diff --git a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
index 891ffe7d8d5c7..225725b29b258 100644
--- a/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/vscode.d.ts
@@ -6229,11 +6229,16 @@ declare module 'vscode' {
 		export function createInputBox(): InputBox;
 
 		/**
-		 * Create a new [output channel](#OutputChannel) with the given name.
+		 * Creates a new [output channel](#OutputChannel) with the given name.
+		 *
+		 * By default, Output channels use a separate transport mechanism when appending data.
+		 * This helps to reduce CPU load on the UI process but also means that the output channel UI updates with a small delay.
+		 * Use the force-flag to enforce immediate updates at the cost of higher CPU usage.
 		 *
 		 * @param name Human-readable string which will be used to represent the channel in the UI.
+		 * @param options Options to control how the channel will be created.
 		 */
-		export function createOutputChannel(name: string): OutputChannel;
+		export function createOutputChannel(name: string, options?: { force?: boolean }): OutputChannel;
 
 		/**
 		 * Create and show a new webview panel.
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
index 9babb878ec9e2..eb28fffe125ae 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHost.api.impl.ts
@@ -435,8 +435,8 @@ export function createApiFactory(
 			withProgress<R>(options: vscode.ProgressOptions, task: (progress: vscode.Progress<{ message?: string; worked?: number }>, token: vscode.CancellationToken) => Thenable<R>) {
 				return extHostProgress.withProgress(extension, options, task);
 			},
-			createOutputChannel(name: string, push?: boolean): vscode.OutputChannel {
-				return extHostOutputService.createOutputChannel(name, push);
+			createOutputChannel(name: string, options?: { force?: boolean }): vscode.OutputChannel {
+				return extHostOutputService.createOutputChannel(name, options);
 			},
 			createWebviewPanel(viewType: string, title: string, showOptions: vscode.ViewColumn | { viewColumn: vscode.ViewColumn, preserveFocus?: boolean }, options: vscode.WebviewPanelOptions & vscode.WebviewOptions): vscode.WebviewPanel {
 				return extHostWebviews.createWebview(extension.extensionLocation, viewType, title, showOptions, options);
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostOutputService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostOutputService.ts
index 1fd525bf8a450..f9c857bfb3386 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostOutputService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostOutputService.ts
@@ -117,12 +117,12 @@ export class ExtHostOutputService {
 		this._proxy = mainContext.getProxy(MainContext.MainThreadOutputService);
 	}
 
-	createOutputChannel(name: string, push: boolean): vscode.OutputChannel {
+	createOutputChannel(name: string, options?: { force?: boolean }): vscode.OutputChannel {
 		name = name.trim();
 		if (!name) {
 			throw new Error('illegal argument `name`. must not be falsy');
 		} else {
-			if (push) {
+			if (options && options.force) {
 				return new ExtHostPushOutputChannel(name, this._proxy);
 			} else {
 				// Do not crash if logger cannot be created