diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/handlers.py b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/handlers.py
index 5cf022c7c..e63291ce3 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/handlers.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/handlers.py
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ class NewHandler(AuthenticatedHandler):
         self.render(
             'notebook.html', project=project,
             notebook_id=notebook_id,
-            base_project_url=u'/', base_kernel_url=u'/'
+            base_project_url=u'/', base_kernel_url=u'/',
+            kill_kernel=False
         )
 
 
@@ -105,7 +106,8 @@ class NamedNotebookHandler(AuthenticatedHandler):
         self.render(
             'notebook.html', project=project,
             notebook_id=notebook_id,
-            base_project_url=u'/', base_kernel_url=u'/'
+            base_project_url=u'/', base_kernel_url=u'/',
+            kill_kernel=False
         )
 
 
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
index 75afd7b75..f96e79bb5 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
@@ -191,7 +191,11 @@
                 </div>
                 <div class="section_row">
                     <span id="kernel_persist">
-                        <input type="checkbox" id="kill_kernel"></input>
+                        {% if kill_kernel %}
+                            <input type="checkbox" id="kill_kernel" checked="true"></input>
+                        {% else %}
+                            <input type="checkbox" id="kill_kernel"></input>
+                        {% end %}
                     </span>
                     <span class="checkbox_label" id="kill_kernel_label">Kill kernel upon exit:</span>
                 </div>