diff --git a/src/client/repl/nativeRepl.ts b/src/client/repl/nativeRepl.ts
index 9b002655d714..62e314172da6 100644
--- a/src/client/repl/nativeRepl.ts
+++ b/src/client/repl/nativeRepl.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,7 @@
 
 // Native Repl class that holds instance of pythonServer and replController
 
-import {
-    NotebookController,
-    NotebookControllerAffinity,
-    NotebookDocument,
-    QuickPickItem,
-    TextEditor,
-    Uri,
-    WorkspaceFolder,
-} from 'vscode';
+import { NotebookController, NotebookDocument, QuickPickItem, TextEditor, Uri, WorkspaceFolder } from 'vscode';
 import { Disposable } from 'vscode-jsonrpc';
 import { PVSC_EXTENSION_ID } from '../common/constants';
 import { showQuickPick } from '../common/vscodeApis/windowApis';
@@ -172,24 +164,19 @@ export class NativeRepl implements Disposable {
             }
         }
 
-        const notebookEditor = await openInteractiveREPL(
-            this.replController,
-            this.notebookDocument ?? wsMementoUri,
-            preserveFocus,
-        );
-        if (notebookEditor) {
-            this.notebookDocument = notebookEditor.notebook;
+        const result = await openInteractiveREPL(this.notebookDocument ?? wsMementoUri, preserveFocus);
+        if (result) {
+            this.notebookDocument = result.notebookEditor.notebook;
             await updateWorkspaceStateValue<string | undefined>(
                 NATIVE_REPL_URI_MEMENTO,
                 this.notebookDocument.uri.toString(),
             );
 
-            if (this.notebookDocument) {
-                this.replController.updateNotebookAffinity(this.notebookDocument, NotebookControllerAffinity.Default);
-                await selectNotebookKernel(notebookEditor, this.replController.id, PVSC_EXTENSION_ID);
-                if (code) {
-                    await executeNotebookCell(notebookEditor, code);
-                }
+            if (result.documentCreated) {
+                await selectNotebookKernel(result.notebookEditor, this.replController.id, PVSC_EXTENSION_ID);
+            }
+            if (code) {
+                await executeNotebookCell(result.notebookEditor, code);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/client/repl/replCommandHandler.ts b/src/client/repl/replCommandHandler.ts
index f65580dd1e17..630eddfdd565 100644
--- a/src/client/repl/replCommandHandler.ts
+++ b/src/client/repl/replCommandHandler.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import {
-    NotebookController,
     NotebookEditor,
     ViewColumn,
     NotebookDocument,
@@ -10,7 +9,6 @@ import {
     Uri,
 } from 'vscode';
 import { getExistingReplViewColumn, getTabNameForUri } from './replUtils';
-import { PVSC_EXTENSION_ID } from '../common/constants';
 import { showNotebookDocument } from '../common/vscodeApis/windowApis';
 import { openNotebookDocument, applyEdit } from '../common/vscodeApis/workspaceApis';
 import { executeCommand } from '../common/vscodeApis/commandApis';
@@ -19,11 +17,11 @@ import { executeCommand } from '../common/vscodeApis/commandApis';
  * Function that opens/show REPL using IW UI.
  */
 export async function openInteractiveREPL(
-    notebookController: NotebookController,
     notebookDocument: NotebookDocument | Uri | undefined,
     preserveFocus: boolean = true,
-): Promise<NotebookEditor | undefined> {
+): Promise<{ notebookEditor: NotebookEditor; documentCreated: boolean } | undefined> {
     let viewColumn = ViewColumn.Beside;
+    let alreadyExists = false;
     if (notebookDocument instanceof Uri) {
         // Case where NotebookDocument is undefined, but workspace mementoURI exists.
         notebookDocument = await openNotebookDocument(notebookDocument);
@@ -31,12 +29,14 @@ export async function openInteractiveREPL(
         // Case where NotebookDocument (REPL document already exists in the tab)
         const existingReplViewColumn = getExistingReplViewColumn(notebookDocument);
         viewColumn = existingReplViewColumn ?? viewColumn;
+        alreadyExists = true;
     } else if (!notebookDocument) {
         // Case where NotebookDocument doesnt exist, or
         // became outdated (untitled.ipynb created without Python extension knowing, effectively taking over original Python REPL's URI)
         notebookDocument = await openNotebookDocument('jupyter-notebook');
     }
-    const editor = await showNotebookDocument(notebookDocument!, {
+
+    const notebookEditor = await showNotebookDocument(notebookDocument!, {
         viewColumn,
         asRepl: 'Python REPL',
         preserveFocus,
@@ -44,21 +44,15 @@ export async function openInteractiveREPL(
 
     // Sanity check that we opened a Native REPL from showNotebookDocument.
     if (
-        !editor ||
-        !editor.notebook ||
-        !editor.notebook.uri ||
-        getTabNameForUri(editor.notebook.uri) !== 'Python REPL'
+        !notebookEditor ||
+        !notebookEditor.notebook ||
+        !notebookEditor.notebook.uri ||
+        getTabNameForUri(notebookEditor.notebook.uri) !== 'Python REPL'
     ) {
         return undefined;
     }
 
-    await executeCommand('notebook.selectKernel', {
-        editor,
-        id: notebookController.id,
-        extension: PVSC_EXTENSION_ID,
-    });
-
-    return editor;
+    return { notebookEditor, documentCreated: !alreadyExists };
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/client/repl/replCommands.ts b/src/client/repl/replCommands.ts
index f260185988a8..993a0cc91b19 100644
--- a/src/client/repl/replCommands.ts
+++ b/src/client/repl/replCommands.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,8 @@ export async function registerStartNativeReplCommand(
             sendTelemetryEvent(EventName.REPL, undefined, { replType: 'Native' });
             const interpreter = await getActiveInterpreter(uri, interpreterService);
             if (interpreter) {
-                if (interpreter) {
-                    const nativeRepl = await getNativeRepl(interpreter, disposables);
-                    await nativeRepl.sendToNativeRepl(undefined, false);
-                }
+                const nativeRepl = await getNativeRepl(interpreter, disposables);
+                await nativeRepl.sendToNativeRepl(undefined, false);
             }
         }),
     );