diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/abstractTree.ts b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/abstractTree.ts
index 65c8b83ef844632bad340516a702a77d5973afaf..640ca169306e77fb50fe404da4a24454c8a75df7 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/abstractTree.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/abstractTree.ts
@@ -277,9 +277,10 @@ function asTreeContextMenuEvent<T>(event: IListContextMenuEvent<ITreeNode<T, any
 }
 
 export interface IAbstractTreeOptions<T, TFilterData = void> extends IListOptions<T> {
-	collapseByDefault?: boolean; // defaults to false
-	filter?: ITreeFilter<T, TFilterData>;
+	readonly collapseByDefault?: boolean; // defaults to false
+	readonly filter?: ITreeFilter<T, TFilterData>;
 	readonly dnd?: ITreeDragAndDrop<T>;
+	readonly autoExpandSingleChildren?: boolean;
 }
 
 export abstract class AbstractTree<T, TFilterData, TRef> implements IDisposable {
diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/asyncDataTree.ts b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/asyncDataTree.ts
index c66a021bee3bf3724f75b8f27942930b6a02ffac..a02ddccef816a66393b7a5d7454064f5908f791b 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/asyncDataTree.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/asyncDataTree.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ class AsyncDataTreeNodeListDragAndDrop<TInput, T> implements IListDragAndDrop<IA
 function asObjectTreeOptions<TInput, T, TFilterData>(options?: IAsyncDataTreeOptions<T, TFilterData>): IObjectTreeOptions<IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>, TFilterData> | undefined {
 	return options && {
 		...options,
+		collapseByDefault: true,
 		identityProvider: options.identityProvider && {
 			getId(el) {
 				return options.identityProvider!.getId(el.element as T);
@@ -230,6 +231,7 @@ function asTreeElement<TInput, T>(node: IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>): ITreeEle
 export interface IAsyncDataTreeOptions<T, TFilterData = void> extends IAbstractTreeOptions<T, TFilterData> {
 	identityProvider?: IIdentityProvider<T>;
 	sorter?: ITreeSorter<T>;
+	autoExpandSingleChildren?: boolean;
 }
 
 export class AsyncDataTree<TInput, T, TFilterData = void> implements IDisposable {
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@ export class AsyncDataTree<TInput, T, TFilterData = void> implements IDisposable
 	private readonly nodes = new Map<null | T, IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>>();
 	private readonly refreshPromises = new Map<IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>, CancelablePromise<T[]>>();
 	private readonly identityProvider?: IIdentityProvider<T>;
+	private readonly autoExpandSingleChildren: boolean;
 
 	private readonly _onDidChangeNodeState = new Emitter<IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>>();
 
@@ -261,14 +264,14 @@ export class AsyncDataTree<TInput, T, TFilterData = void> implements IDisposable
 		delegate: IListVirtualDelegate<T>,
 		renderers: ITreeRenderer<any /* TODO@joao */, TFilterData, any>[],
 		private dataSource: IAsyncDataSource<TInput, T>,
-		options?: IAsyncDataTreeOptions<T, TFilterData>
+		options: IAsyncDataTreeOptions<T, TFilterData> = {}
 	) {
-		this.identityProvider = options && options.identityProvider;
+		this.identityProvider = options.identityProvider;
+		this.autoExpandSingleChildren = typeof options.autoExpandSingleChildren === 'undefined' ? false : options.autoExpandSingleChildren;
 
 		const objectTreeDelegate = new ComposedTreeDelegate<TInput | T, IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>>(delegate);
 		const objectTreeRenderers = renderers.map(r => new DataTreeRenderer(r, this._onDidChangeNodeState.event));
 		const objectTreeOptions = asObjectTreeOptions<TInput, T, TFilterData>(options) || {};
-		objectTreeOptions.collapseByDefault = true;
 
 		this.tree = new ObjectTree(container, objectTreeDelegate, objectTreeRenderers, objectTreeOptions);
 
@@ -371,7 +374,7 @@ export class AsyncDataTree<TInput, T, TFilterData = void> implements IDisposable
 	async expand(element: T, recursive: boolean = false): Promise<boolean> {
 		const node = this.getDataNode(element);
 
-		if (!this.tree.isCollapsed(node === this.root ? null : node)) {
+		if (node !== this.root && !this.tree.isCollapsed(node === this.root ? null : node)) {
 			return false;
 		}
 
@@ -536,48 +539,59 @@ export class AsyncDataTree<TInput, T, TFilterData = void> implements IDisposable
 		return always(result, () => this.currentRefreshCalls.delete(node));
 	}
 
-	private doRefresh(node: IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>, recursive: boolean, reason: ChildrenResolutionReason): Promise<void> {
+	private async doRefresh(node: IAsyncDataTreeNode<TInput, T>, recursive: boolean, reason: ChildrenResolutionReason): Promise<void> {
 		const hasChildren = !!this.dataSource.hasChildren(node.element!);
 
 		if (!hasChildren) {
 			this.setChildren(node, [], recursive);
-			return Promise.resolve();
-		} else if (node !== this.root && (!this.tree.isCollapsible(node) || this.tree.isCollapsed(node))) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (node !== this.root && (!this.tree.isCollapsible(node) || this.tree.isCollapsed(node))) {
 			node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Uninitialized;
-			return Promise.resolve();
-		} else {
-			node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Loading;
+			return;
+		}
+
+		node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Loading;
+		this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
+
+		const slowTimeout = timeout(800);
+
+		slowTimeout.then(() => {
+			node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Slow;
 			this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
+		}, _ => null);
 
-			const slowTimeout = timeout(800);
+		try {
+			const children = await this.doGetChildren(node);
+			slowTimeout.cancel();
+			node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Loaded;
+			this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
 
-			slowTimeout.then(() => {
-				node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Slow;
-				this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
-			}, _ => null);
+			this.setChildren(node, children, recursive);
 
-			return Promise.resolve(this.doGetChildren(node))
-				.then(children => {
-					slowTimeout.cancel();
-					node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Loaded;
-					this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
+			if (node !== this.root && this.autoExpandSingleChildren && reason === ChildrenResolutionReason.Expand) {
+				const treeNode = this.tree.getNode(node);
+				const visibleChildren = treeNode.children.filter(node => node.visible);
 
-					this.setChildren(node, children, recursive);
-				}, err => {
-					if (isPromiseCanceledError(err)) {
-						return Promise.resolve(null);
-					}
+				if (visibleChildren.length === 1) {
+					this.tree.expand(visibleChildren[0].element, false);
+				}
+			}
+		} catch (err) {
+			if (isPromiseCanceledError(err)) {
+				return;
+			}
 
-					slowTimeout.cancel();
-					node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Uninitialized;
-					this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
+			slowTimeout.cancel();
+			node.state = AsyncDataTreeNodeState.Uninitialized;
+			this._onDidChangeNodeState.fire(node);
 
-					if (node !== this.root) {
-						this.tree.collapse(node === this.root ? null : node);
-					}
+			if (node !== this.root) {
+				this.tree.collapse(node === this.root ? null : node);
+			}
 
-					return Promise.reject(err);
-				});
+			throw err;
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/indexTreeModel.ts b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/indexTreeModel.ts
index 4390a4dc512c0a0ad16563873aa09c4918a75e7f..4c9fa0390a8f797796c9fb16b558241061539e4f 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/indexTreeModel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/indexTreeModel.ts
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ function getVisibleState(visibility: boolean | TreeVisibility): TreeVisibility {
 }
 
 export interface IIndexTreeModelOptions<T, TFilterData> {
-	collapseByDefault?: boolean; // defaults to false
-	filter?: ITreeFilter<T, TFilterData>;
+	readonly collapseByDefault?: boolean; // defaults to false
+	readonly filter?: ITreeFilter<T, TFilterData>;
+	readonly autoExpandSingleChildren?: boolean;
 }
 
 export class IndexTreeModel<T extends Exclude<any, undefined>, TFilterData = void> implements ITreeModel<T, TFilterData, number[]> {
@@ -58,10 +59,12 @@ export class IndexTreeModel<T extends Exclude<any, undefined>, TFilterData = voi
 
 	private collapseByDefault: boolean;
 	private filter?: ITreeFilter<T, TFilterData>;
+	private autoExpandSingleChildren: boolean;
 
 	constructor(private list: ISpliceable<ITreeNode<T, TFilterData>>, rootElement: T, options: IIndexTreeModelOptions<T, TFilterData> = {}) {
 		this.collapseByDefault = typeof options.collapseByDefault === 'undefined' ? false : options.collapseByDefault;
 		this.filter = options.filter;
+		this.autoExpandSingleChildren = typeof options.autoExpandSingleChildren === 'undefined' ? false : options.autoExpandSingleChildren;
 
 		// this.onDidChangeCollapseState(node => console.log(node.collapsed, node));
 
@@ -140,18 +143,45 @@ export class IndexTreeModel<T extends Exclude<any, undefined>, TFilterData = voi
 	}
 
 	setCollapsed(location: number[], collapsed?: boolean, recursive?: boolean): boolean {
-		const { node, listIndex, revealed } = this.getTreeNodeWithListIndex(location);
+		const node = this.getTreeNode(location);
 
 		if (typeof collapsed === 'undefined') {
 			collapsed = !node.collapsed;
 		}
 
-		return this.eventBufferer.bufferEvents(() => {
-			return this._setCollapsed(node, listIndex, revealed, collapsed!, recursive || false);
-		});
+		return this.eventBufferer.bufferEvents(() => this._setCollapsed(location, collapsed!, recursive));
+	}
+
+	private _setCollapsed(location: number[], collapsed: boolean, recursive?: boolean): boolean {
+		const { node, listIndex, revealed } = this.getTreeNodeWithListIndex(location);
+
+		const result = this._setListNodeCollapsed(node, listIndex, revealed, collapsed!, recursive || false);
+
+		if (this.autoExpandSingleChildren && !collapsed! && !recursive) {
+			let onlyVisibleChildIndex = -1;
+
+			for (let i = 0; i < node.children.length; i++) {
+				const child = node.children[i];
+
+				if (child.visible) {
+					if (onlyVisibleChildIndex > -1) {
+						onlyVisibleChildIndex = -1;
+						break;
+					} else {
+						onlyVisibleChildIndex = i;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			if (onlyVisibleChildIndex > -1) {
+				this._setCollapsed([...location, onlyVisibleChildIndex], false, false);
+			}
+		}
+
+		return result;
 	}
 
-	private _setCollapsed(node: IMutableTreeNode<T, TFilterData>, listIndex: number, revealed: boolean, collapsed: boolean, recursive: boolean): boolean {
+	private _setListNodeCollapsed(node: IMutableTreeNode<T, TFilterData>, listIndex: number, revealed: boolean, collapsed: boolean, recursive: boolean): boolean {
 		const result = this._setNodeCollapsed(node, collapsed, recursive, false);
 
 		if (!revealed || !node.visible) {
diff --git a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/objectTreeModel.ts b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/objectTreeModel.ts
index 7ed2449e061648a9611ec7b50413490828a779f7..3ac8b1b335378609f15276eb1c2605765e250140 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/objectTreeModel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/browser/ui/tree/objectTreeModel.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { Event } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { ITreeModel, ITreeNode, ITreeElement, ITreeSorter, ICollapseStateChangeEvent } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/tree/tree';
 
 export interface IObjectTreeModelOptions<T, TFilterData> extends IIndexTreeModelOptions<T, TFilterData> {
-	sorter?: ITreeSorter<T>;
+	readonly sorter?: ITreeSorter<T>;
 }
 
 export class ObjectTreeModel<T extends NonNullable<any>, TFilterData extends NonNullable<any> = void> implements ITreeModel<T | null, TFilterData, T | null> {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts
index 850055107f1648f6e19203f77ce2e8687ea63f1a..9550ca9bdf6a485ec044b268e36c5f5cc20e00d3 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/files/electron-browser/views/explorerView.ts
@@ -251,7 +251,8 @@ export class ExplorerView extends ViewletPanel {
 				multipleSelectionSupport: true,
 				filter: this.filter,
 				sorter: this.instantiationService.createInstance(FileSorter),
-				dnd: this.instantiationService.createInstance(FileDragAndDrop)
+				dnd: this.instantiationService.createInstance(FileDragAndDrop),
+				autoExpandSingleChildren: true
 			}, this.contextKeyService, this.listService, this.themeService, this.configurationService, this.keybindingService);
 
 		this.disposables.push(this.tree);