diff --git a/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/mainController.ts b/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/mainController.ts
index e89c6ce08e..585e7d1996 100644
--- a/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/mainController.ts
+++ b/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/mainController.ts
@@ -88,14 +88,11 @@ export default class MainController implements Disposable {
 			filter[constants.sqlDatabaseProject] = ['sqlproj'];
 
 			let files: Uri[] | undefined = await this.apiWrapper.showOpenDialog({ filters: filter });
-			const prevCount = this.projectsController.projects.length;
 
 			if (files) {
 				for (const file of files) {
 					await this.projectsController.openProject(file);
 				}
-
-				await this.projectsController.focusProject(this.projectsController.projects[prevCount]); // focus the first of the newly-opened projects
 			}
 		}
 		catch (err) {
@@ -137,8 +134,10 @@ export default class MainController implements Disposable {
 			// TODO: what if the selected folder is outside the workspace?
 
 			const newProjFolderUri = (selectionResult as Uri[])[0];
-			const newProjFilePath = await this.projectsController.createNewProject(newProjName as string, newProjFolderUri as Uri);
-			return this.projectsController.openProject(Uri.file(newProjFilePath));
+			const newProjFilePath = await this.projectsController.createNewProject(<string>newProjName, newProjFolderUri);
+			const proj = await this.projectsController.openProject(Uri.file(newProjFilePath));
+
+			return proj;
 		}
 		catch (err) {
 			this.apiWrapper.showErrorMessage(getErrorMessage(err));
diff --git a/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/projectController.ts b/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/projectController.ts
index 3598c17ef5..9ef7b7cf20 100644
--- a/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/projectController.ts
+++ b/extensions/sql-database-projects/src/controllers/projectController.ts
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ export class ProjectsController {
 
 		try {
 			this.refreshProjectsTree();
+			this.focusProject(newProject);
 		}
 		catch (err) {
 			// if the project didnt load - remove it from the list of open projects
@@ -641,8 +642,6 @@ export class ProjectsController {
 
 			//Refresh project to show the added files
 			this.refreshProjectsTree();
-
-			await this.focusProject(project);
 		}
 		catch (err) {
 			this.apiWrapper.showErrorMessage(utils.getErrorMessage(err));