diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/package.json b/extensions/positron-r/package.json
index 023f135df14..1b1a91d5be5 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/package.json
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/package.json
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@
   },
   "positron": {
     "binaryDependencies": {
-      "ark": "0.1.28"
+      "ark": "0.1.29"
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/src/runtime.ts b/extensions/positron-r/src/runtime.ts
index 301070ce279..3cd19c04b22 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/src/runtime.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/src/runtime.ts
@@ -87,24 +87,20 @@ export class RRuntime implements positron.LanguageRuntime, vscode.Disposable {
 
 		// Dispatch the open.
 		switch (resource.scheme) {
-			// Run code.
-			case 'x-r-run':
-				console.log('********************************************************************');
-				console.log(`R runtime should run resource "${resource.path}"`);
-				console.log('********************************************************************');
-				return Promise.resolve(true);
-
 			// Open help resource.
 			case 'x-r-help':
-				console.log('********************************************************************');
-				console.log(`R runtime should open help resource "${resource.path}"`);
-				console.log('********************************************************************');
+				this.showHelpTopic(resource.path);
 				return Promise.resolve(true);
 
 			// Open vignette resource.
 			case 'x-r-vignette':
+				this.showVignetteTopic(resource.path);
+				return Promise.resolve(true);
+
+			// Run code.
+			case 'x-r-run':
 				console.log('********************************************************************');
-				console.log(`R runtime should open vignette resource "${resource.path}"`);
+				console.log(`R runtime should run resource "${resource.path}"`);
 				console.log('********************************************************************');
 				return Promise.resolve(true);
 
@@ -402,6 +398,48 @@ export class RRuntime implements positron.LanguageRuntime, vscode.Disposable {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Shows a help topic in the Positron help viewer.
+	 *
+	 * @param topic The help topic to show.
+	 */
+	private async showHelpTopic(topic: string): Promise<void> {
+		try {
+			// showHelpTopic returns a logical value indicating whether the
+			// topic was found. If it wasn't, we'll show an error message.
+			const result = await this.callMethod('showHelpTopic', topic);
+			if (!result) {
+				vscode.window.showWarningMessage(
+					`The requested help topic '${topic}' was not found.`);
+			}
+		} catch (err) {
+			const runtimeError = err as positron.RuntimeMethodError;
+			vscode.window.showErrorMessage(
+				`Error showing help topic '${topic}': ${runtimeError.message} ` +
+				`(${runtimeError.code})`);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Shows a vignette topic in the Positron help viewer.
+	 *
+	 * @param topic The vignette topic to show.
+	 */
+	private async showVignetteTopic(topic: string): Promise<void> {
+		try {
+			const result = await this.callMethod('showVignetteTopic', topic);
+			if (!result) {
+				vscode.window.showWarningMessage(
+					`The requested vignette topic '${topic}' was not found.`);
+			}
+		} catch (err) {
+			const runtimeError = err as positron.RuntimeMethodError;
+			vscode.window.showErrorMessage(
+				`Error showing vignette topic '${topic}': ${runtimeError.message} ` +
+				`(${runtimeError.code})`);
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 export function createJupyterKernelExtra(): JupyterKernelExtra {