fixes #33288

src/vs/workbench/parts/scm/electron-browser/media/scmViewlet.css

@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@
 	flex: 1;
 }
 
+.scm-viewlet .empty-message {
+	padding: 10px 22px 0 22px;
+	opacity: 0.5;
+}
+
+.scm-viewlet:not(.empty) .empty-message {
+	display: none;
+}
+
 .scm-viewlet .scm-status {
 	height: 100%;
 }

src/vs/workbench/parts/scm/electron-browser/scmViewlet.ts

@@ -510,18 +510,21 @@ export class SCMViewlet extends PersistentViewsViewlet {
 	private onDidAddRepository(repository: ISCMRepository): void {
 		const view = new SourceControlViewDescriptor(repository);
 		ViewsRegistry.registerViews([view]);
+		toggleClass(this.getContainer().getHTMLElement(), 'empty', this.views.length === 0);
 		this.updateTitleArea();
 	}
 
 	private onDidRemoveRepository(repository: ISCMRepository): void {
 		ViewsRegistry.deregisterViews([repository.provider.id], ViewLocation.SCM);
+		toggleClass(this.getContainer().getHTMLElement(), 'empty', this.views.length === 0);
 		this.updateTitleArea();
 	}
 
 	async create(parent: Builder): TPromise<void> {
 		await super.create(parent);
 
-		parent.addClass('scm-viewlet');
+		parent.addClass('scm-viewlet', 'empty');
+		append(parent.getHTMLElement(), $('div.empty-message', null, localize('no open repo', "There are no source controls active.")));
 
 		this.scmService.onDidAddRepository(this.onDidAddRepository, this, this.disposables);
 		this.scmService.onDidRemoveRepository(this.onDidRemoveRepository, this, this.disposables);