diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerDecorationsProvider.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerDecorationsProvider.ts
index f1708ff4d49..eb1f7705faf 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerDecorationsProvider.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerDecorationsProvider.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { IDecorationsProvider, IDecorationData } from 'vs/workbench/services/dec
 import { listInvalidItemForeground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
 import { DisposableStore } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { IExplorerService } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/files/common/files';
+import { explorerRootErrorEmitter } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerViewer';
 
 export class ExplorerDecorationsProvider implements IDecorationsProvider {
 	readonly label: string = localize('label', "Explorer");
@@ -30,6 +31,9 @@ export class ExplorerDecorationsProvider implements IDecorationsProvider {
 				this._onDidChange.fire([change.item.resource]);
 			}
 		}));
+		this.toDispose.add(explorerRootErrorEmitter.event((resource => {
+			this._onDidChange.fire([resource]);
+		})));
 	}
 
 	get onDidChange(): Event<URI[]> {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerViewer.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerViewer.ts
index d8d9f52f320..016249db38c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerViewer.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/views/explorerViewer.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import { IEditorService } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorServic
 import { IWorkspaceFolderCreationData } from 'vs/platform/workspaces/common/workspaces';
 import { findValidPasteFileTarget } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/files/browser/fileActions';
 import { FuzzyScore, createMatches } from 'vs/base/common/filters';
+import { Emitter } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 
 export class ExplorerDelegate implements IListVirtualDelegate<ExplorerItem> {
 
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ export class ExplorerDelegate implements IListVirtualDelegate<ExplorerItem> {
 	}
 }
 
+export const explorerRootErrorEmitter = new Emitter<URI>();
 export class ExplorerDataSource implements IAsyncDataSource<ExplorerItem | ExplorerItem[], ExplorerItem> {
 
 	constructor(
@@ -87,8 +89,9 @@ export class ExplorerDataSource implements IAsyncDataSource<ExplorerItem | Explo
 					// Single folder create a dummy explorer item to show error
 					const placeholder = new ExplorerItem(element.resource, undefined, false);
 					placeholder.isError = true;
-
 					return [placeholder];
+				} else {
+					explorerRootErrorEmitter.fire(element.resource);
 				}
 			} else {
 				// Do not show error for roots since we already use an explorer decoration to notify user
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/common/explorerModel.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/common/explorerModel.ts
index cf0172fd317..6bba996f279 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/common/explorerModel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/files/common/explorerModel.ts
@@ -247,9 +247,14 @@ export class ExplorerItem {
 			// Resolve metadata only when the mtime is needed since this can be expensive
 			// Mtime is only used when the sort order is 'modified'
 			const resolveMetadata = explorerService.sortOrder === 'modified';
-			const stat = await fileService.resolve(this.resource, { resolveSingleChildDescendants: true, resolveMetadata });
-			const resolved = ExplorerItem.create(stat, this);
-			ExplorerItem.mergeLocalWithDisk(resolved, this);
+			try {
+				const stat = await fileService.resolve(this.resource, { resolveSingleChildDescendants: true, resolveMetadata });
+				const resolved = ExplorerItem.create(stat, this);
+				ExplorerItem.mergeLocalWithDisk(resolved, this);
+			} catch (e) {
+				this.isError = true;
+				throw e;
+			}
 			this._isDirectoryResolved = true;
 		}