Resolving JupyterLab connection issues after Workbench upgrade

JupyterLab
Python
Workbench
Published

February 20, 2026

Abstract

After upgrading Posit Workbench, JupyterLab sessions disconnect after 1-2 minutes with the error message “Disconnected from Workbench - The underlying JupyterLab connection has been closed.”

Description

Issue

After upgrading Workbench, JupyterLab sessions disconnect after 1-2 minutes with the error message “Disconnected from Workbench - The underlying JupyterLab connection has been closed.”

Explanation

Newer versions of Workbench come bundled with Jupyter and VS Code. However, when upgrading Workbench from an older version, Jupyter sessions may experience heartbeat issues due to conflicts between the Workbench-bundled Jupyter extensions and previously installed extensions. This is due to Jupyter recognizing multiple versions of the workbench_jupyterlab extension.

Solution

  1. Identify the Jupyter version

    Check the Jupyter configuration file to determine the version of Jupyter running on your system:

    Terminal
    cat /etc/rstudio/jupyter.conf

  2. Log in as a session user

    Ensure you are logged in as an appropriate session user before making any changes.

  3. Determine Jupyter paths

    Run the following command to see all paths used by Jupyter:

    Terminal
    jupyter --paths

  4. Locate the workbench_jupyterlab folder

    Look for the workbench_jupyterlab extension folder within the Jupyter lab extensions directory, typically found in:

    Terminal
    /usr/local/share/jupyter/labextensions

  5. Uninstall the extension

    Attempt to remove the extension using the Jupyter labextension uninstall command:

    Terminal
    jupyter labextension uninstall workbench_jupyterlab

    If this command does not work, check the user’s local directory and manually remove the folder:

    Terminal
    rm -fr ~/.local/share/jupyter/labextensions/workbench_jupyterlab

  6. Ensure you have the latest pwb_jupyterlab package installed:

    Terminal
    sudo /opt/python/[version]/bin/pip install --upgrade pwb_jupyterlab

  7. Remove deprecated packages that may cause conflicts:

    • rsp-jupyter
    • workbench_jupyterlab

  8. Restart the Workbench services after making these changes.

Additional Resources

If you’re still having issues, you can reach out to Support by opening a ticket.