diff --git a/extensions/npm/README.md b/extensions/npm/README.md
index 1946e16a958..625002ee7ee 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/README.md
+++ b/extensions/npm/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Node npm
 
-**Notice** This is a an extension that is bundled with Visual Studio Code. 
+**Notice** This is a an extension that is bundled with Visual Studio Code.
 
 This extension supports running npm scripts defined in the `package.json` as [tasks](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/tasks). Scripts with the name 'build', 'compile', or 'watch'
 are treated as build tasks.
@@ -15,3 +15,4 @@ For more information about auto detection of Tasks pls see the [documentation](h
 - `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.
+- `npm.scriptExplorerAction` the default click action: `open` or `run`, the default is `open`.
diff --git a/extensions/npm/package.json b/extensions/npm/package.json
index 80d97e225af..a57db1747a0 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/package.json
+++ b/extensions/npm/package.json
@@ -98,19 +98,20 @@
         },
         {
           "command": "npm.runScript",
-					"when": "view == npm && viewItem == script",
-					"group": "inline"
+          "when": "view == npm && viewItem == script",
+          "group": "inline"
         },
         {
           "command": "npm.runScript",
-					"when": "view == npm && viewItem == debugScript",
-					"group": "inline"
+          "when": "view == npm && viewItem == debugScript",
+          "group": "inline"
         },
         {
           "command": "npm.debugScript",
-					"when": "view == npm && viewItem == debugScript",
-					"group": "inline"
-        },        {
+          "when": "view == npm && viewItem == debugScript",
+          "group": "inline"
+        },
+        {
           "command": "npm.debugScript",
           "when": "view == npm && viewItem == script",
           "group": "navigation@3"
@@ -164,6 +165,16 @@
           "default": false,
           "scope": "resource",
           "description": "%config.npm.enableScriptExplorer%"
+        },
+        "npm.scriptExplorerAction": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "enum": [
+            "open",
+            "run"
+          ],
+          "description": "%config.npm.scriptExplorerAction%",
+          "scope": "window",
+          "default": "open"
         }
       }
     },
diff --git a/extensions/npm/package.nls.json b/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
index 19acf55d865..dedd7af6161 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 	"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.",
+	"config.npm.scriptExplorerAction": "The default click action used in the scripts explorer: 'open' or 'run', the default is 'open'.",
 	"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 omitted.",
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/main.ts b/extensions/npm/src/main.ts
index 18db3890ef5..023fddbffb6 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/main.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/main.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void>
 				treeDataProvider.refresh();
 			}
 		}
+		if (e.affectsConfiguration('npm.scriptExplorerAction')) {
+			if (treeDataProvider) {
+				treeDataProvider.refresh();
+			}
+		}
 	});
 	context.subscriptions.push(addJSONProviders(httpRequest.xhr));
 }
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts b/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts
index acdf930f907..db2e086d50a 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts
@@ -65,23 +65,36 @@ class PackageJSON extends TreeItem {
 	}
 }
 
+type ExplorerCommands = 'open' | 'run';
+
 class NpmScript extends TreeItem {
 	task: Task;
 	package: PackageJSON;
 
 	constructor(context: ExtensionContext, packageJson: PackageJSON, task: Task) {
 		super(task.name, TreeItemCollapsibleState.None);
+		const command: ExplorerCommands = workspace.getConfiguration('npm').get<ExplorerCommands>('scriptExplorerAction') || 'open';
+
+		const commandList = {
+			'open': {
+				title: 'Edit Script',
+				command: 'npm.openScript',
+				arguments: [this]
+			},
+			'run': {
+				title: 'Run Script',
+				command: 'npm.runScript',
+				arguments: [this]
+			}
+		};
 		this.contextValue = 'script';
 		if (task.group && task.group === TaskGroup.Rebuild) {
 			this.contextValue = 'debugScript';
 		}
 		this.package = packageJson;
 		this.task = task;
-		this.command = {
-			title: 'Run Script',
-			command: 'npm.openScript',
-			arguments: [this]
-		};
+		this.command = commandList[command];
+
 		if (task.group && task.group === TaskGroup.Clean) {
 			this.iconPath = {
 				light: context.asAbsolutePath(path.join('resources', 'light', 'prepostscript.svg')),