diff --git a/src/dbusinterface.cpp b/src/dbusinterface.cpp
--- a/src/dbusinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/dbusinterface.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
     }
     const auto serviceName = QStringLiteral("org.kde.dolphin-%1").arg(QCoreApplication::applicationPid());
     if(!Dolphin::attachToExistingInstance(urls, true, GeneralSettings::splitView(), serviceName)) {
-        Dolphin::openNewWindow(urls);
+        Dolphin::openNewWindow(urls, nullptr, Dolphin::OpenNewWindowFlag::Select);
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/global.cpp b/src/global.cpp
--- a/src/global.cpp
+++ b/src/global.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 
 bool Dolphin::attachToExistingInstance(const QList<QUrl>& inputUrls, bool openFiles, bool splitView, const QString& preferredService)
 {
-    if (KWindowSystem::isPlatformWayland()) {
+    if (KWindowSystem::isPlatformWayland() || !GeneralSettings::openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab()) {
         // TODO: once Wayland clients can raise or activate themselves remove this conditional
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/settings/dolphin_generalsettings.kcfg b/src/settings/dolphin_generalsettings.kcfg
--- a/src/settings/dolphin_generalsettings.kcfg
+++ b/src/settings/dolphin_generalsettings.kcfg
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@
             <label>Should the full path be shown in the title bar</label>
             <default>false</default>
         </entry>
+        <entry name="OpenExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab" type="Bool">
+            <label>Should an externally called folder open in a new tab in an existing Dolphin instance</label>
+            <default>true</default>
+        </entry>
         <entry name="Version" type="Int">
             <label>Internal version of Dolphin, containing 3 digits for major, minor, bugfix</label>
             <default>0</default>
diff --git a/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.h b/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.h
--- a/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.h
+++ b/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
     QCheckBox* m_showFullPath;
     QCheckBox* m_filterBar;
     QCheckBox* m_showFullPathInTitlebar;
+    QCheckBox* m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.cpp b/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.cpp
--- a/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/settings/startup/startupsettingspage.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@
     m_editableUrl(nullptr),
     m_showFullPath(nullptr),
     m_filterBar(nullptr),
-    m_showFullPathInTitlebar(nullptr)
+    m_showFullPathInTitlebar(nullptr),
+    m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab(nullptr)
 {
     QFormLayout* topLayout = new QFormLayout(this);
 
@@ -100,6 +101,8 @@
     topLayout->addRow(QString(), m_filterBar);
     m_showFullPathInTitlebar = new QCheckBox(i18nc("@option:check Startup Settings", "Show full path in title bar"));
     topLayout->addRow(QString(), m_showFullPathInTitlebar);
+    m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab = new QCheckBox(i18nc("@option:check Startup Settings", "Open new folders in tabs"));
+    topLayout->addRow(QString(), m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab);
 
 
     loadSettings();
@@ -110,6 +113,7 @@
     connect(m_showFullPath, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &StartupSettingsPage::slotSettingsChanged);
     connect(m_filterBar,    &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &StartupSettingsPage::slotSettingsChanged);
     connect(m_showFullPathInTitlebar, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &StartupSettingsPage::slotSettingsChanged);
+    connect(m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab, &QCheckBox::toggled, this, &StartupSettingsPage::slotSettingsChanged);
 }
 
 StartupSettingsPage::~StartupSettingsPage()
@@ -133,7 +137,7 @@
     settings->setShowFullPath(m_showFullPath->isChecked());
     settings->setFilterBar(m_filterBar->isChecked());
     settings->setShowFullPathInTitlebar(m_showFullPathInTitlebar->isChecked());
-
+    settings->setOpenExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab(m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab->isChecked());
     settings->save();
 }
 
@@ -183,4 +187,5 @@
     m_showFullPath->setChecked(GeneralSettings::showFullPath());
     m_filterBar->setChecked(GeneralSettings::filterBar());
     m_showFullPathInTitlebar->setChecked(GeneralSettings::showFullPathInTitlebar());
+    m_openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab->setChecked(GeneralSettings::openExternallyCalledFolderInNewTab());
 }