diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4dd4fd1120e49..2514f882c53e3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/) and this p
 ### Changed
 
 - Changes the _Search & Compare_ view to be separate (detached) from the new grouped _GitLens_ view
+- API search in the _Launchpad_ is activated only when nothing is found locally
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/src/commands/quickCommand.ts b/src/commands/quickCommand.ts
index 71bced2c40df2..70d3bdcb7203d 100644
--- a/src/commands/quickCommand.ts
+++ b/src/commands/quickCommand.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export interface QuickPickStep<T extends QuickPickItem = QuickPickItem> {
 	onDidActivate?(quickpick: QuickPick<DirectiveQuickPickItem | T>): void;
 
 	onDidAccept?(quickpick: QuickPick<DirectiveQuickPickItem | T>): boolean | Promise<boolean>;
+	onDidChangeActive?(quickpick: QuickPick<DirectiveQuickPickItem | T>): boolean | Promise<boolean>;
 	onDidChangeValue?(quickpick: QuickPick<DirectiveQuickPickItem | T>): boolean | Promise<boolean>;
 	onDidChangeSelection?(quickpick: QuickPick<DirectiveQuickPickItem | T>, selection: readonly T[]): void;
 	onDidClickButton?(
diff --git a/src/commands/quickWizard.base.ts b/src/commands/quickWizard.base.ts
index 7192eaf101843..7eb9eaa1a5d52 100644
--- a/src/commands/quickWizard.base.ts
+++ b/src/commands/quickWizard.base.ts
@@ -621,6 +621,11 @@ export abstract class QuickWizardCommandBase extends GlCommandBase {
 							firstActiveChange = false;
 						}
 
+						if (step.onDidChangeActive != null) {
+							const cancel = step.onDidChangeActive(quickpick);
+							if (cancel) return;
+						}
+
 						if (rootStep.command != null || quickpick.activeItems.length === 0) return;
 
 						const command = quickpick.activeItems[0];
diff --git a/src/plus/launchpad/launchpad.ts b/src/plus/launchpad/launchpad.ts
index 31e4dd37e9e54..54e6c3d2d9b51 100644
--- a/src/plus/launchpad/launchpad.ts
+++ b/src/plus/launchpad/launchpad.ts
@@ -744,6 +744,17 @@ export class LaunchpadCommand extends QuickCommand<State> {
 
 				this.savedSearch = undefined;
 			},
+
+			onDidChangeActive: quickpick => {
+				const hasActiveLaunchpadItems = quickpick.activeItems.find(i => 'item' in i);
+				if (hasActiveLaunchpadItems) {
+					context.updateItemsDebouncer.cancel();
+					return true;
+				}
+
+				return false;
+			},
+
 			onDidChangeValue: async quickpick => {
 				const { value } = quickpick;
 				this.savedSearch = value;