diff --git a/packages/notebook/src/actions.tsx b/packages/notebook/src/actions.tsx
index 0ba677f0d80e..a3108458dcbb 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/src/actions.tsx
+++ b/packages/notebook/src/actions.tsx
@@ -555,6 +555,8 @@ export namespace NotebookActions {
    * @param translator - The application translator.
    *
    * #### Notes
+   * The existing selection will be preserved.
+   * The mode will be changed to command.
    * An execution error will prevent the remaining code cells from executing.
    * All markdown cells will be rendered.
    */
@@ -728,6 +730,7 @@ export namespace NotebookActions {
     }
 
     const state = Private.getState(notebook);
+    const lastIndex = notebook.widgets.length;
 
     const promise = Private.runCells(
       notebook,
@@ -737,6 +740,9 @@ export namespace NotebookActions {
       translator
     );
 
+    notebook.activeCellIndex = lastIndex;
+    notebook.deselectAll();
+
     Private.handleRunState(notebook, state, true);
     return promise;
   }
@@ -800,6 +806,8 @@ export namespace NotebookActions {
       translator
     );
 
+    notebook.deselectAll();
+
     Private.handleRunState(notebook, state, true);
     return promise;
   }
@@ -2223,6 +2231,8 @@ namespace Private {
     translator?: ITranslator
   ): Promise<boolean> {
     const lastCell = cells[-1];
+    notebook.mode = 'command';
+
     return Promise.all(
       cells.map(cell =>
         runCell(notebook, cell, sessionContext, sessionDialogs, translator)
diff --git a/packages/notebook/test/actions.spec.ts b/packages/notebook/test/actions.spec.ts
index c7f0e8d29ddf..b91ac65391c7 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/test/actions.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/notebook/test/actions.spec.ts
@@ -1000,6 +1000,36 @@ describe('@jupyterlab/notebook', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('#runCells()', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        // Make sure all cells have valid code.
+        widget.widgets[2].model.sharedModel.setSource('a = 1');
+      });
+
+      it('should change to command mode', async () => {
+        widget.mode = 'edit';
+        const result = await NotebookActions.runCells(
+          widget,
+          [widget.widgets[2]],
+          sessionContext
+        );
+        expect(result).toBe(true);
+        expect(widget.mode).toBe('command');
+      });
+
+      it('should preserve the existing selection', async () => {
+        const next = widget.widgets[2];
+        widget.select(next);
+        const result = await NotebookActions.runCells(
+          widget,
+          [widget.widgets[1]],
+          sessionContext
+        );
+        expect(result).toBe(true);
+        expect(widget.isSelected(widget.widgets[2])).toBe(true);
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('#runAll()', () => {
       beforeEach(() => {
         // Make sure all cells have valid code.