diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/preferences/browser/preferencesActions.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/preferences/browser/preferencesActions.ts
index 8037852103fa4..8ec573cce1e76 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/preferences/browser/preferencesActions.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/preferences/browser/preferencesActions.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export class ConfigureLanguageBasedSettingsAction extends Action {
 				if (pick) {
 					const languageId = this.languageService.getLanguageIdByLanguageName(pick.label);
 					if (typeof languageId === 'string') {
-						return this.preferencesService.openUserSettings({ jsonEditor: true, revealSetting: { key: `[${languageId}]`, edit: true } });
+						return this.preferencesService.openLanguageSpecificSettings(languageId);
 					}
 				}
 				return undefined;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/browser/preferencesService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/browser/preferencesService.ts
index cf784fb572492..eb5737fa9af6f 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/browser/preferencesService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/browser/preferencesService.ts
@@ -218,6 +218,18 @@ export class PreferencesService extends Disposable implements IPreferencesServic
 		return this.open(this.userSettingsResource, options);
 	}
 
+	openLanguageSpecificSettings(languageId: string, options: IOpenSettingsOptions = {}): Promise<IEditorPane | undefined> {
+		if (this.shouldOpenJsonByDefault()) {
+			options.query = undefined;
+			options.revealSetting = { key: `[${languageId}]`, edit: true };
+		} else {
+			options.query = `@lang:${languageId}${options.query ? ` ${options.query}` : ''}`;
+		}
+		options.target = options.target ?? ConfigurationTarget.USER_LOCAL;
+
+		return this.open(this.userSettingsResource, options);
+	}
+
 	private open(settingsResource: URI, options: IOpenSettingsOptions): Promise<IEditorPane | undefined> {
 		options = {
 			...options,
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferences.ts b/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferences.ts
index a60de6ae3c1cd..50588fe6d00b7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferences.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/services/preferences/common/preferences.ts
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ export interface IPreferencesService {
 	openFolderSettings(options: IOpenSettingsOptions & { folderUri: IOpenSettingsOptions['folderUri'] }): Promise<IEditorPane | undefined>;
 	openGlobalKeybindingSettings(textual: boolean, options?: IKeybindingsEditorOptions): Promise<void>;
 	openDefaultKeybindingsFile(): Promise<IEditorPane | undefined>;
+	openLanguageSpecificSettings(language: string, options?: IOpenSettingsOptions): Promise<IEditorPane | undefined>;
 	getEditableSettingsURI(configurationTarget: ConfigurationTarget, resource?: URI): Promise<URI | null>;
 
 	createSplitJsonEditorInput(configurationTarget: ConfigurationTarget, resource: URI): EditorInput;