diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookEditorInput.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookEditorInput.ts
index eaa9d7179f9..9aff99e19a9 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookEditorInput.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookEditorInput.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { isEqual, joinPath } from 'vs/base/common/resources';
 import { IInstantiationService } from 'vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
 import { IFileDialogService } from 'vs/platform/dialogs/common/dialogs';
 import { INotebookEditorModelResolverService } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookEditorModelResolverService';
-import { IReference } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
+import { IDisposable, IReference } from 'vs/base/common/lifecycle';
 import { IResolvedNotebookEditorModel } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookCommon';
 import { ILabelService } from 'vs/platform/label/common/label';
 import { Schemas } from 'vs/base/common/network';
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { mark } from 'vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/common/notebookPerformance';
 import { FileSystemProviderCapabilities, IFileService } from 'vs/platform/files/common/files';
 import { AbstractResourceEditorInput } from 'vs/workbench/common/editor/resourceEditorInput';
 import { IResourceEditorInput } from 'vs/platform/editor/common/editor';
+import { onUnexpectedError } from 'vs/base/common/errors';
 
 interface NotebookEditorInputOptions {
 	startDirty?: boolean;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export class NotebookEditorInput extends AbstractResourceEditorInput {
 	static readonly ID: string = 'workbench.input.notebook';
 
 	private _editorModelReference: IReference<IResolvedNotebookEditorModel> | null = null;
+	private _sideLoadedListener: IDisposable;
 	private _defaultDirtyState: boolean = false;
 
 	constructor(
@@ -48,9 +50,19 @@ export class NotebookEditorInput extends AbstractResourceEditorInput {
 	) {
 		super(resource, undefined, labelService, fileService);
 		this._defaultDirtyState = !!options.startDirty;
+
+		// Automatically resolve this input when the "wanted" model comes to life via
+		// some other way. This happens only once per input and resolve disposes
+		// this listener
+		this._sideLoadedListener = _notebookService.onDidAddNotebookDocument(e => {
+			if (e.viewType === this.viewType && e.uri.toString() === this.resource.toString()) {
+				this.resolve().catch(onUnexpectedError);
+			}
+		});
 	}
 
 	override dispose() {
+		this._sideLoadedListener.dispose();
 		this._editorModelReference?.dispose();
 		this._editorModelReference = null;
 		super.dispose();
@@ -188,6 +200,10 @@ export class NotebookEditorInput extends AbstractResourceEditorInput {
 
 		mark(this.resource, 'extensionActivated');
 
+		// we are now loading the notebook and don't need to listen to
+		// "other" loading anymore
+		this._sideLoadedListener.dispose();
+
 		if (!this._editorModelReference) {
 			this._editorModelReference = await this._notebookModelResolverService.resolve(this.resource, this.viewType);
 			if (this.isDisposed()) {