diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/FileEditorManagerImpl.kt b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/FileEditorManagerImpl.kt
index fd94b5c0713f..5662b1220c88 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/FileEditorManagerImpl.kt
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/FileEditorManagerImpl.kt
@@ -921,6 +921,15 @@ open class FileEditorManagerImpl(
   }
 
   override suspend fun openFile(file: VirtualFile, options: FileEditorOpenOptions): FileEditorComposite {
+    if (!ClientId.isCurrentlyUnderLocalId) {
+      return clientFileEditorManager?.openFileAsync(
+        file = file,
+        // it used to be passed as forceCreate=false there, so we need to pass it as reuseOpen=true
+        // otherwise, any navigation will open a new editor composite which is invisible in RD mode
+        options = options.copy(reuseOpen = true),
+      ) ?: FileEditorComposite.EMPTY
+    }
+
     val mode = options.openMode
     if (mode == OpenMode.NEW_WINDOW) {
       return withContext(Dispatchers.EDT) {
@@ -951,19 +960,13 @@ open class FileEditorManagerImpl(
       }
     }
 
-    val isCurrentlyUnderLocalId = ClientId.isCurrentlyUnderLocalId
-
-    var composite: FileEditorComposite? = withContext(Dispatchers.EDT) {
+    val composite: FileEditorComposite? = withContext(Dispatchers.EDT) {
       writeIntentReadAction {
         val window = getWindowToOpen(options, file)
         if (forbidSplitFor(file) && !window.isFileOpen(file)) {
           closeFile(file)
         }
 
-        if (!isCurrentlyUnderLocalId) {
-          return@writeIntentReadAction null
-        }
-
         @Suppress("DuplicatedCode")
         runBulkTabChangeInEdt(window.owner) {
           doOpenInEdt(window = window, file = file, options = options, fileEntry = null)
@@ -971,21 +974,11 @@ open class FileEditorManagerImpl(
       }
     }
 
-    if (composite == null) {
-      assert(!isCurrentlyUnderLocalId)
-      composite = clientFileEditorManager?.openFileAsync(
-        file = file,
-        // it used to be passed as forceCreate=false there, so we need to pass it as reuseOpen=true
-        // otherwise, any navigation will open a new editor composite which is invisible in RD mode
-        options = options.copy(reuseOpen = true),
-      ) ?: FileEditorComposite.EMPTY
-    }
-
     // The client of the `openFile` API expects an editor to be available after invocation, so we wait until the file is opened
     if (composite is EditorComposite) {
       composite.waitForAvailable()
     }
-    return composite
+    return composite ?: FileEditorComposite.EMPTY
   }
 
   @ApiStatus.Internal