diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index eab9397ca..5c1021e10 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -930,17 +930,14 @@ pub fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
                         path.into()
                     }
                 }
-                None => "[NEW]".into(),
+                None => "[scratch buffer]".into(),
             }
         },
-        |editor: &mut Editor, (_, path): &(DocumentId, Option<PathBuf>), _action| match path {
-            Some(path) => {
-                use helix_view::editor::Action;
-                editor
-                    .open(path.into(), Action::Replace)
-                    .expect("editor.open failed");
-            }
-            None => (),
+        |editor: &mut Editor, (id, _path): &(DocumentId, Option<PathBuf>), _action| {
+            use helix_view::editor::Action;
+            editor
+                .switch(*id, Action::Replace)
+                .expect("editor.open failed");
         },
     );
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(picker));
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index 84d499e30..256e0e83a 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ fn _refresh(&mut self) {
         }
     }
 
-    fn _open(&mut self, id: DocumentId, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
+    pub fn switch(&mut self, id: DocumentId, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
         use crate::tree::Layout;
         use helix_core::Selection;
         match action {
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ pub fn new_file(&mut self, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
         let doc = Document::new(Rope::from("\n"));
         let id = self.documents.insert(doc);
         self.documents[id].id = id;
-        self._open(id, action)
+        self.switch(id, action)
     }
 
     pub fn open(&mut self, path: PathBuf, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ pub fn open(&mut self, path: PathBuf, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Erro
             id
         };
 
-        self._open(id, action)
+        self.switch(id, action)
     }
 
     pub fn close(&mut self, id: ViewId) {