diff --git a/base/Dockerfile b/base/Dockerfile
index f63c6de11b881eeb1ab6a1d418b4cafe103648d3..8bf1f1986e0025e8bee518829712ac4d1b6b52c9 100644
--- a/base/Dockerfile
+++ b/base/Dockerfile
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ RUN mkdir -p /opt/app-root/src/.ipython/profile_default/startup/ /opt/app-root/s
 # Preload clb_oauth
 RUN echo 'from clb_nb_utils import oauth as clb_oauth' >> /opt/app-root/src/.ipython/profile_default/startup/50-clb-nb-utils.py
 
+# Load widget jupyter extensions from ESD env on startup
+RUN echo 'if [ -f /srv/jupyterlab_kernels/widget_activation.sh ]; then source /srv/jupyterlab_kernels/widget_activation.sh; fi' >> /usr/local/bin/start-notebook.d/load_widget_ext.sh
+
 # install R kernel
 RUN R --slave -e "install.packages('IRkernel')"
 RUN R --slave -e "IRkernel::installspec(name = 'ir', displayname = 'R 4.3.3')"