diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugProgress.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugProgress.ts
index 9b7d893b385c1c9dbdc62bb98d446d8603abfbee..6a8ef0397c2bdf691900ecd38bf31e6b27604acd 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugProgress.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/debug/browser/debugProgress.ts
@@ -8,14 +8,16 @@ import { IWorkbenchContribution } from 'vs/workbench/common/contributions';
 import { IDebugService, VIEWLET_ID, IDebugSession } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/debug/common/debug';
 import { IProgressService, ProgressLocation } from 'vs/platform/progress/common/progress';
 import { dispose, IDisposable } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
+import { IViewsService } from 'vs/workbench/common/views';
 
 export class DebugProgressContribution implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 
 	private toDispose: IDisposable[] = [];
 
 	constructor(
-		@IDebugService private readonly debugService: IDebugService,
-		@IProgressService private readonly progressService: IProgressService
+		@IDebugService debugService: IDebugService,
+		@IProgressService progressService: IProgressService,
+		@IViewsService viewsService: IViewsService
 	) {
 		let progressListener: IDisposable | undefined;
 		const listenOnProgress = (session: IDebugSession | undefined) => {
@@ -34,9 +36,11 @@ export class DebugProgressContribution implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 							});
 					});
 
-					this.progressService.withProgress({ location: VIEWLET_ID }, () => promise);
-					const source = this.debugService.getConfigurationManager().getDebuggerLabel(session.configuration.type);
-					this.progressService.withProgress({
+					if (viewsService.isViewContainerVisible(VIEWLET_ID)) {
+						progressService.withProgress({ location: VIEWLET_ID }, () => promise);
+					}
+					const source = debugService.getConfigurationManager().getDebuggerLabel(session.configuration.type);
+					progressService.withProgress({
 						location: ProgressLocation.Notification,
 						title: progressStartEvent.body.title,
 						cancellable: progressStartEvent.body.cancellable,
@@ -72,9 +76,9 @@ export class DebugProgressContribution implements IWorkbenchContribution {
 				});
 			}
 		};
-		this.toDispose.push(this.debugService.getViewModel().onDidFocusSession(listenOnProgress));
-		listenOnProgress(this.debugService.getViewModel().focusedSession);
-		this.toDispose.push(this.debugService.onWillNewSession(session => {
+		this.toDispose.push(debugService.getViewModel().onDidFocusSession(listenOnProgress));
+		listenOnProgress(debugService.getViewModel().focusedSession);
+		this.toDispose.push(debugService.onWillNewSession(session => {
 			if (!progressListener) {
 				listenOnProgress(session);
 			}