diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8f73f51ae068b..5ea03d2b390d6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/) and this p
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- Adds the option to open a file instead of showing a diff when clicking in _Search & Compare_ ([#1651](https://github.com/gitkraken/vscode-gitlens/issues/1651))
+
 ### Changed
 
 - Changes branch creation to avoid setting an upstream branch if the new branch name and remote branch name don't match ([#4477](https://github.com/gitkraken/vscode-gitlens/issues/4477))
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 18a622d905f5a..a4f1191eacd66 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -447,6 +447,7 @@ A big thanks to the people that have contributed to this project 🙏❤️:
 - Jordon Kashanchi ([@jordonkash](https://github.com/JordonKash)) — [contributions](https://github.com/gitkraken/vscode-gitlens/commits?author=jordonkash)
 - JounQin ([@JounQin](https://github.com/JounQin)) — [contributions](https://github.com/gitkraken/vscode-gitlens/commits?author=JounQin)
 - Noritaka Kobayashi ([@noritaka1166](https://github.com/noritaka1166)) — [contributions](https://github.com/gitkraken/vscode-gitlens/commits?author=noritaka1166)
+- Ehab Younes ([@EhabY](https://github.com/EhabY)) — [contributions](https://github.com/gitkraken/vscode-gitlens/commits?author=EhabY)
 
 Also special thanks to the people that have provided support, testing, brainstorming, etc:
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0caaf82105eae..a47706d540e21 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -3268,6 +3268,13 @@
 						"scope": "window",
 						"order": 22
 					},
+					"gitlens.views.searchAndCompare.files.openDiffOnClick": {
+						"type": "boolean",
+						"default": "true",
+						"markdownDescription": "Specifies whether to open the diff view or the file itself when clicking on a file in the _Search & Compare_ view",
+						"scope": "window",
+						"order": 23
+					},
 					"gitlens.views.searchAndCompare.files.icon": {
 						"type": "string",
 						"default": "type",
diff --git a/src/commands/openFileAtRevision.ts b/src/commands/openFileAtRevision.ts
index be5d6961aa998..194f539b0be81 100644
--- a/src/commands/openFileAtRevision.ts
+++ b/src/commands/openFileAtRevision.ts
@@ -105,17 +105,18 @@ export class OpenFileAtRevisionCommand extends ActiveEditorCommand {
 	}
 
 	async execute(editor: TextEditor | undefined, uri?: Uri, args?: OpenFileAtRevisionCommandArgs): Promise<void> {
-		uri = getCommandUri(uri, editor);
-		if (uri == null) return;
-
-		const gitUri = await GitUri.fromUri(uri);
-
 		args = { ...args };
 		args.range ??= selectionToDiffRange(editor?.selection);
 
-		const svc = this.container.git.getRepositoryService(gitUri.repoPath!);
 		try {
 			if (args.revisionUri == null) {
+				uri = getCommandUri(uri, editor);
+				if (uri == null) return;
+
+				const gitUri = await GitUri.fromUri(uri);
+
+				const svc = this.container.git.getRepositoryService(gitUri.repoPath!);
+
 				const log = svc.commits
 					.getLogForPath(gitUri.fsPath, undefined, { isFolder: false })
 					.then(
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index c12e7bad4422b..caa94cae0a251 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -961,7 +961,9 @@ export interface RepositoriesViewConfig {
 
 export interface SearchAndCompareViewConfig {
 	readonly avatars: boolean;
-	readonly files: ViewsFilesConfig;
+	readonly files: ViewsFilesConfig & {
+		readonly openDiffOnClick: boolean;
+	};
 	readonly pullRequests: {
 		readonly enabled: boolean;
 		readonly showForCommits: boolean;
diff --git a/src/views/nodes/commitFileNode.ts b/src/views/nodes/commitFileNode.ts
index 00eedd4eca259..8d8147ba19a3d 100644
--- a/src/views/nodes/commitFileNode.ts
+++ b/src/views/nodes/commitFileNode.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import type { Command, Selection } from 'vscode';
+import type { Command, Selection, TextDocumentShowOptions } from 'vscode';
 import { TreeItem, TreeItemCollapsibleState, Uri } from 'vscode';
 import type { DiffWithPreviousCommandArgs } from '../../commands/diffWithPrevious';
+import type { OpenFileAtRevisionCommandArgs } from '../../commands/openFileAtRevision';
 import { Schemes } from '../../constants';
 import type { TreeViewRefFileNodeTypes } from '../../constants.views';
 import { StatusFileFormatter } from '../../git/formatters/statusFormatter';
@@ -166,6 +167,21 @@ export abstract class CommitFileNodeBase<
 			range = this.commit.file?.range ?? selectionToDiffRange(this.options?.selection);
 		}
 
+		const showOptions: TextDocumentShowOptions = { preserveFocus: true, preview: true };
+
+		const filesConfig = this.view.config.files;
+		if ('openDiffOnClick' in filesConfig && filesConfig.openDiffOnClick === false) {
+			return createCommand<[CommitFileNodeBase<Type, TView>, OpenFileAtRevisionCommandArgs]>(
+				'gitlens.views.openFileRevision',
+				'Open File at Revision',
+				this,
+				{
+					range: range,
+					showOptions: showOptions,
+				},
+			);
+		}
+
 		return createCommand<[undefined, DiffWithPreviousCommandArgs]>(
 			'gitlens.diffWithPrevious',
 			'Open Changes with Previous Revision',
@@ -174,7 +190,7 @@ export abstract class CommitFileNodeBase<
 				commit: this.commit,
 				uri: GitUri.fromFile(this.file, this.commit.repoPath),
 				range: range,
-				showOptions: { preserveFocus: true, preview: true },
+				showOptions: showOptions,
 			},
 		);
 	}
diff --git a/src/webviews/apps/settings/partials/views.searchAndCompare.html b/src/webviews/apps/settings/partials/views.searchAndCompare.html
index 5574ae12d5f11..79ec133efdb04 100644
--- a/src/webviews/apps/settings/partials/views.searchAndCompare.html
+++ b/src/webviews/apps/settings/partials/views.searchAndCompare.html
@@ -114,6 +114,21 @@ <h2>
 						<p class="setting__hint">Compacts (flattens) unnecessary nesting when using a tree layouts</p>
 					</div>
 
+					<div class="setting">
+						<div class="setting__input">
+							<input
+								id="views.searchAndCompare.files.openDiffOnClick"
+								name="views.searchAndCompare.files.openDiffOnClick"
+								type="checkbox"
+								data-setting
+							/>
+							<label for="views.searchAndCompare.files.openDiffOnClick">Open file diff on click</label>
+						</div>
+						<p class="setting__hint">
+							Opens the diff view when clicking on a file instead of opening the file itself
+						</p>
+					</div>
+
 					<div class="setting">
 						<div class="setting__input">
 							<input