diff --git a/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/singlefolder-tests/commands.test.ts b/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/singlefolder-tests/commands.test.ts
index bb5b6d2699391..42e2f6a125a4d 100644
--- a/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/singlefolder-tests/commands.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/vscode-api-tests/src/singlefolder-tests/commands.test.ts
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ suite('vscode API - commands', () => {
 		await commands.executeCommand('vscode.open', uri, ViewColumn.One);
 		assert.strictEqual(window.activeTextEditor?.viewColumn, ViewColumn.One);
 
+		await commands.executeCommand('vscode.open', uri.toString(), ViewColumn.Two); // call with string instead of URI
+		assert.strictEqual(window.activeTextEditor?.viewColumn, ViewColumn.Two);
+
 		let e1: Error | undefined = undefined;
 		try {
 			await commands.executeCommand('vscode.open');
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts
index 1d83460acc312..0d8e1b4335b54 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostApiCommands.ts
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ const newCommands: ApiCommand[] = [
 	new ApiCommand(
 		'vscode.open', '_workbench.open', 'Opens the provided resource in the editor. Can be a text or binary file, or an http(s) URL. If you need more control over the options for opening a text file, use vscode.window.showTextDocument instead.',
 		[
-			ApiCommandArgument.Uri,
+			ApiCommandArgument.UriOrString,
 			new ApiCommandArgument<vscode.ViewColumn | typeConverters.TextEditorOpenOptions | undefined, [vscode.ViewColumn?, ITextEditorOptions?] | undefined>('columnOrOptions', 'Either the column in which to open or editor options, see vscode.TextDocumentShowOptions',
 				v => v === undefined || typeof v === 'number' || typeof v === 'object',
 				v => !v ? v : typeof v === 'number' ? [typeConverters.ViewColumn.from(v), undefined] : [typeConverters.ViewColumn.from(v.viewColumn), typeConverters.TextEditorOpenOptions.from(v)]
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostCommands.ts
index 0d9833554e901..385949ff62684 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/common/extHostCommands.ts
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ export class CommandsConverter {
 export class ApiCommandArgument<V, O = V> {
 
 	static readonly Uri = new ApiCommandArgument<URI>('uri', 'Uri of a text document', v => URI.isUri(v), v => v);
+	static readonly UriOrString = new ApiCommandArgument<URI>('uriOrString', 'Uri-instance or string', v => URI.isUri(v) || typeof v === 'string', v => v);
 	static readonly Position = new ApiCommandArgument<extHostTypes.Position, IPosition>('position', 'A position in a text document', v => extHostTypes.Position.isPosition(v), extHostTypeConverter.Position.from);
 	static readonly Range = new ApiCommandArgument<extHostTypes.Range, IRange>('range', 'A range in a text document', v => extHostTypes.Range.isRange(v), extHostTypeConverter.Range.from);
 	static readonly Selection = new ApiCommandArgument<extHostTypes.Selection, ISelection>('selection', 'A selection in a text document', v => extHostTypes.Selection.isSelection(v), extHostTypeConverter.Selection.from);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
index 2fd082d335912..23ecce07fe070 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import { CommandsRegistry, ICommandHandler, ICommandService } from 'vs/platform/
 import { MenuRegistry, MenuId, registerAction2, Action2 } from 'vs/platform/actions/common/actions';
 import { CATEGORIES } from 'vs/workbench/common/actions';
 import { ActiveGroupEditorsByMostRecentlyUsedQuickAccess } from 'vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorQuickAccess';
-import { IOpenerService } from 'vs/platform/opener/common/opener';
+import { IOpenerService, matchesScheme } from 'vs/platform/opener/common/opener';
 import { EditorResolution, IEditorOptions, IResourceEditorInput, ITextEditorOptions } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';
 import { Schemas } from 'vs/base/common/network';
 import { SideBySideEditorInput } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor/sideBySideEditorInput';
@@ -492,22 +492,23 @@ function registerOpenEditorAPICommands(): void {
 		}
 	});
 
-	CommandsRegistry.registerCommand(API_OPEN_EDITOR_COMMAND_ID, async function (accessor: ServicesAccessor, resourceArg: UriComponents, columnAndOptions?: [EditorGroupColumn?, ITextEditorOptions?], label?: string, context?: IOpenEvent<unknown>) {
+	CommandsRegistry.registerCommand(API_OPEN_EDITOR_COMMAND_ID, async function (accessor: ServicesAccessor, resourceArg: UriComponents | string, columnAndOptions?: [EditorGroupColumn?, ITextEditorOptions?], label?: string, context?: IOpenEvent<unknown>) {
 		const editorService = accessor.get(IEditorService);
 		const editorGroupService = accessor.get(IEditorGroupsService);
 		const openerService = accessor.get(IOpenerService);
 		const pathService = accessor.get(IPathService);
 
-		const resource = URI.revive(resourceArg);
+		const resourceOrString = typeof resourceArg === 'string' ? resourceArg : URI.revive(resourceArg);
 		const [columnArg, optionsArg] = columnAndOptions ?? [];
 
 		// use editor options or editor view column or resource scheme
 		// as a hint to use the editor service for opening directly
-		if (optionsArg || typeof columnArg === 'number' || resource.scheme === Schemas.untitled) {
+		if (optionsArg || typeof columnArg === 'number' || matchesScheme(resourceOrString, Schemas.untitled)) {
 			const [options, column] = mixinContext(context, optionsArg, columnArg);
+			const resource = URI.isUri(resourceOrString) ? resourceOrString : URI.parse(resourceOrString);
 
 			let input: IResourceEditorInput | IUntitledTextResourceEditorInput;
-			if (resource.scheme === Schemas.untitled && resource.path.length > 1) {
+			if (matchesScheme(resource, Schemas.untitled) && resource.path.length > 1) {
 				// special case for untitled: we are getting a resource with meaningful
 				// path from an extension to use for the untitled editor. as such, we
 				// have to assume it as an associated resource to use when saving. we
@@ -524,13 +525,13 @@ function registerOpenEditorAPICommands(): void {
 		}
 
 		// do not allow to execute commands from here
-		else if (resource.scheme === 'command') {
+		else if (matchesScheme(resourceOrString, Schemas.command)) {
 			return;
 		}
 
 		// finally, delegate to opener service
 		else {
-			await openerService.open(resource, { openToSide: context?.sideBySide, editorOptions: context?.editorOptions });
+			await openerService.open(resourceOrString, { openToSide: context?.sideBySide, editorOptions: context?.editorOptions });
 		}
 	});