diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
index 7a899f9..6bb9e8b 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
@@ -1495,7 +1495,12 @@ define([
             base_url: this.base_url,
             notebook_path: this.notebook_path,
             notebook_name: this.notebook_name,
+            // For now, create all sessions with the 'python' kernel, which is the
+            // default. Later, the user will be able to select kernels. This is
+            // overridden if KernelManager.kernel_cmd is specified for the server.
+            kernel_name: 'python'
             notebook: this});
+
         this.session.start($.proxy(this._session_started, this));
     };
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/js/kernel.js b/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/js/kernel.js
index 8004c15..6d41ca5 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/js/kernel.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/js/kernel.js
@@ -15,13 +15,14 @@ define([
      * A Kernel Class to communicate with the Python kernel
      * @Class Kernel
      */
-    var Kernel = function (kernel_service_url, notebook) {
+    var Kernel = function (kernel_service_url, notebook, name) {
         this.events = notebook.events;
         this.kernel_id = null;
         this.shell_channel = null;
         this.iopub_channel = null;
         this.stdin_channel = null;
         this.kernel_service_url = kernel_service_url;
+        this.name = name;
         this.running = false;
         this.username = "username";
         this.session_id = utils.uuid();
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js b/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js
index 1cfb1a9..2283c85 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/sessions/js/session.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ define([
         this.notebook = options.notebook;
         this.name = options.notebook_name;
         this.path = options.notebook_path;
+        this.kernel_name = options.kernel_name;
         this.base_url = options.base_url;
     };
     
@@ -24,6 +25,9 @@ define([
             notebook : {
                 name : this.name,
                 path : this.path
+            },
+            kernel : {
+                name : this.kernel_name
             }
         };
         var settings = {
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ define([
     Session.prototype._handle_start_success = function (data, status, xhr) {
         this.id = data.id;
         var kernel_service_url = utils.url_path_join(this.base_url, "api/kernels");
-        this.kernel = new kernel.Kernel(kernel_service_url, this.notebook);
+        this.kernel = new kernel.Kernel(kernel_service_url, this.notebook, this.kernel_name);
         this.kernel._kernel_started(data.kernel);
     };
     
diff --git a/IPython/html/tests/notebook/save.js b/IPython/html/tests/notebook/save.js
index 30c670d..d325b8f 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tests/notebook/save.js
+++ b/IPython/html/tests/notebook/save.js
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ casper.notebook_test(function () {
             });
             return return_this_thing;
         }, {nbname:nbname});
-        this.test.assertEquals(notebook_url == null, false, "Escaped URL in notebook list");
+        this.test.assertNotEquals(notebook_url, null, "Escaped URL in notebook list");
         // open the notebook
         this.open(notebook_url);
     });