diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/ProjectView.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/ProjectView.java
index 2bb94e08d052..cc6916b8df6d 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/ProjectView.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/ProjectView.java
@@ -39,13 +39,19 @@ public abstract class ProjectView {
   public abstract ActionCallback selectCB(Object element, VirtualFile file, boolean requestFocus);
 
   /**
-   * Changes currently selected view and subview (if any).<br/>
-   * If a view (which is identified by {@code viewId}) has subviews but {@code subId} is {@code null} then no action is taken.
+   * Changes currently selected view and subview (if any).
+   * <p>
+   * When default subview is requested:<br/>
+   * - if the view had never been selected then the first subview is selected <br/>
+   * - otherwise subview won't be changed
+   * <p>
+   * It's an error when a view has no subviews and {@code subId} is not null.
    *
-   * @param subId subview id. {@code null} means view should not have subviews
+   * @param viewId id of view to be selected
+   * @param subId  id of subview to be selected
    */
   @NotNull
-  public abstract ActionCallback changeViewCB(@NotNull String viewId, @Nullable String subId);
+  public abstract ActionCallback changeViewCB(@NotNull String viewId, @Nullable("default subview") String subId);
 
   @Nullable
   public abstract PsiElement getParentOfCurrentSelection();
diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/impl/ProjectViewImpl.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/impl/ProjectViewImpl.java
index 951dc118ff78..5ccdd2e85c2b 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/impl/ProjectViewImpl.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/projectView/impl/ProjectViewImpl.java
@@ -934,17 +934,34 @@ public class ProjectViewImpl extends ProjectView implements PersistentStateCompo
 
   @NotNull
   @Override
-  public ActionCallback changeViewCB(@NotNull String viewId, String subId) {
+  public ActionCallback changeViewCB(@NotNull String viewId, @Nullable String subId) {
     AbstractProjectViewPane pane = getProjectViewPaneById(viewId);
     LOG.assertTrue(pane != null, "Project view pane not found: " + viewId + "; subId:" + subId + "; project: " + myProject);
-    if (!viewId.equals(getCurrentViewId())
-        || subId != null && !subId.equals(pane.getSubId())) {
-      for (Content content : getContentManager().getContents()) {
-        if (viewId.equals(content.getUserData(ID_KEY)) && StringUtil.equals(subId, content.getUserData(SUB_ID_KEY))) {
-          return getContentManager().setSelectedContentCB(content);
-        }
+
+    boolean hasSubViews = pane.getSubIds().length > 0;
+    if (hasSubViews) {
+      if (subId == null) {
+        // we try not to change subview
+        // get currently selected subId from the pane
+        subId = pane.getSubId();
       }
     }
+    else {
+      if (subId != null) {
+        LOG.error("View doesn't have subviews: " + viewId + "; subId:" + subId + "; project: " + myProject);
+      }
+    }
+    if (viewId.equals(myCurrentViewId) && Objects.equals(subId, myCurrentViewSubId)) return ActionCallback.REJECTED;
+
+    // at this point null subId means that view has no subviews OR subview was never selected
+    // we then search first content with the right viewId ignoring subIds of contents
+
+    for (Content content : getContentManager().getContents()) {
+      if (viewId.equals(content.getUserData(ID_KEY)) && (subId == null || subId.equals(content.getUserData(SUB_ID_KEY)))) {
+        return getContentManager().setSelectedContentCB(content);
+      }
+    }
+
     return ActionCallback.REJECTED;
   }