diff --git a/packages/task/src/browser/quick-open-task.ts b/packages/task/src/browser/quick-open-task.ts
index ee17b332d8018..343d77ea790f4 100644
--- a/packages/task/src/browser/quick-open-task.ts
+++ b/packages/task/src/browser/quick-open-task.ts
@@ -111,17 +111,22 @@ export class QuickOpenTask implements QuickOpenModel, QuickOpenHandler {
         );
 
         this.actionProvider = this.items.length ? this.taskActionProvider : undefined;
+    }
 
+    async open(): Promise<void> {
+        await this.init();
         if (!this.items.length) {
             this.items.push(new QuickOpenItem({
-                label: 'No tasks found',
-                run: (mode: QuickOpenMode): boolean => false
+                label: 'No task to run found. Configure Tasks...',
+                run: (mode: QuickOpenMode): boolean => {
+                    if (mode !== QuickOpenMode.OPEN) {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                    this.configure();
+                    return true;
+                }
             }));
         }
-    }
-
-    async open(): Promise<void> {
-        await this.init();
         this.quickOpenService.open(this, {
             placeholder: 'Select the task to run',
             fuzzyMatchLabel: true,
@@ -262,12 +267,11 @@ export class QuickOpenTask implements QuickOpenModel, QuickOpenHandler {
     async runBuildOrTestTask(buildOrTestType: 'build' | 'test'): Promise<void> {
         const shouldRunBuildTask = buildOrTestType === 'build';
         await this.init();
+        const buildOrTestTasks = this.items.filter((t: TaskRunQuickOpenItem) =>
+            shouldRunBuildTask ? TaskCustomization.isBuildTask(t.getTask()) : TaskCustomization.isTestTask(t.getTask())
+        );
         if (this.items.length > 1 ||
             this.items.length === 1 && (this.items[0] as TaskRunQuickOpenItem).getTask !== undefined) { // the item in `this.items` is not 'No tasks found'
-
-            const buildOrTestTasks = this.items.filter((t: TaskRunQuickOpenItem) =>
-                shouldRunBuildTask ? TaskCustomization.isBuildTask(t.getTask()) : TaskCustomization.isTestTask(t.getTask())
-            );
             this.actionProvider = undefined;
             if (buildOrTestTasks.length > 0) { // build / test tasks are defined in the workspace
                 const defaultBuildOrTestTasks = buildOrTestTasks.filter((t: TaskRunQuickOpenItem) =>
@@ -290,7 +294,7 @@ export class QuickOpenTask implements QuickOpenModel, QuickOpenHandler {
 
             } else { // no build / test tasks, display an action item to configure the build / test task
                 this.items = [new QuickOpenItem({
-                    label: `No ${buildOrTestType} task to run found. Configure ${buildOrTestType} task...`,
+                    label: `No ${buildOrTestType} task to run found. Configure ${buildOrTestType.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + buildOrTestType.slice(1)} Task...`,
                     run: (mode: QuickOpenMode): boolean => {
                         if (mode !== QuickOpenMode.OPEN) {
                             return false;
@@ -322,6 +326,19 @@ export class QuickOpenTask implements QuickOpenModel, QuickOpenHandler {
                     }
                 })];
             }
+        } else { // no tasks are currently present, prompt users if they'd like to configure a task.
+            this.items = [
+                new QuickOpenItem({
+                    label: `No ${buildOrTestType} task to run found. Configure ${buildOrTestType.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + buildOrTestType.slice(1)} Task...`,
+                    run: (mode: QuickOpenMode): boolean => {
+                        if (mode !== QuickOpenMode.OPEN) {
+                            return false;
+                        }
+                        this.configure();
+                        return true;
+                    }
+                })
+            ];
         }
 
         this.quickOpenService.open(this, {