diff --git a/src/main.js b/src/main.js
index 1eef87ad080ec..04e39a6f38ccd 100644
--- a/src/main.js
+++ b/src/main.js
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ protocol.registerSchemesAsPrivileged([
 			corsEnabled: true,
 		}
 	},
+	{
+		scheme: 'vscode-file',
+		privileges: {
+			secure: true,
+			standard: true,
+			corsEnabled: true
+		}
+	}
 ]);
 
 // Global app listeners
@@ -161,6 +169,24 @@ async function onReady() {
 	try {
 		const [cachedDataDir, nlsConfig] = await Promise.all([nodeCachedDataDir.ensureExists(), resolveNlsConfiguration()]);
 
+		protocol.registerFileProtocol('vscode-file', async (request, callback) => {
+			const uri = new URL(request.url);
+
+			if (uri.pathname.startsWith(app.getAppPath())) {
+				return callback({
+					path: uri.pathname
+				});
+			} else {
+				console.error('vscode-file: Cannot load resource outside of app root');
+				return callback({ error: -3 /* ABORTED */ });
+			}
+		});
+
+		protocol.interceptFileProtocol('file', async (request, callback) => {
+			console.error('file: protocol is not allowed in this app');
+			return callback({ error: -3 /* ABORTED */ });
+		});
+
 		startup(cachedDataDir, nlsConfig);
 	} catch (error) {
 		console.error(error);
diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/sharedProcess.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/sharedProcess.ts
index 782cb228ea479..1ef9d08a43837 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/sharedProcess.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/sharedProcess.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ export class SharedProcess implements ISharedProcess {
 		};
 
 		const url = `${require.toUrl('vs/code/electron-browser/sharedProcess/sharedProcess.html')}?config=${encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify(config))}`;
-		this.window.loadURL(url);
+		this.window.loadURL('vscode-file://localhost' + url.slice(7));
 
 		// Prevent the window from dying
 		const onClose = (e: ElectronEvent) => {
diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/window.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/window.ts
index 2cdb6b90d6df3..9973a15ebfdfd 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/window.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/window.ts
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ export class CodeWindow extends Disposable implements ICodeWindow {
 
 		// Load URL
 		perf.mark('main:loadWindow');
-		this._win.loadURL(this.getUrl(configuration));
+		this._win.loadURL('vscode-file://localhost' + this.getUrl(configuration).slice(7));
 
 		// Make window visible if it did not open in N seconds because this indicates an error
 		// Only do this when running out of sources and not when running tests