diff --git a/src/notebooks/controllers/kernelSource/notebookKernelSourceSelector.ts b/src/notebooks/controllers/kernelSource/notebookKernelSourceSelector.ts
index eaeadd58568..3ec91b351f6 100644
--- a/src/notebooks/controllers/kernelSource/notebookKernelSourceSelector.ts
+++ b/src/notebooks/controllers/kernelSource/notebookKernelSourceSelector.ts
@@ -377,7 +377,8 @@ export class NotebookKernelSourceSelector implements INotebookKernelSourceSelect
                 matchOnDescription: true,
                 matchOnDetail: true,
                 supportBackInFirstStep: true,
-                activeItem: undefined
+                activeItem: undefined,
+                ignoreFocusOut: false
             });
             return { quickPick, selection: selection as Promise<ConnectionQuickPickItem | QuickPickItem> };
         };
diff --git a/src/platform/common/utils/multiStepInput.ts b/src/platform/common/utils/multiStepInput.ts
index a852130d7b3..81ec7658f7f 100644
--- a/src/platform/common/utils/multiStepInput.ts
+++ b/src/platform/common/utils/multiStepInput.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ export interface IQuickPickParameters<T extends QuickPickItem> {
     supportBackInFirstStep?: boolean;
     onDidTriggerItemButton?(e: QuickPickItemButtonEvent<T>): void;
     onDidChangeItems?: Event<T[]>;
+    /**
+     * Whether to close the quick pick when the user clicks outside the quickpick.
+     */
+    ignoreFocusOut?: boolean;
 }
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/naming-convention
@@ -141,7 +145,8 @@ export class MultiStepInput<S> implements IMultiStepInput<S> {
         onDidTriggerItemButton,
         onDidTriggerButton,
         supportBackInFirstStep,
-        onDidChangeItems
+        onDidChangeItems,
+        ignoreFocusOut
     }: P): { quickPick: QuickPick<T>; selection: Promise<MultiStepInputQuickPicResponseType<T, P>> } {
         const disposables: Disposable[] = [];
         const deferred = createDeferred<MultiStepInputQuickPicResponseType<T, P>>();
@@ -150,7 +155,7 @@ export class MultiStepInput<S> implements IMultiStepInput<S> {
         input.step = step;
         input.totalSteps = totalSteps;
         input.placeholder = placeholder;
-        input.ignoreFocusOut = true;
+        input.ignoreFocusOut = ignoreFocusOut ?? true;
         input.items = items;
         if (stopBusy) {
             input.busy = startBusy ?? false;