diff --git a/src/server/editorServices.ts b/src/server/editorServices.ts
index e110d0a589e..09fa9414253 100644
--- a/src/server/editorServices.ts
+++ b/src/server/editorServices.ts
@@ -923,7 +923,8 @@ namespace ts.server {
 
         /*@internal*/
         delayEnsureProjectForOpenFiles() {
-            if (!this.openFiles.size) return;
+            // If no open files or no external project, do not schedule
+            if (!this.openFiles.size && !this.externalProjects.length && !this.externalProjectToConfiguredProjectMap.size) return;
             this.pendingEnsureProjectForOpenFiles = true;
             this.throttledOperations.schedule("*ensureProjectForOpenFiles*", /*delay*/ 2500, () => {
                 if (this.pendingProjectUpdates.size !== 0) {