diff --git a/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-actions-contribution.ts b/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-actions-contribution.ts
index 4f781114e12e7..dd11108e0704f 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-actions-contribution.ts
+++ b/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-actions-contribution.ts
@@ -187,12 +187,14 @@ export class NotebookActionsContribution implements CommandContribution, MenuCon
 
                         if (change === CellChangeDirection.Up && currentIndex > 0) {
                             model.setSelectedCell(model.cells[currentIndex - 1]);
-                            if (model.selectedCell?.cellKind === CellKind.Code && shouldFocusEditor) {
+                            if ((model.selectedCell?.cellKind === CellKind.Code
+                                || (model.selectedCell?.cellKind === CellKind.Markup && model.selectedCell?.editing)) && shouldFocusEditor) {
                                 model.selectedCell.requestFocusEditor('lastLine');
                             }
                         } else if (change === CellChangeDirection.Down && currentIndex < model.cells.length - 1) {
                             model.setSelectedCell(model.cells[currentIndex + 1]);
-                            if (model.selectedCell?.cellKind === CellKind.Code && shouldFocusEditor) {
+                            if ((model.selectedCell?.cellKind === CellKind.Code
+                                || (model.selectedCell?.cellKind === CellKind.Markup && model.selectedCell?.editing)) && shouldFocusEditor) {
                                 model.selectedCell.requestFocusEditor();
                             }
                         }
diff --git a/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-cell-actions-contribution.ts b/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-cell-actions-contribution.ts
index 69606906c6ba9..8242947a4d116 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-cell-actions-contribution.ts
+++ b/packages/notebook/src/browser/contributions/notebook-cell-actions-contribution.ts
@@ -39,11 +39,13 @@ export namespace NotebookCellCommands {
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel | undefined, cell: NotebookCellModel */
     export const EDIT_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.edit',
+        category: 'Notebook',
         iconClass: codicon('edit')
     });
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel | undefined, cell: NotebookCellModel */
     export const STOP_EDIT_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.stop-edit',
+        category: 'Notebook',
         iconClass: codicon('check')
     });
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel, cell: NotebookCellModel */
@@ -59,11 +61,21 @@ export namespace NotebookCellCommands {
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel, cell: NotebookCellModel */
     export const EXECUTE_SINGLE_CELL_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.execute-cell',
+        category: 'Notebook',
+        label: nls.localizeByDefault('Execute Cell'),
         iconClass: codicon('play'),
     });
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel, cell: NotebookCellModel */
     export const EXECUTE_SINGLE_CELL_AND_FOCUS_NEXT_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.execute-cell-and-focus-next',
+        label: nls.localizeByDefault('Execute Notebook Cell and Select Below'),
+        category: 'Notebook',
+    });
+    /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel, cell: NotebookCellModel */
+    export const EXECUTE_SINGLE_CELL_AND_INSERT_BELOW_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
+        id: 'notebook.cell.execute-cell-and-insert-below',
+        label: nls.localizeByDefault('Execute Notebook Cell and Insert Below'),
+        category: 'Notebook',
     });
 
     export const EXECUTE_ABOVE_CELLS_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
@@ -85,11 +97,13 @@ export namespace NotebookCellCommands {
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel | undefined, cell: NotebookCellModel */
     export const CLEAR_OUTPUTS_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.clear-outputs',
+        category: 'Notebook',
         label: 'Clear Cell Outputs',
     });
     /** Parameters: notebookModel: NotebookModel | undefined, cell: NotebookCellModel | undefined, output: NotebookCellOutputModel */
     export const CHANGE_OUTPUT_PRESENTATION_COMMAND = Command.toDefaultLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.change-presentation',
+        category: 'Notebook',
         label: 'Change Presentation',
     });
 
@@ -114,11 +128,13 @@ export namespace NotebookCellCommands {
 
     export const TO_CODE_CELL_COMMAND = Command.toLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.changeToCode',
+        category: 'Notebook',
         label: 'Change Cell to Code'
     });
 
     export const TO_MARKDOWN_CELL_COMMAND = Command.toLocalizedCommand({
         id: 'notebook.cell.changeToMarkdown',
+        category: 'Notebook',
         label: 'Change Cell to Markdown'
     });
 
@@ -302,6 +318,23 @@ export class NotebookCellActionContribution implements MenuContribution, Command
                 }
             })
         );
+        commands.registerCommand(NotebookCellCommands.EXECUTE_SINGLE_CELL_AND_INSERT_BELOW_COMMAND, this.editableCellCommandHandler(
+            async (notebookModel, cell) => {
+                if (cell.cellKind === CellKind.Code) {
+                    await commands.executeCommand(NotebookCellCommands.EXECUTE_SINGLE_CELL_COMMAND.id, notebookModel, cell);
+                }
+                await commands.executeCommand(NotebookCellCommands.STOP_EDIT_COMMAND.id, notebookModel, cell);
+
+                if (cell.cellKind === CellKind.Code) {
+                    await commands.executeCommand(NotebookCellCommands.INSERT_NEW_CELL_BELOW_COMMAND.id);
+                } else {
+                    await commands.executeCommand(NotebookCellCommands.INSERT_MARKDOWN_CELL_BELOW_COMMAND.id);
+                }
+
+                const index = notebookModel.cells.indexOf(cell);
+                notebookModel.setSelectedCell(notebookModel.cells[index + 1]);
+            })
+        );
 
         commands.registerCommand(NotebookCellCommands.EXECUTE_ABOVE_CELLS_COMMAND, this.editableCellCommandHandler(
             (notebookModel, cell) => {
@@ -432,8 +465,8 @@ export class NotebookCellActionContribution implements MenuContribution, Command
             },
             {
                 command: NotebookCellCommands.STOP_EDIT_COMMAND.id,
-                keybinding: KeyCode.createKeyCode({ first: Key.ENTER, modifiers: [KeyModifier.Alt] }).toString(),
-                when: `editorTextFocus && !inputFocus && ${NOTEBOOK_EDITOR_FOCUSED}`,
+                keybinding: KeyCode.createKeyCode({ first: Key.ENTER, modifiers: [KeyModifier.Alt, KeyModifier.CtrlCmd] }).toString(),
+                when: `editorTextFocus && ${NOTEBOOK_EDITOR_FOCUSED} && ${NOTEBOOK_CELL_TYPE} == 'markdown'`,
             },
             {
                 command: NotebookCellCommands.STOP_EDIT_COMMAND.id,
@@ -450,6 +483,11 @@ export class NotebookCellActionContribution implements MenuContribution, Command
                 keybinding: KeyCode.createKeyCode({ first: Key.ENTER, modifiers: [KeyModifier.Shift] }).toString(),
                 when: `${NOTEBOOK_CELL_LIST_FOCUSED} && ${NOTEBOOK_EDITOR_FOCUSED} && ${NOTEBOOK_CELL_FOCUSED}`,
             },
+            {
+                command: NotebookCellCommands.EXECUTE_SINGLE_CELL_AND_INSERT_BELOW_COMMAND.id,
+                keybinding: KeyCode.createKeyCode({ first: Key.ENTER, modifiers: [KeyModifier.Alt] }).toString(),
+                when: `${NOTEBOOK_CELL_LIST_FOCUSED} && ${NOTEBOOK_EDITOR_FOCUSED} && ${NOTEBOOK_CELL_FOCUSED}`,
+            },
             {
                 command: NotebookCellCommands.CLEAR_OUTPUTS_COMMAND.id,
                 keybinding: KeyCode.createKeyCode({ first: Key.KEY_O, modifiers: [KeyModifier.Alt] }).toString(),
diff --git a/packages/notebook/src/browser/notebook-editor-widget.tsx b/packages/notebook/src/browser/notebook-editor-widget.tsx
index 2dc5723fcfc03..a88ed0a77b692 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/src/browser/notebook-editor-widget.tsx
+++ b/packages/notebook/src/browser/notebook-editor-widget.tsx
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ export class NotebookEditorWidget extends ReactWidget implements Navigatable, Sa
     @postConstruct()
     protected init(): void {
         this.id = NOTEBOOK_EDITOR_ID_PREFIX + this.props.uri.toString();
-        this.node.tabIndex = -1;
 
         this.scrollOptions = {
             suppressScrollY: true
@@ -174,8 +173,6 @@ export class NotebookEditorWidget extends ReactWidget implements Navigatable, Sa
                 this.commandRegistry.executeCommand(NotebookCellCommands.EDIT_COMMAND.id, model, model.cells[0]);
                 model.setSelectedCell(model.cells[0]);
             }
-            model.cells.forEach(cell => cell.onWillBlurCellEditor(() => this.node.focus()));
-            model.onDidAddOrRemoveCell(e => e.newCellIds?.forEach(cellId => model.cells.find(cell => cell.handle === cellId)?.onWillBlurCellEditor(() => this.node.focus())));
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-editor.tsx b/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-editor.tsx
index 969c031dc6753..db72b0765c267 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-editor.tsx
+++ b/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-editor.tsx
@@ -101,6 +101,16 @@ export class CellEditor extends React.Component<CellEditorProps, {}> {
             this.props.notebookContextManager.scopedStore.setContext(NOTEBOOK_CELL_CURSOR_LAST_LINE, currentLine === lineCount);
         }));
 
+        this.toDispose.push(this.props.cell.onWillBlurCellEditor(() => {
+            let parent = this.container?.parentElement;
+            while (parent && !parent.classList.contains('theia-notebook-cell')) {
+                parent = parent.parentElement;
+            }
+            if (parent) {
+                parent.focus();
+            }
+        }));
+
         this.toDispose.push(this.props.cell.onDidChangeEditorOptions(options => {
             this.editor?.getControl().updateOptions(options);
         }));
diff --git a/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-list-view.tsx b/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-list-view.tsx
index 0c66a6f6531ce..14e7a42ef5b5a 100644
--- a/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-list-view.tsx
+++ b/packages/notebook/src/browser/view/notebook-cell-list-view.tsx
@@ -132,7 +132,14 @@ export class NotebookCellListView extends React.Component<CellListProps, Noteboo
                             onDrop={e => this.onDrop(e, index)}
                             draggable={true}
                             tabIndex={-1}
-                            ref={ref => cell === this.state.selectedCell && this.state.scrollIntoView && ref?.scrollIntoView({ block: 'nearest' })}>
+                            ref={ref => {
+                                if (ref && cell === this.state.selectedCell && this.state.scrollIntoView) {
+                                    ref.scrollIntoView({ block: 'nearest' });
+                                    if (cell.cellKind === CellKind.Markup && !cell.editing) {
+                                        ref.focus();
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }}>
                             <div className={'theia-notebook-cell-marker' + (this.state.selectedCell === cell ? ' theia-notebook-cell-marker-selected' : '')}></div>
                             <div className='theia-notebook-cell-content'>
                                 {this.renderCellContent(cell, index)}