diff --git a/packages/vsx-registry/src/browser/vsx-extensions-model.ts b/packages/vsx-registry/src/browser/vsx-extensions-model.ts
index b011688b4849b..4c031522aae4a 100644
--- a/packages/vsx-registry/src/browser/vsx-extensions-model.ts
+++ b/packages/vsx-registry/src/browser/vsx-extensions-model.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import * as sanitize from 'sanitize-html';
 import { Emitter } from '@theia/core/lib/common/event';
 import { CancellationToken, CancellationTokenSource } from '@theia/core/lib/common/cancellation';
 import { VSXRegistryAPI, VSXResponseError } from '../common/vsx-registry-api';
-import { VSXSearchParam } from '../common/vsx-registry-types';
+import { VSXExtensionRaw, VSXSearchParam } from '../common/vsx-registry-types';
 import { HostedPluginSupport } from '@theia/plugin-ext/lib/hosted/browser/hosted-plugin';
 import { VSXExtension, VSXExtensionFactory } from './vsx-extension';
 import { ProgressService } from '@theia/core/lib/common/progress-service';
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ export class VSXExtensionsModel {
 
     protected async refresh(id: string): Promise<VSXExtension | undefined> {
         try {
-            const data = await this.api.getLatestCompatibleExtensionVersion(id);
+            const data = await this.getExtensionData(id);
             if (!data) {
                 return;
             }
@@ -249,6 +249,24 @@ export class VSXExtensionsModel {
         return undefined;
     }
 
+    protected isBuiltin(id: string): boolean {
+        return this.getExtension(id)?.builtin === true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the extension data if it exists.
+     * - If the extension is a builtin, no compatibility check is performed.
+     * - If the extension is not a builtin, the latest compatible version should be fetched.
+     * @param id the extension id.
+     *
+     * @returns the extension data if it exists.
+     */
+    protected async getExtensionData(id: string): Promise<VSXExtensionRaw | undefined> {
+        return this.isBuiltin(id)
+            ? this.api.getExtension(id)
+            : this.api.getLatestCompatibleExtensionVersion(id);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Compare two extensions based on their display name, and publisher if applicable.
      * @param a the first extension id for comparison.
diff --git a/packages/vsx-registry/src/common/vsx-registry-api.ts b/packages/vsx-registry/src/common/vsx-registry-api.ts
index 28ba7878b9992..7158d5e5df880 100644
--- a/packages/vsx-registry/src/common/vsx-registry-api.ts
+++ b/packages/vsx-registry/src/common/vsx-registry-api.ts
@@ -41,11 +41,6 @@ export namespace VSXResponseError {
     }
 }
 
-/**
- * Namespace reserved for vscode builtin extensions.
- */
-const VSCODE_NAMESPACE = 'vscode';
-
 @injectable()
 export class VSXRegistryAPI {
 
@@ -145,10 +140,7 @@ export class VSXRegistryAPI {
         const extensions = await this.getAllVersions(id);
         for (let i = 0; i < extensions.length; i++) {
             const extension: VSXExtensionRaw = extensions[i];
-            // Skip vscode builtin extensions.
-            if (extension.namespace === VSCODE_NAMESPACE) {
-                return extension;
-            } else if (extension.engines && this.isEngineSupported(extension.engines.vscode)) {
+            if (extension.engines && this.isEngineSupported(extension.engines.vscode)) {
                 return extension;
             }
         }