diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsEditor2.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsEditor2.ts
index 8ec337a949c032b2c454b951011e7ccf1a74ff9c..e8df1004e74ede26a4a39ab6328d448c1a7873a5 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsEditor2.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsEditor2.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import { DefaultSettingsEditorModel } from 'vs/workbench/services/preferences/co
 import { editorBackground, foreground } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/colorRegistry';
 import { settingsHeaderForeground } from 'vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsWidgets';
 import { Separator } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/actionbar/actionbar';
+import { PreferencesEditor } from 'vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor';
 
 const $ = DOM.$;
 
@@ -351,7 +352,13 @@ export class SettingsEditor2 extends BaseEditor {
 
 		const renderer = this.instantiationService.createInstance(SettingsRenderer, this.settingsTreeContainer);
 		this._register(renderer.onDidChangeSetting(e => this.onDidChangeSetting(e.key, e.value)));
-		this._register(renderer.onDidOpenSettings(() => this.openSettingsFile()));
+		this._register(renderer.onDidOpenSettings(settingKey => {
+			this.openSettingsFile().then(editor => {
+				if (editor instanceof PreferencesEditor && settingKey) {
+					editor.focusSearch(settingKey);
+				}
+			});
+		}));
 		this._register(renderer.onDidClickSettingLink(settingName => this.revealSetting(settingName)));
 
 		this.settingsTree = this.instantiationService.createInstance(SettingsTree,
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsTree.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsTree.ts
index 85fca4d80cc5ea6a73aeba966f92cd141652e886..e1dfd2f0e4fdb90eedbcffcd091398b63d493bd4 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsTree.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/settingsTree.ts
@@ -537,8 +537,8 @@ export class SettingsRenderer implements ITreeRenderer {
 	private readonly _onDidChangeSetting: Emitter<ISettingChangeEvent> = new Emitter<ISettingChangeEvent>();
 	public readonly onDidChangeSetting: Event<ISettingChangeEvent> = this._onDidChangeSetting.event;
 
-	private readonly _onDidOpenSettings: Emitter<void> = new Emitter<void>();
-	public readonly onDidOpenSettings: Event<void> = this._onDidOpenSettings.event;
+	private readonly _onDidOpenSettings: Emitter<string> = new Emitter<string>();
+	public readonly onDidOpenSettings: Event<string> = this._onDidOpenSettings.event;
 
 	private readonly _onDidClickSettingLink: Emitter<string> = new Emitter<string>();
 	public readonly onDidClickSettingLink: Event<string> = this._onDidClickSettingLink.event;
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ export class SettingsRenderer implements ITreeRenderer {
 
 		const openSettingsButton = new Button(common.controlElement, { title: true, buttonBackground: null, buttonHoverBackground: null });
 		common.toDispose.push(openSettingsButton);
-		common.toDispose.push(openSettingsButton.onDidClick(() => this._onDidOpenSettings.fire()));
+		common.toDispose.push(openSettingsButton.onDidClick(() => template.onChange(null)));
 		openSettingsButton.label = localize('editInSettingsJson', "Edit in settings.json");
 		openSettingsButton.element.classList.add('edit-in-settings-button');
 
@@ -1126,8 +1126,7 @@ export class SettingsRenderer implements ITreeRenderer {
 
 	private renderComplexSetting(dataElement: SettingsTreeSettingElement, isSelected: boolean, template: ISettingComplexItemTemplate): void {
 		template.button.element.tabIndex = isSelected ? 0 : -1;
-
-		template.onChange = () => this._onDidOpenSettings.fire();
+		template.onChange = () => this._onDidOpenSettings.fire(dataElement.setting.key);
 	}
 
 	disposeTemplate(tree: ITree, templateId: string, template: IDisposableTemplate): void {