = result.then(() => this.tree.expand(e));
-				});
-				return result.then(() => this.tree.reveal(item))
-					.then(() => {
-						if (select) {
-							this.tree.setSelection([item], { source: 'api' });
-						}
-						if (focus) {
-							this.focus();
-							this.tree.setFocus(item);
-						}
-					});
-			});
-		}
-		return Promise.resolve(null);
+	setSelection(items: ITreeItem[]): void {
+		this.tree.setSelection(items, { source: 'api' });
+	}
+
+	setFocus(item: ITreeItem): void {
+		this.focus();
+		this.tree.setFocus(item);
+	}
+
+	reveal(item: ITreeItem): TPromise<void> {
+		return this.tree.reveal(item);
 	}
 
 	private activate() {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
index 3ee072af53b..c51a17c5c3a 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
@@ -265,13 +265,29 @@ export interface ITreeViewer extends IDisposable {
 
 	getOptimalWidth(): number;
 
-	reveal(item: ITreeItem, parentChain: ITreeItem[], options: { select?: boolean }): TPromise<void>;
+	reveal(item: ITreeItem): TPromise<void>;
+
+	expand(itemOrItems: ITreeItem | ITreeItem[]): TPromise<void>;
+
+	setSelection(items: ITreeItem[]): void;
+
+	setFocus(item: ITreeItem): void;
 
 	getPrimaryActions(): IAction[];
 
 	getSecondaryActions(): IAction[];
 }
 
+export interface IRevealOptions {
+
+	select?: boolean;
+
+	focus?: boolean;
+
+	expand?: boolean | number;
+
+}
+
 export interface ICustomViewDescriptor extends IViewDescriptor {
 
 	readonly treeViewer: ITreeViewer;