diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f6414c67687..2ec36f93636 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@
    ([#4664](https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-jupyter/issues/4664))
 1. Add notebook codicon for Juypter viewContainer.
    ([#4538](https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-jupyter/issues/4538))
+1. Allow options to show native variable view only when looking at native notebooks.
+   ([#4761](https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-jupyter/issues/4761))
 
 ### Code Health
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 168f05dc617..518b9983387 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@
                     "dark": "resources/dark/variable_explorer.svg"
                 },
                 "category": "Jupyter",
-                "enablement": "!jupyter.variableViewVisible"
+                "enablement": "notebookViewType == jupyter-notebook && !jupyter.variableViewVisible"
             }
         ],
         "menus": {
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@
                     "command": "jupyter.openVariableView",
                     "title": "%jupyter.command.jupyter.openVariableView.title%",
                     "category": "Jupyter",
-                    "when": "jupyter.isnativeactive"
+                    "when": "notebookViewType == jupyter-notebook"
                 },
                 {
                     "command": "jupyter.selectNativeJupyterUriFromToolBar",
@@ -1839,7 +1839,7 @@
                     "type": "webview",
                     "id": "jupyterViewVariables",
                     "name": "Variables",
-                    "when": "jupyter.isnativeactive"
+                    "when": "jupyter.isvscodenotebookactive"
                 }
             ]
         }
diff --git a/src/client/datascience/commands/activeEditorContext.ts b/src/client/datascience/commands/activeEditorContext.ts
index 4a43dc0afee..47147de5651 100644
--- a/src/client/datascience/commands/activeEditorContext.ts
+++ b/src/client/datascience/commands/activeEditorContext.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export class ActiveEditorContextService implements IExtensionSingleActivationSer
     private isNotebookTrusted: ContextKey;
     private isPythonFileActive: boolean = false;
     private isPythonNotebook: ContextKey;
+    private isVSCodeNotebookActive: ContextKey;
     constructor(
         @inject(IInteractiveWindowProvider) private readonly interactiveProvider: IInteractiveWindowProvider,
         @inject(INotebookEditorProvider) private readonly notebookEditorProvider: INotebookEditorProvider,
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ export class ActiveEditorContextService implements IExtensionSingleActivationSer
         this.hasNativeNotebookCells = new ContextKey(EditorContexts.HaveNativeCells, this.commandManager);
         this.isNotebookTrusted = new ContextKey(EditorContexts.IsNotebookTrusted, this.commandManager);
         this.isPythonNotebook = new ContextKey(EditorContexts.IsPythonNotebook, this.commandManager);
+        this.isVSCodeNotebookActive = new ContextKey(EditorContexts.IsVSCodeNotebookActive, this.commandManager);
     }
     public dispose() {
         this.disposables.forEach((item) => item.dispose());
@@ -122,6 +124,14 @@ export class ActiveEditorContextService implements IExtensionSingleActivationSer
     }
     private onDidChangeActiveNotebookEditor(e?: INotebookEditor) {
         this.nativeContext.set(!!e).ignoreErrors();
+
+        // jupyter.isnativeactive is set above, but also set jupyter.isvscodenotebookactive
+        // if the active document is also a vscode document
+        if (e && e.type === 'native') {
+            this.isVSCodeNotebookActive.set(true).ignoreErrors();
+        } else {
+            this.isVSCodeNotebookActive.set(false).ignoreErrors();
+        }
         this.isNotebookTrusted.set(e?.model?.isTrusted === true).ignoreErrors();
         this.isPythonNotebook.set(isPythonNotebook(e?.model?.metadata)).ignoreErrors();
         this.updateMergedContexts();
diff --git a/src/client/datascience/constants.ts b/src/client/datascience/constants.ts
index 50e84d98809..391f688f162 100644
--- a/src/client/datascience/constants.ts
+++ b/src/client/datascience/constants.ts
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ export namespace EditorContexts {
     export const CanRestartNotebookKernel = 'jupyter.notebookeditor.canrestartNotebookkernel';
     export const CanInterruptNotebookKernel = 'jupyter.notebookeditor.canInterruptNotebookKernel';
     export const IsPythonNotebook = 'jupyter.ispythonnotebook';
+    export const IsVSCodeNotebookActive = 'jupyter.isvscodenotebookactive';
 }
 
 export namespace RegExpValues {