diff --git a/src/platform/common/utils.ts b/src/platform/common/utils.ts
index 78c35c67093..d12556a1715 100644
--- a/src/platform/common/utils.ts
+++ b/src/platform/common/utils.ts
@@ -476,9 +476,14 @@ export function useCustomMetadata() {
     if (ext && typeof ext.exports.dropCustomMetadata === 'boolean') {
         return ext.exports.dropCustomMetadata ? false : true;
     }
-    // Means ipynb extension has not yet been activated.
-    // Does not matter, we can just check the setting.
-    return !workspace.getConfiguration('jupyter', undefined).get<boolean>('experimental.dropCustomMetadata', false);
+    try {
+        // Means ipynb extension has not yet been activated.
+        // Does not matter, we can just check the setting.
+        return !workspace.getConfiguration('jupyter', undefined).get<boolean>('experimental.dropCustomMetadata', false);
+    } catch {
+        // This happens in unit tests, in this case just return `true`.
+        return true;
+    }
 }
 
 export async function activateIPynbExtension() {