diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index 394d6235..8d3636d2 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -7,11 +7,13 @@
       "type": "extensionHost",
       "request": "launch",
       "runtimeExecutable": "${execPath}",
-      "args": ["--extensionDevelopmentPath=${workspaceRoot}"],
+      "args": [
+        "--disable-extensions",
+        "--extensionDevelopmentPath=${workspaceRoot}"
+      ],
       "stopOnEntry": false,
       "sourceMaps": true,
       "outFiles": ["${workspaceRoot}/out/**/*.js"],
-      "preLaunchTask": "build"
     },
     {
       "name": "Launch Tests",
diff --git a/src/model.ts b/src/model.ts
index bed92de2..25db5ab8 100644
--- a/src/model.ts
+++ b/src/model.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import * as fs from "fs";
+import { Stats } from "fs";
 import * as path from "path";
 import {
   commands,
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import {
   isDescendant,
   normalizePath
 } from "./util";
+import { exists, readDir, stat } from "./util/async_fs";
 import { matchAll } from "./util/globMatch";
 
 export class Model implements IDisposable {
@@ -269,7 +270,13 @@ export class Model implements IDisposable {
       return;
     }
 
-    let isSvnFolder = fs.existsSync(path + "/.svn");
+    let isSvnFolder = false;
+
+    try {
+      isSvnFolder = await exists(path + "/.svn");
+    } catch (error) {
+      // error
+    }
 
     // If open only a subpath.
     if (!isSvnFolder && level === 0) {
@@ -277,7 +284,13 @@ export class Model implements IDisposable {
       while (pathParts.length > 0) {
         pathParts.pop();
         const topPath = pathParts.join("/") + "/.svn";
-        isSvnFolder = fs.existsSync(topPath);
+
+        try {
+          isSvnFolder = await exists(topPath);
+        } catch (error) {
+          // error
+        }
+
         if (isSvnFolder) {
           break;
         }
@@ -320,11 +333,26 @@ export class Model implements IDisposable {
 
     const newLevel = level + 1;
     if (newLevel <= this.maxDepth) {
-      for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path)) {
+      let files: string[] | Buffer[] = [];
+
+      try {
+        files = await readDir(path);
+      } catch (error) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      for (const file of files) {
         const dir = path + "/" + file;
+        let stats: Stats;
+
+        try {
+          stats = await stat(dir);
+        } catch (error) {
+          continue;
+        }
 
         if (
-          fs.statSync(dir).isDirectory() &&
+          stats.isDirectory() &&
           !matchAll(dir, this.ignoreList, { dot: true })
         ) {
           await this.tryOpenRepository(dir, newLevel);
diff --git a/src/util/async_fs.ts b/src/util/async_fs.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a61446cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/async_fs.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import * as fs from "fs";
+
+export function readDir(path: string): Promise<string[]> {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    fs.readdir(path, (err, files) => {
+      if (err) {
+        reject(err);
+      }
+
+      resolve(files);
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+export function stat(path: string): Promise<fs.Stats> {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    fs.stat(path, (err, stats) => {
+      if (err) {
+        reject(err);
+      }
+
+      resolve(stats);
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+export function exists(path: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    fs.access(path, err => (err ? reject(err) : resolve(true)));
+  });
+}