diff --git a/NEXT_CHANGELOG.md b/NEXT_CHANGELOG.md
index 491321a48c..8a36fdbccf 100644
--- a/NEXT_CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/NEXT_CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 * Skip non-exportable objects (e.g., `MLFLOW_EXPERIMENT`) during `workspace export-dir` instead of failing ([#4081](https://github.com/databricks/cli/issues/4081))
 
 ### Bundles
+* Add `ipykernel` to the `default` template to enable Databricks Connect notebooks in Cursor/VS Code ([#4164](https://github.com/databricks/cli/pull/4164))
 
 ### Dependency updates
 
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml
index ffa9337ef4..aabcdf57d3 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest",
     "databricks-dlt",
     "databricks-connect>=15.4,<15.5",
+    "ipykernel",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py
index 4df274fd43..72ebfeb566 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/classic/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-"""This file configures pytest.
-
-This file is in the root since it can be used for tests in any place in this
-project, including tests under resources/.
-"""
+"""This file configures pytest, initializes Databricks Connect, and provides fixtures for Spark and loading test data."""
 
 import os, sys, pathlib
 from contextlib import contextmanager
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml
index ffa9337ef4..aabcdf57d3 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest",
     "databricks-dlt",
     "databricks-connect>=15.4,<15.5",
+    "ipykernel",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py
index 4df274fd43..72ebfeb566 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/templates/default-python/serverless/output/my_default_python/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-"""This file configures pytest.
-
-This file is in the root since it can be used for tests in any place in this
-project, including tests under resources/.
-"""
+"""This file configures pytest, initializes Databricks Connect, and provides fixtures for Spark and loading test data."""
 
 import os, sys, pathlib
 from contextlib import contextmanager
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/templates/lakeflow-pipelines/python/output/my_lakeflow_pipelines/pyproject.toml b/acceptance/bundle/templates/lakeflow-pipelines/python/output/my_lakeflow_pipelines/pyproject.toml
index 80c75ecd3d..f374167ec7 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/templates/lakeflow-pipelines/python/output/my_lakeflow_pipelines/pyproject.toml
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/templates/lakeflow-pipelines/python/output/my_lakeflow_pipelines/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest",
     "databricks-dlt",
     "databricks-connect>=15.4,<15.5",
+    "ipykernel",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]
diff --git a/acceptance/bundle/templates/pydabs/init-classic/output/my_pydabs/pyproject.toml b/acceptance/bundle/templates/pydabs/init-classic/output/my_pydabs/pyproject.toml
index 070a22c735..61378bd72c 100644
--- a/acceptance/bundle/templates/pydabs/init-classic/output/my_pydabs/pyproject.toml
+++ b/acceptance/bundle/templates/pydabs/init-classic/output/my_pydabs/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest",
     "databricks-dlt",
     "databricks-connect>=15.4,<15.5",
+    "ipykernel",
     "databricks-bundles==x.y.z",
 ]
 
diff --git a/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/pyproject.toml.tmpl b/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/pyproject.toml.tmpl
index 9e60f44d1e..2b1bcc88d3 100644
--- a/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/pyproject.toml.tmpl
+++ b/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/pyproject.toml.tmpl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest",
     "databricks-dlt",
     "databricks-connect{{template "conservative_db_connect_version_spec"}}",
+    "ipykernel",
 {{- if eq .enable_pydabs "yes" }}
     "databricks-bundles=={{template "latest_databricks_bundles_version"}}",
 {{- end }}
diff --git a/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/tests/conftest.py b/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/tests/conftest.py
index 4df274fd43..72ebfeb566 100644
--- a/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/libs/template/templates/default/template/{{.project_name}}/tests/conftest.py
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-"""This file configures pytest.
-
-This file is in the root since it can be used for tests in any place in this
-project, including tests under resources/.
-"""
+"""This file configures pytest, initializes Databricks Connect, and provides fixtures for Spark and loading test data."""
 
 import os, sys, pathlib
 from contextlib import contextmanager