diff --git a/resources/linux/code.desktop b/resources/linux/code.desktop
index 47ed1616faa..a76cb26ea8a 100644
--- a/resources/linux/code.desktop
+++ b/resources/linux/code.desktop
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 Name=@@NAME_LONG@@
 Comment=Code Editing. Redefined.
 GenericName=Text Editor
-Exec=/usr/share/@@NAME@@/@@NAME@@ --new-window-if-not-first %U
+Exec=/usr/share/@@NAME@@/@@NAME@@ --unity-launch %U
 Icon=@@NAME@@
 Type=Application
 StartupNotify=true
diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/launch.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/launch.ts
index 1fe3c4cb558..e69f31b9363 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/launch.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/launch.ts
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export class LaunchService implements ILaunchService {
 		let usedWindows: VSCodeWindow[];
 		if (!!args.extensionDevelopmentPath) {
 			this.windowsService.openExtensionDevelopmentHostWindow({ context, cli: args, userEnv });
-		} else if (args._.length === 0 && (args['new-window'] || args['new-window-if-not-first'])) {
+		} else if (args._.length === 0 && (args['new-window'] || args['unity-launch'])) {
 			usedWindows = this.windowsService.open({ context, cli: args, userEnv, forceNewWindow: true, forceEmpty: true });
 		} else if (args._.length === 0) {
 			usedWindows = [this.windowsService.focusLastActive(args, context)];
diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts
index 523dc06bc50..ba8f2436591 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/main.ts
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ function main(accessor: ServicesAccessor, mainIpcServer: Server, userEnv: platfo
 		} else if (global.macOpenFiles && global.macOpenFiles.length && (!environmentService.args._ || !environmentService.args._.length)) {
 			windowsMainService.open({ context: OpenContext.DOCK, cli: environmentService.args, pathsToOpen: global.macOpenFiles, initialStartup: true }); // mac: open-file event received on startup
 		} else {
-			windowsMainService.open({ context, cli: environmentService.args, forceNewWindow: environmentService.args['new-window'] || environmentService.args['new-window-if-not-first'], diffMode: environmentService.args.diff, initialStartup: true }); // default: read paths from cli
+			windowsMainService.open({ context, cli: environmentService.args, forceNewWindow: environmentService.args['new-window'] || (!environmentService.args._.length && environmentService.args['unity-launch']), diffMode: environmentService.args.diff, initialStartup: true }); // default: read paths from cli
 		}
 
 		// Install Menu
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts
index d3f54e8d5aa..9a3509e0c54 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/common/environment.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ export interface ParsedArgs {
 	diff?: boolean;
 	goto?: boolean;
 	'new-window'?: boolean;
-	'new-window-if-not-first'?: boolean;
+	/**
+	 * Always open a new window, except if opening the first window or opening a file or folder as part of the launch.
+	 */
+	'unity-launch'?: boolean;
 	'reuse-window'?: boolean;
 	locale?: string;
 	'user-data-dir'?: string;
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
index 242222b67a8..89ccbfc3a53 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/environment/node/argv.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const options: minimist.Opts = {
 		'diff',
 		'goto',
 		'new-window',
-		'new-window-if-not-first',
+		'unity-launch',
 		'reuse-window',
 		'performance',
 		'verbose',