diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/apiCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/apiCommands.ts
index ebeb07a21a4..7670549c68f 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/apiCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/apiCommands.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,9 @@
  *  Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-import type * as vscode from 'vscode';
 import { URI, UriComponents } from 'vs/base/common/uri';
 import * as typeConverters from 'vs/workbench/api/common/extHostTypeConverters';
 import { CommandsRegistry, ICommandService, ICommandHandler } from 'vs/platform/commands/common/commands';
-import { ITextEditorOptions } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';
-import { EditorGroupColumn } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor';
 import { ServicesAccessor } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
 import { IOpenEmptyWindowOptions } from 'vs/platform/windows/common/windows';
 import { IWorkspacesService, IRecent } from 'vs/platform/workspaces/common/workspaces';
@@ -60,28 +57,6 @@ CommandsRegistry.registerCommand({
 	}
 });
 
-export class OpenWithAPICommand {
-	public static readonly ID = 'vscode.openWith';
-	public static execute(executor: ICommandsExecutor, resource: URI, viewType: string, columnOrOptions?: vscode.ViewColumn | typeConverters.TextEditorOpenOptions): Promise<any> {
-		let options: ITextEditorOptions | undefined;
-		let position: EditorGroupColumn | undefined;
-
-		if (typeof columnOrOptions === 'number') {
-			position = typeConverters.ViewColumn.from(columnOrOptions);
-		} else if (typeof columnOrOptions !== 'undefined') {
-			options = typeConverters.TextEditorOpenOptions.from(columnOrOptions);
-		}
-
-		return executor.executeCommand('_workbench.openWith', [
-			resource,
-			viewType,
-			options,
-			position
-		]);
-	}
-}
-CommandsRegistry.registerCommand(OpenWithAPICommand.ID, adjustHandler(OpenWithAPICommand.execute));
-
 CommandsRegistry.registerCommand('_workbench.removeFromRecentlyOpened', function (accessor: ServicesAccessor, uri: URI) {
 	const workspacesService = accessor.get(IWorkspacesService);
 	return workspacesService.removeRecentlyOpened([uri]);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts
index 8a9d750e572..08b2543a4a7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts
@@ -311,6 +311,18 @@ const newCommands: ApiCommand[] = [
 		],
 		ApiCommandResult.Void
 	),
+	new ApiCommand(
+		'vscode.openWith', '_workbench.openWith', 'Opens the provided resource with a specific editor.',
+		[
+			ApiCommandArgument.Uri.with('resource', 'Resource to open'),
+			ApiCommandArgument.String.with('viewId', 'Custom editor view id or \'default\' to use VS Code\'s default editor'),
+			new ApiCommandArgument<vscode.ViewColumn | typeConverters.TextEditorOpenOptions | undefined, [number?, ITextEditorOptions?] | undefined>('columnOrOptions', 'Either the column in which to open or editor options, see vscode.TextDocumentShowOptions',
+				v => v === undefined || typeof v === 'number' || typeof v === 'object',
+				v => !v ? v : typeof v === 'number' ? [v, undefined] : [typeConverters.ViewColumn.from(v.viewColumn), typeConverters.TextEditorOpenOptions.from(v)],
+			).optional()
+		],
+		ApiCommandResult.Void
+	),
 	new ApiCommand(
 		'vscode.diff', '_workbench.diff', 'Opens the provided resources in the diff editor to compare their contents.',
 		[
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
index 36b37447e55..bcd216abfed 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
@@ -480,13 +480,13 @@ function registerOpenEditorAPICommands(): void {
 		}, viewColumnToEditorGroup(editorGroupService, column));
 	});
 
-	CommandsRegistry.registerCommand(API_OPEN_WITH_EDITOR_COMMAND_ID, (accessor: ServicesAccessor, payload: [UriComponents, string, ITextEditorOptions | undefined, EditorGroupColumn | undefined]) => {
+	CommandsRegistry.registerCommand(API_OPEN_WITH_EDITOR_COMMAND_ID, (accessor: ServicesAccessor, resource: UriComponents, id: string, columnAndOptions: [EditorGroupColumn?, ITextEditorOptions?]) => {
 		const editorService = accessor.get(IEditorService);
 		const editorGroupsService = accessor.get(IEditorGroupsService);
 		const configurationService = accessor.get(IConfigurationService);
 		const quickInputService = accessor.get(IQuickInputService);
 
-		const [resource, id, optionsArg, columnArg] = payload;
+		const [columnArg, options] = columnAndOptions;
 		let group: IEditorGroup | undefined = undefined;
 
 		if (columnArg === SIDE_GROUP) {
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ function registerOpenEditorAPICommands(): void {
 		}
 
 		const textOptions: ITextEditorOptions = optionsArg ? { ...optionsArg, override: false } : { override: false };
-
+      
 		const input = editorService.createEditorInput({ resource: URI.revive(resource) });
 		return openEditorWith(input, id, textOptions, group, editorService, configurationService, quickInputService);
 	});