diff --git a/src/service.ts b/src/service.ts
index 44f31a18..cf46d452 100644
--- a/src/service.ts
+++ b/src/service.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ export default class VSCodeWorkerService implements Services.ServiceInstance {
         }
     }
 
+    private _handleSocketClose (code: number, reason: Buffer) {
+        const msg = `Connection closed. Code: ${code}, reason: ${reason.toString()}`
+        this._promisedSocket = Promise.reject(new Error(msg))
+        this._pendingMessages.forEach((resolver) => resolver(msg, null))
+    }
+
     async beforeSession (option: Options.Testrunner, capabilities: VSCodeCapabilities) {
         this._isWebSession = capabilities.browserName !== 'vscode'
 
@@ -103,9 +109,11 @@ export default class VSCodeWorkerService implements Services.ServiceInstance {
                 )
                 wss.on('connection', (socket) => {
                     log.info('Connected with VSCode workbench')
+                    this._promisedSocket = Promise.resolve(socket)
                     resolve(socket)
                     clearTimeout(socketTimeout)
                     socket.on('message', this._handleIncoming.bind(this))
+                    socket.once('close', this._handleSocketClose.bind(this))
                 })
             })
         }
diff --git a/test/specs/workbench.e2e.ts b/test/specs/workbench.e2e.ts
index 9f0cf157..31accdb3 100644
--- a/test/specs/workbench.e2e.ts
+++ b/test/specs/workbench.e2e.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/triple-slash-reference
 /// <reference path="../../dist/service.d.ts" />
 
+import path from 'node:path'
 import { browser, expect } from '@wdio/globals'
 import { skip } from './utils.js'
 
@@ -85,6 +86,20 @@ describe('workbench', () => {
         })
     })
 
+    it('can access the VSCode API after a new folder is opened @skipWeb', async () => {
+        const workspaceRoot = await browser.executeWorkbench<string | undefined>((vscode) => vscode.workspace.rootPath)
+        expect(workspaceRoot).not.toBe(undefined)
+        const newWorkspaceRoot = path.join(workspaceRoot!, 'test')
+        await browser.executeWorkbench((vscode, newRoot) => {
+            const uri = vscode.Uri.file(newRoot)
+            vscode.commands.executeCommand('vscode.openFolder', uri)
+        }, newWorkspaceRoot)
+        await browser.waitUntil(async () => {
+            const root = await browser.executeWorkbench((vscode) => vscode.workspace.rootPath)
+            return root === newWorkspaceRoot
+        })
+    })
+
     it('can send parameters to VSCode API invocation @skipWeb', async () => {
         const workbench = await browser.getWorkbench()
         const message = 'I passed this message as a parameter!'