diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookUtils.ts b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookUtils.ts
index e18d63b582..9ade0408e9 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookUtils.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookUtils.ts
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ export function getProvidersForFileName(fileName: string, notebookService: INote
 		providers = notebookService.getProvidersForFileType(fileExt);
 	}
 	// Fallback to provider for default file type (assume this is a global handler)
-	if (!providers) {
+	if (!providers || providers.length === 0) {
 		providers = notebookService.getProvidersForFileType(DEFAULT_NOTEBOOK_FILETYPE);
 	}
 	// Finally if all else fails, use the built-in handler
-	if (!providers) {
+	if (!providers || providers.length === 0) {
 		providers = [DEFAULT_NOTEBOOK_PROVIDER];
 	}
 	return providers;
diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/notebookServiceImpl.ts b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/notebookServiceImpl.ts
index 7ccad52fda..eb04f03c73 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/notebookServiceImpl.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/notebookServiceImpl.ts
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ export class NotebookService extends Disposable implements INotebookService {
 	getProvidersForFileType(fileType: string): string[] | undefined {
 		let provDescriptions = this._fileToProviderDescriptions.get(fileType.toLowerCase());
 		let providers = provDescriptions?.map(provider => provider.provider);
-		return [...new Set(providers)]; // Remove duplicates
+		return providers ? [...new Set(providers)] : undefined; // Use a set to remove duplicates
 	}
 
 	public async getStandardKernelsForProvider(provider: string): Promise<nb.IStandardKernel[] | undefined> {