diff --git a/extensions/npm/README.md b/extensions/npm/README.md
index 33d85a1f547..1946e16a958 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/README.md
+++ b/extensions/npm/README.md
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ For more information about auto detection of Tasks pls see the [documentation](h
 - `npm.runSilent` run npm script with the `--silent` option, the default is `false`.
 - `npm.packageManager` the package manager used to run the scripts: `npm` or `yarn`, the default is `npm`.
 - `npm.exclude` glob patterns for folders that should be excluded from automatic script detection. The pattern is matched against the **absolute path** of the package.json. For example, to exclude all test folders use '**/test/**'.
-- `npm.enableScriptExplorer` enable an explorer view for npm scripts when the workspace contains a 'package.json' file.
+- `npm.enableScriptExplorer` enable an explorer view for npm scripts.
diff --git a/extensions/npm/package.json b/extensions/npm/package.json
index 5affb9009f4..7df53cb226a 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/package.json
+++ b/extensions/npm/package.json
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@
   "activationEvents": [
     "onCommand:workbench.action.tasks.runTask",
     "onLanguage:json",
-    "onView:npm",
-    "workspaceContains:**/package.json"
+    "onView:npm"
   ],
   "contributes": {
     "views": {
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@
         {
           "id": "npm",
           "name": "%view.name%",
-          "when": "hasNpmScripts"
+          "when": "showExplorer"
         }
       ]
     },
diff --git a/extensions/npm/package.nls.json b/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
index 9caaff63fc3..a3b43f64c0b 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	"config.npm.runSilent": "Run npm commands with the `--silent` option.",
 	"config.npm.packageManager": "The package manager used to run scripts.",
 	"config.npm.exclude": "Configure glob patterns for folders that should be excluded from automatic script detection.",
-	"config.npm.enableScriptExplorer": "Enable an explorer view for npm scripts, when the workspace contains a 'package.json' file.",
+	"config.npm.enableScriptExplorer": "Enable an explorer view for npm scripts.",
 	"npm.parseError": "Npm task detection: failed to parse the file {0}",
 	"taskdef.script": "The npm script to customize.",
 	"taskdef.path": "The path to the folder of the package.json file that provides the script. Can be ommitted.",
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/main.ts b/extensions/npm/src/main.ts
index d3ebc055c7d..ef0c87d7467 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/main.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/main.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import * as vscode from 'vscode';
 
 import { addJSONProviders } from './features/jsonContributions';
 import { NpmScriptsTreeDataProvider } from './npmView';
-import { provideNpmScripts, hasNpmScripts, explorerIsEnabled } from './tasks';
+import { provideNpmScripts, explorerIsEnabled } from './tasks';
 
 let taskProvider: vscode.Disposable | undefined;
 
@@ -17,7 +17,12 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void>
 	taskProvider = registerTaskProvider();
 	registerExplorer(context);
 	configureHttpRequest();
-	vscode.workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration(() => configureHttpRequest());
+	vscode.workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration((e) => {
+		configureHttpRequest();
+		if (e.affectsConfiguration('npm.enableScriptExplorer')) {
+			updateExplorerVisibility();
+		}
+	});
 	context.subscriptions.push(addJSONProviders(httpRequest.xhr));
 }
 
@@ -36,14 +41,16 @@ function registerTaskProvider(): vscode.Disposable | undefined {
 	return undefined;
 }
 
+function updateExplorerVisibility() {
+	vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'showExplorer', explorerIsEnabled());
+}
+
 async function registerExplorer(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
-	if (explorerIsEnabled() && vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders) {
+	if (vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders) {
 		let treeDataProvider = vscode.window.registerTreeDataProvider('npm', new NpmScriptsTreeDataProvider(context));
 		context.subscriptions.push(treeDataProvider);
-		if (await hasNpmScripts()) {
-			vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'hasNpmScripts', true);
-		}
 	}
+	updateExplorerVisibility();
 }
 
 function configureHttpRequest() {