diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/package.json b/extensions/positron-r/package.json
index 6c3bb994a4dc..4d590ce14307 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/package.json
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/package.json
@@ -145,10 +145,10 @@
           "default": "off",
           "description": "%r.configuration.tracing.description%"
         },
-        "positron.r.testing.experimental": {
+        "positron.r.testing": {
           "type": "boolean",
           "default": true,
-          "description": "%r.configuration.experimentalPackageTesting.description%"
+          "description": "%r.configuration.packageTesting.description%"
         },
         "positron.r.restoreWorkspace": {
           "scope": "window",
@@ -403,6 +403,12 @@
         "path": "./snippets/r.code-snippets"
       }
     ],
+    "viewsWelcome": [
+      {
+        "view": "testing",
+        "contents": "R tests appear here when (1) current workspace includes an R package that uses testthat and (2) the setting Positron > R: Testing is set to 'true'.\n[Adjust Settings](command:workbench.action.openSettings?\"positron.r.testing\")"
+      }
+    ],
     "taskDefinitions": [
       {
         "type": "rPackageTask",
diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/package.nls.json b/extensions/positron-r/package.nls.json
index 054ff7e7d04e..cc04492d1e5d 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/package.nls.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 	"r.configuration.logLevel.debug.description": "Debug messages",
 	"r.configuration.logLevel.trace.description": "Verbose tracing messages",
 	"r.configuration.logLevel.description": "Log level for the R Kernel (requires restart to take effect)",
-	"r.configuration.experimentalPackageTesting.description": "Experimental UI support for testing R packages",
+	"r.configuration.packageTesting.description": "Explore and run testthat tests",
 	"r.configuration.restoreWorkspace.description": "Restore the workspace from .RData on startup (requires restart to take effect)",
 	"r.configuration.extraArguments.description": "Extra command-line arguments for R intialization",
 	"r.configuration.quietMode.description": "Run R in quiet mode, to suppress initial copyright and welcome messages (requires restart to take effect)",
diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/src/extension.ts b/extensions/positron-r/src/extension.ts
index c8843dc23a10..fad221273484 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/src/extension.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/src/extension.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { registerCommands } from './commands';
 import { registerFormatter } from './formatting';
 import { providePackageTasks } from './tasks';
 import { setContexts } from './contexts';
-import { discoverTests } from './testing/testing';
+import { setupTestExplorer, refreshTestExplorer } from './testing/testing';
 import { rRuntimeProvider } from './provider';
 import { RRuntime } from './runtime';
 
@@ -38,7 +38,11 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 	// Provide tasks.
 	providePackageTasks(context);
 
-	// Discover R package tests.
-	discoverTests(context);
-
+	// Setup testthat test explorer.
+	setupTestExplorer(context);
+	vscode.workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration(async event => {
+		if (event.affectsConfiguration('positron.r.testing')) {
+			refreshTestExplorer(context);
+		}
+	});
 }
diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/src/testing/testing.ts b/extensions/positron-r/src/testing/testing.ts
index 347f77a2504d..427909290402 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/src/testing/testing.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/src/testing/testing.ts
@@ -9,23 +9,51 @@ import { createTestthatWatchers } from './watcher';
 import { runHandler } from './runner';
 import { Logger } from '../extension';
 
-export function discoverTests(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
-	const extConfig = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('positron.r');
-	const testingFeatureFlag = extConfig.get<string>('testing.experimental');
+let controller: vscode.TestController | undefined;
+
+export async function setupTestExplorer(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
+	if (testExplorerEnabled()) {
+		return discoverTests(context);
+	}
+}
 
-	if (!testingFeatureFlag) {
-		return [];
+export function refreshTestExplorer(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
+	const enabled = testExplorerEnabled();
+	const inPlace = hasTestingController();
+
+	if ((enabled && inPlace) || (!enabled && !inPlace)) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (enabled) {
+		return discoverTests(context);
 	}
 
+	controller?.dispose();
+	controller = undefined;
+}
+
+function testExplorerEnabled(): boolean {
+	const extConfig = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration('positron.r');
+	const testingEnabled = extConfig.get<boolean>('testing');
+
+	return testingEnabled === true;
+}
+
+function hasTestingController(): boolean {
+	return controller !== undefined;
+}
+
+export function discoverTests(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 	// TODO: check workspace folder(s) for package-hood
 	// if no package, return
 	// if exactly one package among the workspace folders, proceed
 	// consider adding package metadata to testingTools (eg name and filepath)
 	// if >1 package, consult our non-existent policy re: multi-root, multi-package workspace
 
-	const controller = vscode.tests.createTestController(
+	controller = vscode.tests.createTestController(
 		'rPackageTests',
-		'R Package Tests'
+		'R Package Test Explorer'
 	);
 	context.subscriptions.push(controller);
 
@@ -63,3 +91,5 @@ export function discoverTests(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 		true
 	);
 }
+
+