diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/iterm.scpt b/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/iterm.scpt
index 84e068fbddb6e..0002a807644fe 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/iterm.scpt
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/iterm.scpt
@@ -10,7 +10,12 @@ on run argv
 	tell application "iTerm"
 		activate
 
-		set myterm to (current terminal)
+		if (count terminal) = 0 then
+			set myterm to (make new terminal)
+		else
+			set myterm to (current terminal)
+		end if
+
 		tell myterm
 			tell (launch session "Default")
 				write text command
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/terminalService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/terminalService.ts
index 2dfb29a687f2f..0ed956e70d0ba 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/terminalService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/execution/electron-browser/terminalService.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export class MacTerminalService implements ITerminalService {
 
 		return this._terminalApplicationScriptPath = new TPromise<string>((c, e) => {
 			let version = '';
-			let child = cp.spawn('/usr/bin/osascript', ['-e', 'item (((exists application "iTerm") as integer) + 1) of {0, version of application "iTerm"}']);
+			let child = cp.spawn('/usr/bin/osascript', ['-e', 'version of application "iTerm"']);
 			child.on('error', e);
 			child.stdout.on('data', (data) => {
 				version += data.toString();