diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/cell.test.ts b/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/cell.test.ts
index 3ae947ddae..e19082e592 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/cell.test.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/cell.test.ts
@@ -1048,15 +1048,18 @@ suite('Cell Model', function (): void {
 			mimetype: ''
 		});
 		let contents: nb.ICellContents = {
-			cell_type: CellTypes.Code,
+			cell_type: CellTypes.Markdown,
 			source: '',
 			attachments: cellAttachment
 		};
 		let model = factory.createCell(contents, { notebook: notebookModel, isTrusted: false });
-		assert.deepEqual(model.attachments, contents.attachments);
+		assert.deepEqual(model.attachments, contents.attachments, 'Attachments do not match in cellModel');
+
+		let serializedCell = model.toJSON();
+		assert.deepEqual(serializedCell.attachments, cellAttachment, 'Cell attachment from JSON is incorrect');
 	});
 
-	test('Should read attachments name from notebook attachments', async function () {
+	test('Should not include attachments in notebook json if no attachments exist', async function () {
 		let notebookModel = new NotebookModelStub({
 			name: '',
 			version: '',
@@ -1067,10 +1070,9 @@ suite('Cell Model', function (): void {
 			source: ''
 		};
 		let model = factory.createCell(contents, { notebook: notebookModel, isTrusted: false });
-		assert.deepEqual(model.attachments, {});
+		assert.deepEqual(model.attachments, undefined, 'Cell model attachments should return undefined if they do not exist');
 
-		contents.attachments = undefined;
-		model = factory.createCell(contents, { notebook: notebookModel, isTrusted: false });
-		assert.deepEqual(model.attachments, {});
+		let serializedCell = model.toJSON();
+		assert.deepEqual(serializedCell.attachments, undefined, 'JSON should not include attachments if attachments do not exist');
 	});
 });
diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts
index 3596140af1..ef0c0ce9ad 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/cell.ts
@@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ export class CellModel extends Disposable implements ICellModel {
 			if (this._configurationService?.getValue('notebook.saveConnectionName')) {
 				metadata.connection_name = this._savedConnectionName;
 			}
-		} else if (this._cellType === CellTypes.Markdown) {
+		} else if (this._cellType === CellTypes.Markdown && this._attachments) {
 			cellJson.attachments = this._attachments;
 		}
 		return cellJson as nb.ICellContents;
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ export class CellModel extends Disposable implements ICellModel {
 			this._isParameter = false;
 			this._isInjectedParameter = false;
 		}
-		this._attachments = cell.attachments || {};
+		this._attachments = cell.attachments;
 		this._cellGuid = cell.metadata && cell.metadata.azdata_cell_guid ? cell.metadata.azdata_cell_guid : generateUuid();
 		this.setLanguageFromContents(cell);
 		this._savedConnectionName = this._metadata.connection_name;