diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
index 06e521040c9..6554feee2d6 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ interface IUserFriendlyViewDescriptor {
 
 	// From 'remoteViewDescriptor' type
 	group?: string;
-	remoteAuthority?: string;
+	remoteName?: string | string[];
 }
 
 const viewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
@@ -123,9 +123,12 @@ const remoteViewDescriptor: IJSONSchema = {
 			description: localize('vscode.extension.contributes.view.group', 'Nested group in the viewlet'),
 			type: 'string'
 		},
-		remoteAuthority: {
-			description: localize('vscode.extension.contributes.view.remoteAuthority', 'The remote authority associated with this view'),
-			type: 'string'
+		remoteName: {
+			description: localize('vscode.extension.contributes.view.remoteName', 'The name of the remote type associated with this view'),
+			type: ['string', 'array'],
+			items: {
+				type: 'string'
+			}
 		}
 	}
 };
@@ -435,7 +438,7 @@ class ViewsExtensionHandler implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 						extensionId: extension.description.identifier,
 						originalContainerId: entry.key,
 						group: item.group,
-						remoteAuthority: item.remoteAuthority
+						remoteAuthority: item.remoteName || (<any>item).remoteAuthority // TODO@roblou - delete after remote extensions are updated
 					};
 
 					viewIds.push(viewDescriptor.id);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
index a93bb3aca6c..6a4147042e3 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export interface IViewDescriptor {
 	// For contributed remote explorer views
 	readonly group?: string;
 
-	readonly remoteAuthority?: string;
+	readonly remoteAuthority?: string | string[];
 }
 
 export interface IViewDescriptorCollection extends IDisposable {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts
index 0002bb19824..ed0a250c322 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/remote/browser/remote.ts
@@ -432,13 +432,16 @@ export class RemoteViewlet extends ViewContainerViewlet implements IViewModel {
 					return;
 				}
 
-				if (typeof descriptor.viewDescriptor.remoteAuthority === 'undefined' ||
-					descriptor.viewDescriptor.remoteAuthority === actualRemoteAuthority ||
-					descriptor.viewDescriptor.id === HelpPanel.ID
-				) {
+				const descriptorAuthority = descriptor.viewDescriptor.remoteAuthority;
+				if (typeof descriptorAuthority === 'undefined' || descriptor.viewDescriptor.id === HelpPanel.ID) {
 					panel.setExpanded(true);
 				} else {
-					panel.setExpanded(false);
+					const descriptorAuthorityArr = Array.isArray(descriptorAuthority) ? descriptorAuthority : [descriptorAuthority];
+					if (descriptorAuthorityArr.indexOf(actualRemoteAuthority) >= 0) {
+						panel.setExpanded(true);
+					} else {
+						panel.setExpanded(false);
+					}
 				}
 			});
 		}