diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts
index 1ed3205e18d..29c01dfe5d5 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.ts
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ export class MainThreadTreeViews extends Disposable implements MainThreadTreeVie
 		this._proxy = extHostContext.getProxy(ExtHostContext.ExtHostTreeViews);
 	}
 
-	async $registerTreeViewDataProvider(treeViewId: string, options: { showCollapseAll: boolean; canSelectMany: boolean; dropMimeTypes: string[]; dragMimeTypes: string[]; hasHandleDrag: boolean }): Promise<void> {
+	async $registerTreeViewDataProvider(treeViewId: string, options: { showCollapseAll: boolean; canSelectMany: boolean; dropMimeTypes: string[]; dragMimeTypes: string[]; hasHandleDrag: boolean; hasHandleDrop: boolean }): Promise<void> {
 		this.logService.trace('MainThreadTreeViews#$registerTreeViewDataProvider', treeViewId, options);
 
 		this.extensionService.whenInstalledExtensionsRegistered().then(() => {
 			const dataProvider = new TreeViewDataProvider(treeViewId, this._proxy, this.notificationService);
 			this._dataProviders.set(treeViewId, dataProvider);
-			const dndController = options.dropMimeTypes
+			const dndController = (options.hasHandleDrag || options.hasHandleDrop)
 				? new TreeViewDragAndDropController(treeViewId, options.dropMimeTypes, options.dragMimeTypes, options.hasHandleDrag, this._proxy) : undefined;
 			const viewer = this.getTreeView(treeViewId);
 			if (viewer) {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHost.protocol.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHost.protocol.ts
index 4daf2237cca..c448595d763 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHost.protocol.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHost.protocol.ts
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ export interface MainThreadTextEditorsShape extends IDisposable {
 }
 
 export interface MainThreadTreeViewsShape extends IDisposable {
-	$registerTreeViewDataProvider(treeViewId: string, options: { showCollapseAll: boolean; canSelectMany: boolean; dropMimeTypes: string[]; dragMimeTypes: string[]; hasHandleDrag: boolean }): Promise<void>;
+	$registerTreeViewDataProvider(treeViewId: string, options: { showCollapseAll: boolean; canSelectMany: boolean; dropMimeTypes: string[]; dragMimeTypes: string[]; hasHandleDrag: boolean; hasHandleDrop: boolean }): Promise<void>;
 	$refresh(treeViewId: string, itemsToRefresh?: { [treeItemHandle: string]: ITreeItem }): Promise<void>;
 	$reveal(treeViewId: string, itemInfo: { item: ITreeItem; parentChain: ITreeItem[] } | undefined, options: IRevealOptions): Promise<void>;
 	$setMessage(treeViewId: string, message: string): void;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostTreeViews.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostTreeViews.ts
index aef614307af..c59dc885066 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostTreeViews.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostTreeViews.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ export class ExtHostTreeViews implements ExtHostTreeViewsShape {
 		const dropMimeTypes = options.dragAndDropController?.dropMimeTypes ?? [];
 		const dragMimeTypes = options.dragAndDropController?.dragMimeTypes ?? [];
 		const hasHandleDrag = !!options.dragAndDropController?.handleDrag;
-		const registerPromise = this._proxy.$registerTreeViewDataProvider(viewId, { showCollapseAll: !!options.showCollapseAll, canSelectMany: !!options.canSelectMany, dropMimeTypes, dragMimeTypes, hasHandleDrag: hasHandleDrag });
+		const hasHandleDrop = !!options.dragAndDropController?.handleDrop;
+		const registerPromise = this._proxy.$registerTreeViewDataProvider(viewId, { showCollapseAll: !!options.showCollapseAll, canSelectMany: !!options.canSelectMany, dropMimeTypes, dragMimeTypes, hasHandleDrag, hasHandleDrop });
 		const treeView = this.createExtHostTreeView(viewId, options, extension);
 		return {
 			get onDidCollapseElement() { return treeView.onDidCollapseElement; },
@@ -454,10 +455,12 @@ class ExtHostTreeView<T> extends Disposable {
 
 	async onDrop(treeDataTransfer: vscode.TreeDataTransfer, targetHandleOrNode: TreeItemHandle, token: CancellationToken): Promise<void> {
 		const target = this.getExtensionElement(targetHandleOrNode);
-		if (!target) {
+		if (!target || !this.dndController?.handleDrop) {
 			return;
 		}
-		return asPromise(() => this.dndController?.handleDrop(target, treeDataTransfer, token));
+		return asPromise(() => this.dndController?.handleDrop
+			? this.dndController.handleDrop(target, treeDataTransfer, token)
+			: undefined);
 	}
 
 	get hasResolve(): boolean {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/test/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.test.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/test/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.test.ts
index 17554ed9ecc..0803d8aabba 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/test/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.test.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/test/browser/mainThreadTreeViews.test.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ suite('MainThreadHostTreeView', function () {
 				}
 				drain(): any { return null; }
 			}, new TestViewsService(), new TestNotificationService(), testExtensionService, new NullLogService());
-		mainThreadTreeViews.$registerTreeViewDataProvider(testTreeViewId, { showCollapseAll: false, canSelectMany: false, dropMimeTypes: [], dragMimeTypes: [], hasHandleDrag: false });
+		mainThreadTreeViews.$registerTreeViewDataProvider(testTreeViewId, { showCollapseAll: false, canSelectMany: false, dropMimeTypes: [], dragMimeTypes: [], hasHandleDrag: false, hasHandleDrop: false });
 		await testExtensionService.whenInstalledExtensionsRegistered();
 	});
 
diff --git a/src/vscode-dts/vscode.proposed.treeViewDragAndDrop.d.ts b/src/vscode-dts/vscode.proposed.treeViewDragAndDrop.d.ts
index cf7e685095b..6d72ac81b0e 100644
--- a/src/vscode-dts/vscode.proposed.treeViewDragAndDrop.d.ts
+++ b/src/vscode-dts/vscode.proposed.treeViewDragAndDrop.d.ts
@@ -116,6 +116,6 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		 * @param target The target tree element that the drop is occurring on.
 		 * @param token A cancellation token indicating that the drop has been cancelled.
 		 */
-		handleDrop(target: T, source: TreeDataTransfer, token: CancellationToken): Thenable<void> | void;
+		handleDrop?(target: T, source: TreeDataTransfer, token: CancellationToken): Thenable<void> | void;
 	}
 }