diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts
index 7fd1724e5b..68be80d6e1 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import { CellOutputEdit, CellOutputDataEdit } from 'sql/workbench/services/noteb
 import { ILogService } from 'vs/platform/log/common/log';
 import { IModeService } from 'vs/editor/common/services/modeService';
 import { ICellMetadata } from 'sql/workbench/api/common/sqlExtHostTypes';
+import { alert } from 'vs/base/browser/ui/aria/aria';
 import { CELL_URI_PATH_PREFIX } from 'sql/workbench/common/constants';
 
 let modelId = 0;
@@ -606,6 +607,8 @@ export class CellModel extends Disposable implements ICellModel {
 
 	public async runCell(notificationService?: INotificationService, connectionManagementService?: IConnectionManagementService): Promise<boolean> {
 		try {
+			// Allow screen reader to announce when cell execution is started
+			alert(localize('cellExecutionStarted', "Cell execution started"));
 			if (!this.active && this !== this.notebookModel.activeCell) {
 				this.notebookModel.updateActiveCell(this);
 				this.active = true;
@@ -714,6 +717,8 @@ export class CellModel extends Disposable implements ICellModel {
 			// Serialize cell output once the cell is done executing
 			this.sendChangeToNotebook(NotebookChangeType.CellOutputUpdated);
 			this.notifyExecutionComplete();
+			// Allow screen reader to announce when a cell is done running
+			alert(localize('cellExecutionComplete', "Cell execution is complete"));
 		}
 
 		return true;