diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts
index 1e282946c9a..44bb275e364 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostWebview.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export class ExtHostWebviewPanel implements vscode.WebviewPanel {
 	private readonly _proxy: MainThreadWebviewsShape;
 	private _isDisposed: boolean = false;
 	private _viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn;
-	private _visible: boolean;
+	private _visible: boolean = true;
 
 	public readonly onDisposeEmitter = new Emitter<void>();
 	public readonly onDidDispose: Event<void> = this.onDisposeEmitter.event;
@@ -242,12 +242,12 @@ export class ExtHostWebviews implements ExtHostWebviewsShape {
 		}
 	}
 
-	$onDidChangeWebviewViewState(handle: WebviewHandle, active: boolean, position: Position): void {
+	$onDidChangeWebviewViewState(handle: WebviewHandle, visible: boolean, position: Position): void {
 		const panel = this.getWebviewPanel(handle);
 		if (panel) {
 			const viewColumn = typeConverters.toViewColumn(position);
-			if (panel.visible !== active || panel.position !== viewColumn) {
-				panel.visible = active;
+			if (panel.visible !== visible || panel.position !== viewColumn) {
+				panel.visible = visible;
 				panel.position = viewColumn;
 				panel.onDidChangeViewStateEmitter.fire({ webviewPanel: panel });
 			}