diff --git a/helix-core/src/syntax.rs b/helix-core/src/syntax.rs
index 5d37c219dd25..c7a3e1ccba6e 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/syntax.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/syntax.rs
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ pub struct LanguageServerConfiguration {
     #[serde(default)]
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
     pub args: Vec<String>,
+    pub language_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index c7202febadb0..c376aefaa5af 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -358,12 +358,8 @@ impl Application {
 
                         // trigger textDocument/didOpen for docs that are already open
                         for doc in docs {
-                            // TODO: extract and share with editor.open
-                            let language_id = doc
-                                .language()
-                                .and_then(|s| s.split('.').last()) // source.rust
-                                .map(ToOwned::to_owned)
-                                .unwrap_or_default();
+                            let language_id =
+                                doc.language_id().map(ToOwned::to_owned).unwrap_or_default();
 
                             tokio::spawn(language_server.text_document_did_open(
                                 doc.url().unwrap(),
diff --git a/helix-view/src/document.rs b/helix-view/src/document.rs
index 9652d7b3cd51..579349ee5d69 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/document.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/document.rs
@@ -844,6 +844,24 @@ impl Document {
             .map(|language| language.scope.as_str())
     }
 
+    /// Language ID for the document. Either the `language-id` from the
+    /// `language-server` configuration, or the document language if no
+    /// `language-id` has been specified.
+    pub fn language_id(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+        self.language
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|config| config.language_server.as_ref())
+            .and_then(|lsp_config| lsp_config.language_id.as_ref())
+            .map_or_else(
+                || {
+                    self.language()
+                        .and_then(|s| s.rsplit_once('.'))
+                        .map(|(_, language_id)| language_id)
+                },
+                |language_id| Some(language_id.as_str()),
+            )
+    }
+
     /// Corresponding [`LanguageConfiguration`].
     pub fn language_config(&self) -> Option<&LanguageConfiguration> {
         self.language.as_deref()
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index f4b0f73e72a8..7406b4758499 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -307,11 +307,8 @@ impl Editor {
                 if let Some(language_server) = doc.language_server() {
                     tokio::spawn(language_server.text_document_did_close(doc.identifier()));
                 }
-                let language_id = doc
-                    .language()
-                    .and_then(|s| s.split('.').last()) // source.rust
-                    .map(ToOwned::to_owned)
-                    .unwrap_or_default();
+
+                let language_id = doc.language_id().map(ToOwned::to_owned).unwrap_or_default();
 
                 // TODO: this now races with on_init code if the init happens too quickly
                 tokio::spawn(language_server.text_document_did_open(
diff --git a/languages.toml b/languages.toml
index 2c870ab24c0d..78447578668e 100644
--- a/languages.toml
+++ b/languages.toml
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ roots = []
 comment-token = "//"
 # TODO: highlights-jsx, highlights-params
 
-language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
+language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"], language-id = "javascript" }
 indent = { tab-width = 2, unit = "  " }
 
 [[language]]
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ shebangs = []
 roots = []
 # TODO: highlights-jsx, highlights-params
 
-language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
+language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"], language-id = "typescript"}
 indent = { tab-width = 2, unit = "  " }
 
 [[language]]
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ file-types = ["tsx"]
 roots = []
 # TODO: highlights-jsx, highlights-params
 
-language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"] }
+language-server = { command = "typescript-language-server", args = ["--stdio"], language-id = "typescriptreact" }
 indent = { tab-width = 2, unit = "  " }
 
 [[language]]