diff --git a/src/vs/base/parts/quickopen/browser/quickOpenWidget.ts b/src/vs/base/parts/quickopen/browser/quickOpenWidget.ts
index 7a3a473d970..dc7df956ff2 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/parts/quickopen/browser/quickOpenWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/parts/quickopen/browser/quickOpenWidget.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ export class QuickOpenWidget extends Disposable implements IModelProvider {
 	private styles: IQuickOpenStyles;
 	// @ts-ignore (legacy widget - to be replaced with quick input)
 	private renderer: Renderer;
+	private keyDownSeenSinceShown = false;
 
 	constructor(container: HTMLElement, callbacks: IQuickOpenCallbacks, options: IQuickOpenOptions) {
 		super();
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ export class QuickOpenWidget extends Disposable implements IModelProvider {
 		this._register(DOM.addDisposableListener(this.element, DOM.EventType.FOCUS, e => this.gainingFocus(), true));
 		this._register(DOM.addDisposableListener(this.element, DOM.EventType.BLUR, e => this.loosingFocus(e), true));
 		this._register(DOM.addDisposableListener(this.element, DOM.EventType.KEY_DOWN, e => {
+			this.keyDownSeenSinceShown = true;
 			const keyboardEvent: StandardKeyboardEvent = new StandardKeyboardEvent(e);
 			if (keyboardEvent.keyCode === KeyCode.Escape) {
 				DOM.EventHelper.stop(e, true);
@@ -220,6 +222,7 @@ export class QuickOpenWidget extends Disposable implements IModelProvider {
 
 		this._register(DOM.addDisposableListener(this.inputBox.inputElement, DOM.EventType.INPUT, (e: Event) => this.onType()));
 		this._register(DOM.addDisposableListener(this.inputBox.inputElement, DOM.EventType.KEY_DOWN, (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+			this.keyDownSeenSinceShown = true;
 			const keyboardEvent: StandardKeyboardEvent = new StandardKeyboardEvent(e);
 			const shouldOpenInBackground = this.shouldOpenInBackground(keyboardEvent);
 
@@ -300,6 +303,7 @@ export class QuickOpenWidget extends Disposable implements IModelProvider {
 		}));
 
 		this._register(DOM.addDisposableListener(this.treeContainer, DOM.EventType.KEY_DOWN, e => {
+			this.keyDownSeenSinceShown = true;
 			const keyboardEvent: StandardKeyboardEvent = new StandardKeyboardEvent(e);
 
 			// Only handle when in quick navigation mode
@@ -320,7 +324,7 @@ export class QuickOpenWidget extends Disposable implements IModelProvider {
 			const keyCode = keyboardEvent.keyCode;
 
 			// Only handle when in quick navigation mode
-			if (!this.quickNavigateConfiguration) {
+			if (!this.quickNavigateConfiguration || !this.keyDownSeenSinceShown) {
 				return;
 			}
 
@@ -595,6 +599,7 @@ export class QuickOpenWidget extends Disposable implements IModelProvider {
 		this.visible = true;
 		this.isLoosingFocus = false;
 		this.quickNavigateConfiguration = options ? options.quickNavigateConfiguration : undefined;
+		this.keyDownSeenSinceShown = false;
 
 		// Adjust UI for quick navigate mode
 		if (this.quickNavigateConfiguration) {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/quickinput/quickInput.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/quickinput/quickInput.ts
index 3a81e8c7c3b..529f2a9c95f 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/quickinput/quickInput.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/quickinput/quickInput.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ interface QuickInputUI {
 	onDidTriggerButton: Event<IQuickInputButton>;
 	ignoreFocusOut: boolean;
 	keyMods: Writeable<IKeyMods>;
+	keyDownSeenSinceShown: boolean;
 	isScreenReaderOptimized(): boolean;
 	show(controller: QuickInput): void;
 	setVisibilities(visibilities: Visibilities): void;
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ class QuickInput extends Disposable implements IQuickInput {
 				}
 			}),
 		);
+		this.ui.keyDownSeenSinceShown = false;
 		this.ui.show(this);
 		this.visible = true;
 		this.update();
@@ -554,6 +556,7 @@ class QuickPick<T extends IQuickPickItem> extends QuickInput implements IQuickPi
 				}
 			}));
 			this.visibleDisposables.add(this.ui.inputBox.onKeyDown(event => {
+				this.ui.keyDownSeenSinceShown = true;
 				switch (event.keyCode) {
 					case KeyCode.DownArrow:
 						this.ui.list.focus('Next');
@@ -652,7 +655,7 @@ class QuickPick<T extends IQuickPickItem> extends QuickInput implements IQuickPi
 
 	private registerQuickNavigation() {
 		return dom.addDisposableListener(this.ui.container, dom.EventType.KEY_UP, e => {
-			if (this.canSelectMany || !this.quickNavigate) {
+			if (this.canSelectMany || !this.quickNavigate || !this.ui.keyDownSeenSinceShown) {
 				return;
 			}
 
@@ -1111,6 +1114,7 @@ export class QuickInputService extends Component implements IQuickInputService {
 			inputBox.setFocus();
 		}));
 		this._register(dom.addDisposableListener(container, dom.EventType.KEY_DOWN, (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+			this.getUI().keyDownSeenSinceShown = true;
 			const event = new StandardKeyboardEvent(e);
 			switch (event.keyCode) {
 				case KeyCode.Enter:
@@ -1172,6 +1176,7 @@ export class QuickInputService extends Component implements IQuickInputService {
 			onDidTriggerButton: this.onDidTriggerButtonEmitter.event,
 			ignoreFocusOut: false,
 			keyMods: this.keyMods,
+			keyDownSeenSinceShown: false,
 			isScreenReaderOptimized: () => this.isScreenReaderOptimized(),
 			show: controller => this.show(controller),
 			hide: () => this.hide(),