diff --git a/notebooks.go b/notebooks.go
index f07329f8..68df521e 100644
--- a/notebooks.go
+++ b/notebooks.go
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ func (s *server) createDefaultNotebook(namespace string, notebookNames []string,
 			Quantity: s.Config.SpawnerFormDefaults.GPUs.Value.Num,
 			Vendor:   s.Config.SpawnerFormDefaults.GPUs.Value.Vendor,
 		},
-		NoWorkspace:        false,
+		NoWorkspace:        true,
 		Workspace:          workspaceVol,
 		DataVolumes:        datavols,
 		EnableSharedMemory: s.Config.SpawnerFormDefaults.Shm.Value,