diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookEditorWidget.ts b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookEditorWidget.ts
index 88c1083a2fa..62df6a04c06 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookEditorWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/notebook/browser/notebookEditorWidget.ts
@@ -2148,6 +2148,12 @@ export const focusedCellBorder = registerColor('notebook.focusedCellBorder', {
 	hc: focusBorder
 }, nls.localize('notebook.focusedCellBorder', "The color of the cell's top and bottom border when the cell is focused."));
 
+export const inactiveFocus = registerColor('notebook.inactiveFocus', {
+	dark: notebookCellBorder,
+	light: notebookCellBorder,
+	hc: notebookCellBorder
+}, nls.localize('notebook.inactiveFocus', "The color of the cell's top and bottom border when a cell is focused while the primary focus is outside of the editor."));
+
 export const cellStatusBarItemHover = registerColor('notebook.cellStatusBarItemHoverBackground', {
 	light: new Color(new RGBA(0, 0, 0, 0.08)),
 	dark: new Color(new RGBA(255, 255, 255, 0.15)),
@@ -2279,6 +2285,15 @@ registerThemingParticipant((theme, collector) => {
 				border-color: ${focusedCellBorderColor} !important;
 			}`);
 
+	const inactiveFocusedColor = theme.getColor(inactiveFocus);
+	collector.addRule(`
+			.monaco-workbench .notebookOverlay .monaco-list .monaco-list-row.focused .cell-focus-indicator-top:before,
+			.monaco-workbench .notebookOverlay .monaco-list .monaco-list-row.focused .cell-focus-indicator-bottom:before,
+			.monaco-workbench .notebookOverlay .monaco-list .markdown-cell-row.focused .cell-inner-container:not(.cell-editor-focus):before,
+			.monaco-workbench .notebookOverlay .monaco-list .markdown-cell-row.focused .cell-inner-container:not(.cell-editor-focus):after {
+				border-color: ${inactiveFocusedColor} !important;
+			}`);
+
 	const selectedCellBorderColor = theme.getColor(selectedCellBorder);
 	collector.addRule(`
 			.monaco-workbench .notebookOverlay .monaco-list:focus-within .monaco-list-row.focused .cell-editor-focus .cell-focus-indicator-top:before,