diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionProfileService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionProfileService.ts
index 79f86a337741c..29ae1fd304347 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionProfileService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionProfileService.ts
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ export class ExtensionHostProfileService extends Disposable implements IExtensio
 		}
 	}
 
-	public startProfiling(): Promise<any> | null {
+	public async startProfiling(): Promise<any> {
 		if (this._state !== ProfileSessionState.None) {
 			return null;
 		}
 
-		const inspectPort = this._extensionService.getInspectPort();
+		const inspectPort = await this._extensionService.getInspectPort(false);
 		if (!inspectPort) {
 			return this._dialogService.confirm({
 				type: 'info',
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsAutoProfiler.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsAutoProfiler.ts
index 56fe69484cdfb..c5b6f8b87a13e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsAutoProfiler.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/extensionsAutoProfiler.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ export class ExtensionsAutoProfiler extends Disposable implements IWorkbenchCont
 
 	private async _onDidChangeResponsiveChange(event: IResponsiveStateChangeEvent): Promise<void> {
 
-		const port = this._extensionService.getInspectPort();
+		const port = await this._extensionService.getInspectPort(true);
 
 		if (!port) {
 			return;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/runtimeExtensionsEditor.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/runtimeExtensionsEditor.ts
index ffe0daa5e1c83..54e11fc150726 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/runtimeExtensionsEditor.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/extensions/electron-browser/runtimeExtensionsEditor.ts
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ export class DebugExtensionHostAction extends Action {
 
 	async run(): Promise<any> {
 
-		const inspectPort = this._extensionService.getInspectPort();
+		const inspectPort = await this._extensionService.getInspectPort(false);
 		if (!inspectPort) {
 			const res = await this._dialogService.confirm({
 				type: 'info',
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/abstractExtensionService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/abstractExtensionService.ts
index 65d4c2f70ac3e..c67415584ef89 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/abstractExtensionService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/abstractExtensionService.ts
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ export abstract class AbstractExtensionService extends Disposable implements IEx
 		return result;
 	}
 
-	public getInspectPort(): number {
-		return 0;
+	public getInspectPort(_tryEnableInspector: boolean): Promise<number> {
+		return Promise.resolve(0);
 	}
 
 	public async setRemoteEnvironment(env: { [key: string]: string | null }): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensionHostProcessManager.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensionHostProcessManager.ts
index 7bcf574d9ed4b..746953e1d39c7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensionHostProcessManager.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensionHostProcessManager.ts
@@ -238,8 +238,11 @@ export class ExtensionHostProcessManager extends Disposable {
 		});
 	}
 
-	public getInspectPort(): number {
+	public async getInspectPort(tryEnableInspector: boolean): Promise<number> {
 		if (this._extensionHostProcessWorker) {
+			if (tryEnableInspector) {
+				await this._extensionHostProcessWorker.enableInspectPort();
+			}
 			let port = this._extensionHostProcessWorker.getInspectPort();
 			if (port) {
 				return port;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensions.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensions.ts
index 0a436b458589a..074447cab223a 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensions.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/common/extensions.ts
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ export interface IExtensionService {
 	 * Return the inspect port or `0`, the latter means inspection
 	 * is not possible.
 	 */
-	getInspectPort(): number;
+	getInspectPort(tryEnableInspector: boolean): Promise<number>;
 
 	/**
 	 * Restarts the extension host.
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ export class NullExtensionService implements IExtensionService {
 	getExtension() { return Promise.resolve(undefined); }
 	readExtensionPointContributions<T>(_extPoint: IExtensionPoint<T>): Promise<ExtensionPointContribution<T>[]> { return Promise.resolve(Object.create(null)); }
 	getExtensionsStatus(): { [id: string]: IExtensionsStatus; } { return Object.create(null); }
-	getInspectPort(): number { return 0; }
+	getInspectPort(_tryEnableInspector: boolean): Promise<number> { return Promise.resolve(0); }
 	restartExtensionHost(): void { }
 	async setRemoteEnvironment(_env: { [key: string]: string | null }): Promise<void> { }
 	canAddExtension(): boolean { return false; }
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/electron-browser/extensionService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/electron-browser/extensionService.ts
index 9cc156d3d1118..6387493212be0 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/electron-browser/extensionService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/extensions/electron-browser/extensionService.ts
@@ -537,9 +537,9 @@ export class ExtensionService extends AbstractExtensionService implements IExten
 		this._doHandleExtensionPoints(this._registry.getAllExtensionDescriptions());
 	}
 
-	public getInspectPort(): number {
+	public async getInspectPort(tryEnableInspector: boolean): Promise<number> {
 		if (this._extensionHostProcessManagers.length > 0) {
-			return this._extensionHostProcessManagers[0].getInspectPort();
+			return this._extensionHostProcessManagers[0].getInspectPort(tryEnableInspector);
 		}
 		return 0;
 	}