diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/web.main.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/web.main.ts
index 531ec2810d0..feb9e070e1b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/web.main.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/web.main.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ import { joinPath } from 'vs/base/common/resources';
 import { BrowserStorageService } from 'vs/platform/storage/browser/storageService';
 import { IStorageService } from 'vs/platform/storage/common/storage';
 import { getThemeTypeSelector, DARK, HIGH_CONTRAST, LIGHT } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/themeService';
+import { IRequestService } from 'vs/platform/request/common/request';
+import { WebRequestService as RequestService } from 'vs/workbench/services/request/browser/requestService';
 
 class CodeRendererMain extends Disposable {
 
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ class CodeRendererMain extends Disposable {
 			fileService.registerProvider(Schemas.userData, userDataProvider);
 		}
 
-		const services = await Promise.all([
+		const [configurationService, storageService] = await Promise.all([
 			this.createWorkspaceService(payload, environmentService, fileService, remoteAgentService, logService).then(service => {
 
 				// Workspace
@@ -181,7 +183,10 @@ class CodeRendererMain extends Disposable {
 			})
 		]);
 
-		return { serviceCollection, logService, storageService: services[1] };
+		// Request Service
+		serviceCollection.set(IRequestService, new RequestService(this.configuration.requestHandler, remoteAgentService, configurationService, logService));
+
+		return { serviceCollection, logService, storageService };
 	}
 
 	private async createStorageService(payload: IWorkspaceInitializationPayload, environmentService: IWorkbenchEnvironmentService, fileService: IFileService, logService: ILogService): Promise<BrowserStorageService> {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/request/browser/requestService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/request/browser/requestService.ts
index e19f64feebb..f407c52231d 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/request/browser/requestService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/request/browser/requestService.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export class WebRequestService extends RequestService {
 	private readonly remoteRequestChannel: RequestChannelClient | null;
 
 	constructor(
+		private readonly requestHandler: ((options: IRequestOptions) => Promise<IRequestContext>) | undefined,
 		@IRemoteAgentService remoteAgentService: IRemoteAgentService,
 		@IConfigurationService configurationService: IConfigurationService,
 		@ILogService logService: ILogService
@@ -26,6 +27,9 @@ export class WebRequestService extends RequestService {
 	}
 
 	async request(options: IRequestOptions, token: CancellationToken): Promise<IRequestContext> {
+		if (this.requestHandler) {
+			return this.requestHandler(options);
+		}
 		try {
 			const context = await super.request(options, token);
 			if (this.remoteRequestChannel && context.res.statusCode === 405) {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/workbench.main.ts b/src/vs/workbench/workbench.main.ts
index 1d4bb760313..e56033f3c73 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/workbench.main.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/workbench.main.ts
@@ -68,8 +68,6 @@ import { IExtensionGalleryService } from 'vs/platform/extensionManagement/common
 import { IContextViewService } from 'vs/platform/contextview/browser/contextView';
 import { ContextViewService } from 'vs/platform/contextview/browser/contextViewService';
 import { ExtensionGalleryService } from 'vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionGalleryService';
-import { IRequestService } from 'vs/platform/request/common/request';
-import { RequestService } from 'vs/platform/request/browser/requestService';
 import { LifecycleService } from 'vs/platform/lifecycle/electron-browser/lifecycleService';
 import { ILifecycleService } from 'vs/platform/lifecycle/common/lifecycle';
 import { ILocalizationsService } from 'vs/platform/localizations/common/localizations';
@@ -154,7 +152,6 @@ registerSingleton(ITextResourceConfigurationService, TextResourceConfigurationSe
 registerSingleton(IAccessibilityService, AccessibilityService, true);
 registerSingleton(IContextViewService, ContextViewService, true);
 registerSingleton(IExtensionGalleryService, ExtensionGalleryService, true);
-registerSingleton(IRequestService, RequestService, true);
 registerSingleton(ILifecycleService, LifecycleService);
 registerSingleton(ILocalizationsService, LocalizationsService);
 registerSingleton(ISharedProcessService, SharedProcessService, true);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/workbench.web.api.ts b/src/vs/workbench/workbench.web.api.ts
index ae193ae3e26..c2dc14709b6 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/workbench.web.api.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/workbench.web.api.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import 'vs/workbench/workbench.web.main';
 import { main } from 'vs/workbench/browser/web.main';
 import { UriComponents } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import { IFileSystemProvider } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
+import { IRequestOptions, IRequestContext } from 'vs/platform/request/common/request';
 
 export interface IWorkbenchConstructionOptions {
 
@@ -37,6 +38,12 @@ export interface IWorkbenchConstructionOptions {
 	 * state like settings, keybindings, UI state (e.g. opened editors) and snippets.
 	 */
 	userDataProvider?: IFileSystemProvider;
+
+	/**
+	 * Experimental: Optional request handler to handle http requests.
+	 * In case not provided, workbench uses <code>XMLHttpRequest</code>.
+	 */
+	requestHandler?: (requestOptions: IRequestOptions) => Promise<IRequestContext>;
 }
 
 /**