diff --git a/extensions/git/package.json b/extensions/git/package.json
index a7f9e33f31d..c1cd8b5135c 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.json
@@ -26,11 +26,6 @@
   },
   "contributes": {
     "commands": [
-      {
-        "command": "git.activate",
-        "title": "%command.activate%",
-        "category": "Git"
-      },
       {
         "command": "git.setLogLevel",
         "title": "%command.setLogLevel%",
@@ -456,10 +451,6 @@
     ],
     "menus": {
       "commandPalette": [
-        {
-          "command": "git.activate",
-          "when": "false"
-        },
         {
           "command": "git.clone",
           "when": "config.git.enabled"
diff --git a/extensions/git/package.nls.json b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
index 8cd65b4e477..f3d75519653 100644
--- a/extensions/git/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/git/package.nls.json
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"displayName": "Git",
 	"description": "Git SCM Integration",
-	"command.activate": "Activate",
 	"command.setLogLevel": "Set Log Level...",
 	"command.clone": "Clone",
 	"command.init": "Initialize Repository",
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/commands.ts b/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
index 25090369b71..be0f5387d15 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/commands.ts
@@ -253,11 +253,6 @@ export class CommandCenter {
 		});
 	}
 
-	@command('git.activate')
-	async activate(): Promise<void> {
-		// noop
-	}
-
 	@command('git.setLogLevel')
 	async setLogLevel(): Promise<void> {
 		const createItem = (logLevel: LogLevel) => ({
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts b/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts
index ce99e15cfe2..9e0933776a3 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/test/smoke.test.ts
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ suite('git smoke test', function () {
 		cp.execSync('git commit -m "initial commit"', { cwd });
 
 		// make sure git is activated
-		await commands.executeCommand('git.activate');
-		git = extensions.getExtension<GitExtension>('vscode.git')!.exports.getAPI(1);
+		const ext = extensions.getExtension<GitExtension>('vscode.git');
+		await ext?.activate();
+		git = ext!.exports.getAPI(1);
 
 		if (git.repositories.length === 0) {
 			await eventToPromise(git.onDidOpenRepository);