diff --git a/src/vs/base/parts/tree/browser/treeModel.ts b/src/vs/base/parts/tree/browser/treeModel.ts
index 38abf8eca456faf80f8d46d7809724f48f82a14b..d69b0d2bc98d884b1397659a9e0784d633224255 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/parts/tree/browser/treeModel.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/parts/tree/browser/treeModel.ts
@@ -453,7 +453,13 @@ export class Item {
 
 	private refreshChildren(recursive: boolean, safe: boolean = false, force: boolean = false): WinJS.Promise {
 		if (!force && !this.isExpanded()) {
-			this.needsChildrenRefresh = true;
+			const setNeedsChildrenRefresh = (item: Item) => {
+				item.needsChildrenRefresh = true;
+				item.forEachChild(setNeedsChildrenRefresh);
+			};
+
+			setNeedsChildrenRefresh(this);
+
 			return WinJS.TPromise.as(this);
 		}
 
@@ -511,8 +517,14 @@ export class Item {
 						return child.doRefresh(recursive, true);
 					}));
 				} else {
-					this.mapEachChild(child => child.updateVisibility());
-					return WinJS.TPromise.as(null);
+					return WinJS.Promise.join(this.mapEachChild((child) => {
+						if (child.needsChildrenRefresh) {
+							return child.doRefresh(recursive, true);
+						} else {
+							child.updateVisibility();
+							return WinJS.TPromise.as(null);
+						}
+					}));
 				}
 			});