diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/style/tree.css b/packages/core/src/browser/style/tree.css
index 09f1ef9bd20a4..e2f42470387d6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/style/tree.css
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/style/tree.css
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@
     position: absolute;
     height: var(--theia-content-line-height);
     border-right: var(--theia-border-width) solid transparent;
+    pointer-events: none;
 }
 
 .theia-tree-node-indent.always,