diff --git a/news/1 Enhancements/2617.md b/news/1 Enhancements/2617.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5f7939769fcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/1 Enhancements/2617.md	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Ensure status bar with interpreter information takes priority over other items.
diff --git a/src/client/interpreter/display/index.ts b/src/client/interpreter/display/index.ts
index 49f63647294c..bba7dc3bd39e 100644
--- a/src/client/interpreter/display/index.ts
+++ b/src/client/interpreter/display/index.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export class InterpreterDisplay implements IInterpreterDisplay {
         const application = serviceContainer.get<IApplicationShell>(IApplicationShell);
         const disposableRegistry = serviceContainer.get<Disposable[]>(IDisposableRegistry);
 
-        this.statusBar = application.createStatusBarItem(StatusBarAlignment.Left);
+        this.statusBar = application.createStatusBarItem(StatusBarAlignment.Left, 100);
         this.statusBar.command = 'python.setInterpreter';
         disposableRegistry.push(this.statusBar);
     }
diff --git a/src/test/interpreters/display.unit.test.ts b/src/test/interpreters/display.unit.test.ts
index 483ade45763e..0d06e79c64d6 100644
--- a/src/test/interpreters/display.unit.test.ts
+++ b/src/test/interpreters/display.unit.test.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ suite('Interpreters Display', () => {
         serviceContainer.setup(c => c.get(TypeMoq.It.isValue(IInterpreterHelper))).returns(() => interpreterHelper.object);
         serviceContainer.setup(c => c.get(TypeMoq.It.isValue(IPathUtils))).returns(() => pathUtils.object);
 
-        applicationShell.setup(a => a.createStatusBarItem(TypeMoq.It.isValue(StatusBarAlignment.Left), TypeMoq.It.isValue(undefined))).returns(() => statusBar.object);
+        applicationShell.setup(a => a.createStatusBarItem(TypeMoq.It.isValue(StatusBarAlignment.Left), TypeMoq.It.isValue(100))).returns(() => statusBar.object);
         pathUtils.setup(p => p.getDisplayName(TypeMoq.It.isAny(), TypeMoq.It.isAny())).returns(p => p);
 
         interpreterDisplay = new InterpreterDisplay(serviceContainer.object);