diff --git a/extensions/positron-python/src/client/extensionActivation.ts b/extensions/positron-python/src/client/extensionActivation.ts
index 9f3bf592c6e..d9878bf544b 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-python/src/client/extensionActivation.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-python/src/client/extensionActivation.ts
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ export async function activateComponents(
     }
     const promises: Promise<ActivationResult>[] = [
         // More component activations will go here
-        pythonEnvironments.activate(components.pythonEnvs, ext),
+        // --- Start Positron ---
+        pythonEnvironments.activateAndRefreshEnvs(components.pythonEnvs),
+        // --- End Positron
     ];
     return Promise.all([legacyActivationResult, ...promises]);
 }
diff --git a/extensions/positron-python/src/client/interpreter/configuration/interpreterSelector/commands/setInterpreter.ts b/extensions/positron-python/src/client/interpreter/configuration/interpreterSelector/commands/setInterpreter.ts
index bc271a64d2f..1a868e334c6 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-python/src/client/interpreter/configuration/interpreterSelector/commands/setInterpreter.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-python/src/client/interpreter/configuration/interpreterSelector/commands/setInterpreter.ts
@@ -208,12 +208,19 @@ export class SetInterpreterCommand extends BaseInterpreterSelectorCommand implem
                 // always trigger a refresh.
                 if (this.interpreterService.getInterpreters().length === 0) {
                     this.refreshCallback(quickPick, { showBackButton: params?.showBackButton });
-                } else {
-                    this.refreshCallback(quickPick, {
-                        ifNotTriggerredAlready: true,
-                        showBackButton: params?.showBackButton,
-                    });
                 }
+                // --- Start Positron ---
+                // Do not trigger a refresh when QuickPick is opened, to keep behavior the same
+                // between the Quick Pick and the Positron Interpreter Selector
+
+                // else {
+                //     this.refreshCallback(quickPick, {
+                //         ifNotTriggerredAlready: true,
+                //         showBackButton: params?.showBackButton,
+                //     });
+                // }
+
+                // --- End Positron ---
             },
             onChangeItem: {
                 event: this.interpreterService.onDidChangeInterpreters,
diff --git a/extensions/positron-python/src/client/pythonEnvironments/index.ts b/extensions/positron-python/src/client/pythonEnvironments/index.ts
index 0bd766b4553..284638d880c 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-python/src/client/pythonEnvironments/index.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-python/src/client/pythonEnvironments/index.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,26 @@ export async function initialize(ext: ExtensionState): Promise<IDiscoveryAPI> {
     return api;
 }
 
+// --- Start Positron ---
+/**
+ * Make use of the component (e.g. register with VS Code).
+ */
+export async function activateAndRefreshEnvs(api: IDiscoveryAPI): Promise<ActivationResult> {
+    /**
+     * Force a background refresh of the environments for each extension activation
+     *
+     * Based off activate(), but not including the logic around triggering only if
+     * it has not previously been triggered
+     */
+
+    api.triggerRefresh().ignoreErrors();
+
+    return {
+        fullyReady: Promise.resolve(),
+    };
+}
+// --- End Positron ---
+
 /**
  * Make use of the component (e.g. register with VS Code).
  */