diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts
index 4e38ab78809069de235433fcc1b03320b586218d..8451812db5acfaacaa83eb6e833a12137693f569 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor.ts
@@ -168,7 +168,10 @@ export class PreferencesEditor extends BaseEditor {
 		this.searchWidget.focus();
 	}
 
-	public focusSearch(): void {
+	public focusSearch(filter?: string): void {
+		if (filter !== null) {
+			this.searchWidget.setValue(filter);
+		}
 		this.searchWidget.focus();
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchViewlet.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchViewlet.ts
index a80ddee1837a382f404297a43c3dc9029ccbf767..1aaebaee8160c81b9ca8d27893ee579df64cb954 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchViewlet.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchViewlet.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ import { attachListStyler } from 'vs/platform/theme/common/styler';
 import { IOutputService } from 'vs/workbench/parts/output/common/output';
 import { Color } from 'vs/base/common/color';
 import { getOutOfWorkspaceEditorResources } from 'vs/workbench/parts/search/common/search';
+import { PreferencesEditor } from "vs/workbench/parts/preferences/browser/preferencesEditor";
 
 export class SearchViewlet extends Viewlet {
 
@@ -1081,11 +1082,12 @@ export class SearchViewlet extends Viewlet {
 					}).on(dom.EventType.CLICK, (e: MouseEvent) => {
 						dom.EventHelper.stop(e, false);
 
-						if (this.contextService.hasWorkspace()) {
-							this.preferencesService.openWorkspaceSettings().done(() => null, errors.onUnexpectedError);
-						} else {
-							this.preferencesService.openGlobalSettings().done(() => null, errors.onUnexpectedError);
-						}
+						let editorPromise = this.contextService.hasWorkspace() ? this.preferencesService.openWorkspaceSettings() : this.preferencesService.openGlobalSettings();
+						editorPromise.done(editor => {
+							if (editor instanceof PreferencesEditor) {
+								editor.focusSearch('.exclude');
+							}
+						}, errors.onUnexpectedError);
 					});
 				}