diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.contribution.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.contribution.ts
index b3d4638f57a..70452c9d49d 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.contribution.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.contribution.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import product from 'vs/platform/product/common/product';
 import { IEditorGroupsService } from 'vs/workbench/services/editor/common/editorGroupsService';
 import { EditorOverride } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';
 import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
+import { CommandsRegistry } from 'vs/platform/commands/common/commands';
 
 
 export * as icons from 'vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStartedIcons';
@@ -122,6 +123,19 @@ registerAction2(class extends Action2 {
 	}
 });
 
+CommandsRegistry.registerCommand({
+	id: 'walkthroughs.selectStep',
+	handler: (accessor, stepID: string) => {
+		const editorService = accessor.get(IEditorService);
+		const editorPane = editorService.activeEditorPane;
+		if (editorPane instanceof GettingStartedPage) {
+			editorPane.selectStepLoose(stepID);
+		} else {
+			console.error('Cannot run walkthroughs.selectStep outside of walkthrough context');
+		}
+	}
+});
+
 registerAction2(class extends Action2 {
 	constructor() {
 		super({
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.ts
index 11fec69efca..9f5cd95c490 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStarted.ts
@@ -234,7 +234,8 @@ export class GettingStartedPage extends EditorPane {
 	}
 
 	async makeCategoryVisibleWhenAvailable(categoryID: string) {
-		await this.extensionService.whenInstalledExtensionsRegistered();
+		await this.gettingStartedService.installedExtensionsRegistered;
+
 		this.gettingStartedCategories = this.gettingStartedService.getCategories();
 		const ourCategory = this.gettingStartedCategories.find(c => c.id === categoryID);
 		if (!ourCategory) {
@@ -444,6 +445,11 @@ export class GettingStartedPage extends EditorPane {
 		}
 	}
 
+	async selectStepLoose(id: string) {
+		const toSelect = this.editorInput.selectedCategory + '#' + id;
+		this.selectStep(toSelect);
+	}
+
 	private async selectStep(id: string | undefined, delayFocus = true, forceRebuild = false) {
 		if (id && this.editorInput.selectedStep === id && !forceRebuild) { return; }
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStartedService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStartedService.ts
index 225fde1310c..16eac49227e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStartedService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/welcome/gettingStarted/browser/gettingStartedService.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ export interface IGettingStartedService {
 	progressByEvent(eventName: string): void;
 	progressStep(id: string): void;
 	deprogressStep(id: string): void;
+
+	installedExtensionsRegistered: Promise<void>;
 }
 
 export class GettingStartedService extends Disposable implements IGettingStartedService {
@@ -162,6 +164,9 @@ export class GettingStartedService extends Disposable implements IGettingStarted
 
 	private trackedContextKeys = new Set<string>();
 
+	private triggerInstalledExtensionsRegistered!: () => void;
+	installedExtensionsRegistered: Promise<void>;
+
 	constructor(
 		@IStorageService private readonly storageService: IStorageService,
 		@ICommandService private readonly commandService: ICommandService,
@@ -207,6 +212,8 @@ export class GettingStartedService extends Disposable implements IGettingStarted
 			if (userDataAutoSyncEnablementService.isEnabled()) { this.progressByEvent('onEvent:sync-enabled'); }
 		}));
 
+		this.installedExtensionsRegistered = new Promise(r => this.triggerInstalledExtensionsRegistered = r);
+
 		startEntries.forEach(async (entry, index) => {
 			this.getCategoryOverrides(entry);
 			this.registerStartEntry({
@@ -418,6 +425,8 @@ export class GettingStartedService extends Disposable implements IGettingStarted
 			this.registerWalkthrough(walkthoughDescriptior, steps);
 		}));
 
+		this.triggerInstalledExtensionsRegistered();
+
 		if (sectionToOpen && this.configurationService.getValue<string>('workbench.welcomePage.experimental.extensionContributions') !== 'hide') {
 			this.commandService.executeCommand('workbench.action.openWalkthrough', sectionToOpen);
 		}