diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
index 1afba78adc1..684099bfbd4 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/browser/viewsExtensionPoint.ts
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ class ViewsExtensionHandler implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 
 		if (!viewContainer) {
 
-			viewContainer = this.viewContainersRegistry.registerViewContainer(id, extensionId);
+			viewContainer = this.viewContainersRegistry.registerViewContainer(id, true, extensionId);
 
 			// Register as viewlet
 			class CustomViewlet extends ViewContainerViewlet {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
index 43de15875e1..ae45d960b9c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/common/views.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export interface IViewContainersRegistry {
 	 *
 	 * @returns the registered ViewContainer.
 	 */
-	registerViewContainer(id: string, extensionId?: ExtensionIdentifier): ViewContainer;
+	registerViewContainer(id: string, hideIfEmpty?: boolean, extensionId?: ExtensionIdentifier): ViewContainer;
 
 	/**
 	 * Deregisters the given view container
@@ -84,12 +84,11 @@ class ViewContainersRegistryImpl implements IViewContainersRegistry {
 		return values(this.viewContainers);
 	}
 
-	registerViewContainer(id: string, extensionId?: ExtensionIdentifier): ViewContainer {
+	registerViewContainer(id: string, hideIfEmpty?: boolean, extensionId?: ExtensionIdentifier): ViewContainer {
 		const existing = this.viewContainers.get(id);
 		if (existing) {
 			return existing;
 		}
-		const hideIfEmpty = id === TEST_VIEW_CONTAINER_ID || !!extensionId;
 
 		const viewContainer = new class extends ViewContainer {
 			constructor() {