diff --git a/extensions/git/src/api/api1.ts b/extensions/git/src/api/api1.ts
index 304968b00e6..c5f7cd9246d 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/api/api1.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/api/api1.ts
@@ -269,6 +269,11 @@ export class ApiImpl implements API {
 		return this.getRepository(root) || null;
 	}
 
+	async openRepository(root: Uri): Promise<Repository | null> {
+		await this._model.openRepository(root.fsPath);
+		return this.getRepository(root) || null;
+	}
+
 	registerRemoteSourceProvider(provider: RemoteSourceProvider): Disposable {
 		return this._model.registerRemoteSourceProvider(provider);
 	}
diff --git a/extensions/git/src/api/git.d.ts b/extensions/git/src/api/git.d.ts
index 719aef47006..43832f18600 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/api/git.d.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/api/git.d.ts
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ export interface API {
 	toGitUri(uri: Uri, ref: string): Uri;
 	getRepository(uri: Uri): Repository | null;
 	init(root: Uri): Promise<Repository | null>;
+	openRepository(root: Uri): Promise<Repository | null>
 
 	registerRemoteSourceProvider(provider: RemoteSourceProvider): Disposable;
 	registerCredentialsProvider(provider: CredentialsProvider): Disposable;