diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookActions.ts b/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookActions.ts
index 03bcbc1aec..58c868c48d 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookActions.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookActions.ts
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ export class KernelsDropdown extends SelectBox {
 		this._register(this.model.kernelChanged((changedArgs: azdata.nb.IKernelChangedArgs) => {
 			this.updateKernel(changedArgs.newValue, changedArgs.nbKernelAlias);
 		}));
-		this._register(this.model.kernelsChanged(kernel => {
+		this._register(this.model.kernelsAdded(kernel => {
 			this.updateKernel(kernel);
 		}));
 		let kernel = this.model.clientSession && this.model.clientSession.kernel;
diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/notebookModel.test.ts b/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/notebookModel.test.ts
index 0d1b52ccad..e2e7084208 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/notebookModel.test.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/contrib/notebook/test/electron-browser/notebookModel.test.ts
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ suite('notebook model', function (): void {
 			supportedFileExtensions: [DEFAULT_NOTEBOOK_FILETYPE]
 		};
 		let kernelsAddedPromise = new Promise<void>(resolve => {
-			model.kernelsChanged(kernel => {
+			model.kernelsAdded(kernel => {
 				resolve();
 			});
 		});
@@ -1110,7 +1110,7 @@ suite('notebook model', function (): void {
 			supportedFileExtensions: ['.html']
 		};
 		kernelsAddedPromise = new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
-			model.kernelsChanged(kernel => {
+			model.kernelsAdded(kernel => {
 				reject('Should not have added a new kernel');
 			});
 		});
diff --git a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookModel.ts b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookModel.ts
index 2dbbf4fd42..a0c0cf9ec3 100644
--- a/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookModel.ts
+++ b/src/sql/workbench/services/notebook/browser/models/notebookModel.ts
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ export class NotebookModel extends Disposable implements INotebookModel {
 	private _contextsLoadingEmitter = new Emitter<void>();
 	private _contentChangedEmitter = new Emitter<NotebookContentChange>();
 	private _kernelsChangedEmitter = new Emitter<nb.IKernel>();
+	private _kernelsAddedEmitter = new Emitter<nb.IKernel>();
 	private _kernelChangedEmitter = new Emitter<nb.IKernelChangedArgs>();
 	private _viewModeChangedEmitter = new Emitter<ViewMode>();
 	private _layoutChanged = new Emitter<void>();
@@ -187,7 +188,7 @@ export class NotebookModel extends Disposable implements INotebookModel {
 			let manager = await this._notebookService.getOrCreateExecuteManager(kernels[0].notebookProvider, this.notebookUri);
 			this._notebookOptions.executeManagers.push(manager);
 
-			this._kernelsChangedEmitter.fire(this._activeClientSession?.kernel);
+			this._kernelsAddedEmitter.fire(this._activeClientSession?.kernel);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -256,6 +257,9 @@ export class NotebookModel extends Disposable implements INotebookModel {
 		return this._activeClientSession;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Event that gets fired after the kernel is changed from starting a session or selecting one from the kernel dropdown.
+	 */
 	public get kernelChanged(): Event<nb.IKernelChangedArgs> {
 		return this._kernelChangedEmitter.event;
 	}
@@ -264,6 +268,13 @@ export class NotebookModel extends Disposable implements INotebookModel {
 		return this._kernelsChangedEmitter.event;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Event that gets fired when new kernels are added to the model from new notebook providers in the registry.
+	 */
+	public get kernelsAdded(): Event<nb.IKernel> {
+		return this._kernelsAddedEmitter.event;
+	}
+
 	public get layoutChanged(): Event<void> {
 		return this._layoutChanged.event;
 	}
@@ -1279,7 +1290,9 @@ export class NotebookModel extends Disposable implements INotebookModel {
 
 	private async updateKernelInfoOnKernelChange(kernel: nb.IKernel, kernelAlias?: string) {
 		await this.updateKernelInfo(kernel);
-		kernelAlias = this.kernelAliases.find(kernel => this._defaultLanguageInfo?.name === kernel.toLowerCase()) ?? kernelAlias;
+		if (!kernelAlias) {
+			kernelAlias = this.kernelAliases.find(k => this._defaultLanguageInfo?.name === k.toLowerCase());
+		}
 		// In order to change from kernel alias to other kernel, set kernelAlias to undefined in order to update to new kernel language info
 		if (this._selectedKernelDisplayName !== kernelAlias && this._selectedKernelDisplayName) {
 			kernelAlias = undefined;