diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
index b3832d12ec4..1623761f656 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ import { CancellationToken, CancellationTokenSource } from 'vs/base/common/cance
 import { IExtensionUrlTrustService } from 'vs/platform/extensionManagement/common/extensionUrlTrust';
 import { ExtensionUrlTrustService } from 'vs/platform/extensionManagement/node/extensionUrlTrustService';
 import { once } from 'vs/base/common/functional';
+import { getRemoteAuthority } from 'vs/platform/remote/common/remoteHosts';
 
 /**
  * The main VS Code application. There will only ever be one instance,
@@ -757,7 +758,8 @@ export class CodeApplication extends Disposable {
 						context: OpenContext.API,
 						cli: { ...environmentService.args },
 						forceEmpty: true,
-						gotoLineMode: true
+						gotoLineMode: true,
+						remoteAuthority: getRemoteAuthority(uri)
 					});
 
 					await window.ready();
@@ -792,6 +794,7 @@ export class CodeApplication extends Disposable {
 		const hasFileURIs = !!args['file-uri'];
 		const noRecentEntry = args['skip-add-to-recently-opened'] === true;
 		const waitMarkerFileURI = args.wait && args.waitMarkerFilePath ? URI.file(args.waitMarkerFilePath) : undefined;
+		const remoteAuthority = args.remote || undefined;
 
 		// check for a pending window to open from URI
 		// e.g. when running code with --open-uri from
@@ -815,7 +818,8 @@ export class CodeApplication extends Disposable {
 				forceEmpty: true,
 				noRecentEntry,
 				waitMarkerFileURI,
-				initialStartup: true
+				initialStartup: true,
+				remoteAuthority
 			});
 		}
 
@@ -840,7 +844,8 @@ export class CodeApplication extends Disposable {
 			noRecentEntry,
 			waitMarkerFileURI,
 			gotoLineMode: args.goto,
-			initialStartup: true
+			initialStartup: true,
+			remoteAuthority
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/launch/electron-main/launchMainService.ts b/src/vs/platform/launch/electron-main/launchMainService.ts
index c613f990407..2a28c9ee659 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/launch/electron-main/launchMainService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/launch/electron-main/launchMainService.ts
@@ -119,14 +119,16 @@ export class LaunchMainService implements ILaunchMainService {
 		let usedWindows: ICodeWindow[] = [];
 
 		const waitMarkerFileURI = args.wait && args.waitMarkerFilePath ? URI.file(args.waitMarkerFilePath) : undefined;
+		const remoteAuthority = args.remote || undefined;
 
 		// Special case extension development
 		if (!!args.extensionDevelopmentPath) {
-			this.windowsMainService.openExtensionDevelopmentHostWindow(args.extensionDevelopmentPath, { context, cli: args, userEnv, waitMarkerFileURI });
+			this.windowsMainService.openExtensionDevelopmentHostWindow(args.extensionDevelopmentPath, { context, cli: args, userEnv, waitMarkerFileURI, remoteAuthority });
 		}
 
 		// Start without file/folder arguments
 		else if (!args._.length && !args['folder-uri'] && !args['file-uri']) {
+
 			let openNewWindow = false;
 
 			// Force new window
@@ -163,7 +165,8 @@ export class LaunchMainService implements ILaunchMainService {
 					userEnv,
 					forceNewWindow: true,
 					forceEmpty: true,
-					waitMarkerFileURI
+					waitMarkerFileURI,
+					remoteAuthority
 				});
 			}
 
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ export class LaunchMainService implements ILaunchMainService {
 
 					usedWindows = [lastActive];
 				} else {
-					usedWindows = this.windowsMainService.open({ context, cli: args, forceEmpty: true });
+					usedWindows = this.windowsMainService.open({ context, cli: args, forceEmpty: true, remoteAuthority });
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -193,7 +196,8 @@ export class LaunchMainService implements ILaunchMainService {
 				addMode: args.add,
 				noRecentEntry: !!args['skip-add-to-recently-opened'],
 				waitMarkerFileURI,
-				gotoLineMode: args.goto
+				gotoLineMode: args.goto,
+				remoteAuthority
 			});
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/native/electron-main/nativeHostMainService.ts b/src/vs/platform/native/electron-main/nativeHostMainService.ts
index 9007e3216da..60915434baa 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/native/electron-main/nativeHostMainService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/native/electron-main/nativeHostMainService.ts
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ export class NativeHostMainService extends Disposable implements INativeHostMain
 				addMode: options.addMode,
 				gotoLineMode: options.gotoLineMode,
 				noRecentEntry: options.noRecentEntry,
-				waitMarkerFileURI: options.waitMarkerFileURI
+				waitMarkerFileURI: options.waitMarkerFileURI,
+				remoteAuthority: options.remoteAuthority
 			});
 		}
 	}
@@ -309,7 +310,8 @@ export class NativeHostMainService extends Disposable implements INativeHostMain
 			contextWindowId: windowId,
 			cli: this.environmentMainService.args,
 			urisToOpen: openable,
-			forceNewWindow: options.forceNewWindow
+			forceNewWindow: options.forceNewWindow,
+			remoteAuthority: undefined // always local
 		});
 	}
 
@@ -521,7 +523,7 @@ export class NativeHostMainService extends Disposable implements INativeHostMain
 	//#region macOS Touchbar
 
 	async newWindowTab(): Promise<void> {
-		this.windowsMainService.open({ context: OpenContext.API, cli: this.environmentMainService.args, forceNewTabbedWindow: true, forceEmpty: true });
+		this.windowsMainService.open({ context: OpenContext.API, cli: this.environmentMainService.args, forceNewTabbedWindow: true, forceEmpty: true, remoteAuthority: this.environmentMainService.args.remote || undefined });
 	}
 
 	async showPreviousWindowTab(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts
index 02aeb30e0bc..65f5ba315c5 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/common/windows.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export const WindowMinimumSize = {
 
 export interface IBaseOpenWindowsOptions {
 	readonly forceReuseWindow?: boolean;
+	readonly remoteAuthority?: string;
 }
 
 export interface IOpenWindowOptions extends IBaseOpenWindowsOptions {
@@ -48,7 +49,6 @@ export interface IOpenedWindow {
 }
 
 export interface IOpenEmptyWindowOptions extends IBaseOpenWindowsOptions {
-	readonly remoteAuthority?: string;
 }
 
 export type IWindowOpenable = IWorkspaceToOpen | IFolderToOpen | IFileToOpen;
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts
index 96f92d28946..2ac9b935845 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windows.ts
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ export interface IOpenConfiguration extends IBaseOpenConfiguration {
 	readonly gotoLineMode?: boolean;
 	readonly initialStartup?: boolean;
 	readonly noRecentEntry?: boolean;
+	readonly remoteAuthority?: string;
 }
 
 export interface IOpenEmptyConfiguration extends IBaseOpenConfiguration { }
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts
index f68cf41be11..e23a4b15dc3 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/windows/electron-main/windowsMainService.ts
@@ -160,16 +160,12 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 
 	openEmptyWindow(openConfig: IOpenEmptyConfiguration, options?: IOpenEmptyWindowOptions): ICodeWindow[] {
 		let cli = this.environmentMainService.args;
-		const remote = options?.remoteAuthority;
-		if (cli && (cli.remote !== remote)) {
-			cli = { ...cli, remote };
-		}
-
+		const remoteAuthority = options?.remoteAuthority;
 		const forceEmpty = true;
 		const forceReuseWindow = options?.forceReuseWindow;
 		const forceNewWindow = !forceReuseWindow;
 
-		return this.open({ ...openConfig, cli, forceEmpty, forceNewWindow, forceReuseWindow });
+		return this.open({ ...openConfig, cli, forceEmpty, forceNewWindow, forceReuseWindow, remoteAuthority });
 	}
 
 	open(openConfig: IOpenConfiguration): ICodeWindow[] {
@@ -507,7 +503,7 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 				emptyToOpen++;
 			}
 
-			const remoteAuthority = filesToOpen ? filesToOpen.remoteAuthority : (openConfig.cli && openConfig.cli.remote || undefined);
+			const remoteAuthority = filesToOpen ? filesToOpen.remoteAuthority : openConfig.remoteAuthority;
 
 			for (let i = 0; i < emptyToOpen; i++) {
 				addUsedWindow(this.doOpenEmpty(openConfig, openFolderInNewWindow, remoteAuthority, filesToOpen), !!filesToOpen);
@@ -650,7 +646,7 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 
 	private doExtractPathsFromAPI(openConfig: IOpenConfiguration): IPathToOpen[] {
 		const pathsToOpen: IPathToOpen[] = [];
-		const pathResolveOptions: IPathResolveOptions = { gotoLineMode: openConfig.gotoLineMode };
+		const pathResolveOptions: IPathResolveOptions = { gotoLineMode: openConfig.gotoLineMode, remoteAuthority: openConfig.remoteAuthority };
 		for (const pathToOpen of coalesce(openConfig.urisToOpen || [])) {
 			const path = this.resolveOpenable(pathToOpen, pathResolveOptions);
 
@@ -1060,11 +1056,12 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 			}
 		}
 
-		let authority = '';
+		let authority = openConfig.remoteAuthority;
 		for (const extensionDevelopmentPath of extensionDevelopmentPaths) {
 			if (extensionDevelopmentPath.match(/^[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z0-9\+\-\.]+:/)) {
 				const url = URI.parse(extensionDevelopmentPath);
-				if (url.scheme === Schemas.vscodeRemote) {
+				const remoteAuhtority = getRemoteAuthority(url);
+				if (remoteAuhtority) {
 					if (authority) {
 						if (url.authority !== authority) {
 							this.logService.error('more than one extension development path authority');
@@ -1086,7 +1083,7 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 				return false;
 			}
 
-			return uri.authority === authority;
+			return getRemoteAuthority(uri) === authority;
 		});
 
 		folderUris = folderUris.filter(folderUriStr => {
@@ -1095,7 +1092,7 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 				return false;
 			}
 
-			return folderUri ? folderUri.authority === authority : false;
+			return folderUri ? getRemoteAuthority(folderUri) === authority : false;
 		});
 
 		fileUris = fileUris.filter(fileUriStr => {
@@ -1104,18 +1101,14 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 				return false;
 			}
 
-			return fileUri ? fileUri.authority === authority : false;
+			return fileUri ? getRemoteAuthority(fileUri) === authority : false;
 		});
 
 		openConfig.cli._ = cliArgs;
 		openConfig.cli['folder-uri'] = folderUris;
 		openConfig.cli['file-uri'] = fileUris;
 
-		// if there are no files or folders cli args left, use the "remote" cli argument
 		const noFilesOrFolders = !cliArgs.length && !folderUris.length && !fileUris.length;
-		if (noFilesOrFolders && authority) {
-			openConfig.cli.remote = authority;
-		}
 
 		// Open it
 		const openArgs: IOpenConfiguration = {
@@ -1125,7 +1118,8 @@ export class WindowsMainService extends Disposable implements IWindowsMainServic
 			forceEmpty: noFilesOrFolders,
 			userEnv: openConfig.userEnv,
 			noRecentEntry: true,
-			waitMarkerFileURI: openConfig.waitMarkerFileURI
+			waitMarkerFileURI: openConfig.waitMarkerFileURI,
+			remoteAuthority: authority
 		};
 
 		return this.open(openArgs);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/fileCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/fileCommands.ts
index 73bc376a362..e31fb3176ba 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/fileCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/fileCommands.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import { IEditorGroupsService, GroupsOrder, IEditorGroup } from 'vs/workbench/se
 import { ILabelService } from 'vs/platform/label/common/label';
 import { basename, joinPath, isEqual } from 'vs/base/common/resources';
 import { IDisposable, dispose } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
-import { IEnvironmentService } from 'vs/platform/environment/common/environment';
 import { UNTITLED_WORKSPACE_NAME } from 'vs/platform/workspaces/common/workspaces';
 import { coalesce } from 'vs/base/common/arrays';
 import { ICodeEditorService } from 'vs/editor/browser/services/codeEditorService';
@@ -44,6 +43,7 @@ import { IUriIdentityService } from 'vs/workbench/services/uriIdentity/common/ur
 import { isPromiseCanceledError } from 'vs/base/common/errors';
 import { toAction } from 'vs/base/common/actions';
 import { EditorOverride } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';
+import { IWorkbenchEnvironmentService } from 'vs/workbench/services/environment/common/environmentService';
 
 // Commands
 
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export const NEW_UNTITLED_FILE_LABEL = nls.localize('newUntitledFile', "New Unti
 export const openWindowCommand = (accessor: ServicesAccessor, toOpen: IWindowOpenable[], options?: IOpenWindowOptions) => {
 	if (Array.isArray(toOpen)) {
 		const hostService = accessor.get(IHostService);
-		const environmentService = accessor.get(IEnvironmentService);
+		const environmentService = accessor.get(IWorkbenchEnvironmentService);
 
 		// rewrite untitled: workspace URIs to the absolute path on disk
 		toOpen = toOpen.map(openable => {
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ export const openWindowCommand = (accessor: ServicesAccessor, toOpen: IWindowOpe
 
 			return openable;
 		});
+		if (environmentService.remoteAuthority) {
+			options = { ...(options || {}), remoteAuthority: environmentService.remoteAuthority };
+		}
 
 		hostService.openWindow(toOpen, options);
 	}