diff --git a/news/changelog-1.9.md b/news/changelog-1.9.md
index 9c327bc5e1d..7b5ef8f02a2 100644
--- a/news/changelog-1.9.md
+++ b/news/changelog-1.9.md
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ All changes included in 1.9:
 - ([#13570](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto-cli/pull/13570)): Replace Twitter with Bluesky in default blog template and documentation examples. New blog projects now include Bluesky social links instead of Twitter.
 - ([#13716](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto-cli/issues/13716)): Fix draft pages showing blank during preview when pre-render scripts are configured.
 - ([#13847](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto-cli/pull/13847)): Open graph title with markdown is now processed correctly. (author: @mcanouil)
+- ([#9468](https://github.com/quarto-dev/quarto-cli/issues/9468)): Respect `link-external-newwindow: true` in "default" type listing. (author: @mcanouil)
 
 ### `book`
 
diff --git a/src/resources/formats/html/_quarto-rules-link-external.scss b/src/resources/formats/html/_quarto-rules-link-external.scss
index 0573dd03a76..f021574e42b 100644
--- a/src/resources/formats/html/_quarto-rules-link-external.scss
+++ b/src/resources/formats/html/_quarto-rules-link-external.scss
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ a.external:after:hover {
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.quarto-listing-default a.external:after {
+  content: none;
+}
+
 .quarto-ext-icon {
   display: inline-block;
   font-size: 0.75em;
diff --git a/src/resources/projects/website/listing/item-default.ejs.md b/src/resources/projects/website/listing/item-default.ejs.md
index 91114a7867f..6a2fee9db2d 100644
--- a/src/resources/projects/website/listing/item-default.ejs.md
+++ b/src/resources/projects/website/listing/item-default.ejs.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ print(`<div class="metadata-value listing-${field}">${listing.utilities.outputLi
 <% if (fields.includes('image')) { %>
 
 ```{=html}
-<div class="thumbnail"><a href="<%- item.path %>" class="no-external">
+<div class="thumbnail"><a href="<%- item.path %>">
 <% if (item.image) { %>
 <%= listing.utilities.img(itemNumber, item.image, "thumbnail-image", item['image-alt'], item['image-lazy-loading'] ?? listing['image-lazy-loading']) %>
 <% } else { %>
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ print(`<div class="metadata-value listing-${field}">${listing.utilities.outputLi
 ::: {.body}
 
 <% if (fields.includes('title')) { %>
-<h3 class="no-anchor listing-title"><a href="<%- item.path %>" class="no-external"><%= item.title %></a></h3>
+<h3 class="no-anchor listing-title"><a href="<%- item.path %>"><%= item.title %></a></h3>
 <% if (fields.includes('subtitle')) { %>
-<div class="listing-subtitle"><a href="<%- item.path %>" class="no-external"><%= item.subtitle %></a></div>
+<div class="listing-subtitle"><a href="<%- item.path %>"><%= item.subtitle %></a></div>
 <% } %>
 <% } %>
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ print(`<div class="metadata-value listing-${field}">${listing.utilities.outputLi
 <% if (fields.includes('description')) { %>
 
 ```{=html}
-<div class="delink listing-description"><a href="<%- item.path %>" class="no-external">
+<div class="delink listing-description"><a href="<%- item.path %>">
 ```
 
 <%= item.description %>
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ print(`<div class="metadata-value listing-${field}">${listing.utilities.outputLi
 ::: {.metadata}
 
 ```{=html}
-<a href="<%- item.path %>" class="no-external">
+<a href="<%- item.path %>">
 ```
 
 <% if (fields.includes('date') && item.date) { %>
diff --git a/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/.gitignore b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ad293093b07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+/.quarto/
+**/*.quarto_ipynb
diff --git a/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/_quarto.yml b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/_quarto.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b2f13fb2190
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/_quarto.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+project:
+  type: website
+
+website:
+  title: "Testing external links in listings"
+
+link-external-newwindow: true
+
+format: html
diff --git a/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/grid.qmd b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/grid.qmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..95aadc7ac33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/grid.qmd
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: "External Links Test - Grid"
+listing:
+  id: grid-listing
+  contents:
+    - path: https://example.com/external-article
+      title: "External Article"
+      description: "An external article that should open in new window."
+    - path: local-post.qmd
+      title: "Local Post"
+      description: "A local post that should NOT open in new window."
+  type: grid
+---
+
+::: {#grid-listing}
+:::
diff --git a/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/index.qmd b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/index.qmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cc6a7461b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/index.qmd
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+---
+title: "External Links Test - Default"
+listing:
+  id: external-listing
+  contents:
+    - path: https://example.com/external-article
+      title: "External Article"
+      description: "An external article that should open in new window."
+    - path: local-post.qmd
+      title: "Local Post"
+      description: "A local post that should NOT open in new window."
+  type: default
+---
+
+::: {#external-listing}
+:::
diff --git a/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/local-post.qmd b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/local-post.qmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ce17c63989c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/local-post.qmd
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: "Local Post"
+---
+
+Local content.
diff --git a/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/table.qmd b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/table.qmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4512a7a87a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/playwright/listings/external-links/table.qmd
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+title: "External Links Test - Table"
+listing:
+  id: table-listing
+  contents:
+    - path: https://example.com/external-article
+      title: "External Article"
+      description: "An external article that should open in new window."
+    - path: local-post.qmd
+      title: "Local Post"
+      description: "A local post that should NOT open in new window."
+  type: table
+  fields: [title, description]
+---
+
+::: {#table-listing}
+:::
diff --git a/tests/integration/playwright/tests/html-listing-external-links.spec.ts b/tests/integration/playwright/tests/html-listing-external-links.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fe9f473cc97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/playwright/tests/html-listing-external-links.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+
+const listingTypes = [
+  {
+    name: "default",
+    page: "index.html",
+    containerSelector: ".quarto-listing-default",
+    externalLinkSelector:
+      '.quarto-listing-default a[href="https://example.com/external-article"]',
+  },
+  {
+    name: "grid",
+    page: "grid.html",
+    containerSelector: ".quarto-listing-container-grid",
+    externalLinkSelector:
+      '.quarto-listing-container-grid a[href="https://example.com/external-article"]',
+  },
+  {
+    name: "table",
+    page: "table.html",
+    containerSelector: ".quarto-listing-table",
+    externalLinkSelector:
+      '.quarto-listing-table a[href="https://example.com/external-article"]',
+  },
+];
+
+listingTypes.forEach(({ name, page, containerSelector, externalLinkSelector }) => {
+  test.describe(`External links in ${name} listing`, () => {
+    test("External listing item has target=_blank attribute", async ({
+      page: browserPage,
+    }) => {
+      await browserPage.goto(`./listings/external-links/_site/${page}`);
+
+      // Wait for the listing to be visible
+      await browserPage.waitForSelector(containerSelector);
+
+      // Find the link to the external article
+      const externalLink = browserPage.locator(externalLinkSelector);
+
+      await expect(externalLink.first()).toHaveAttribute("target", "_blank");
+    });
+
+    test("External listing item has rel=noopener attribute", async ({
+      page: browserPage,
+    }) => {
+      await browserPage.goto(`./listings/external-links/_site/${page}`);
+
+      // Wait for the listing to be visible
+      await browserPage.waitForSelector(containerSelector);
+
+      // Find the link to the external article
+      const externalLink = browserPage.locator(externalLinkSelector);
+
+      await expect(externalLink.first()).toHaveAttribute("rel", "noopener");
+    });
+
+    test("Internal listing item does NOT have target=_blank attribute", async ({
+      page: browserPage,
+    }) => {
+      await browserPage.goto(`./listings/external-links/_site/${page}`);
+
+      // Wait for the listing to be visible
+      await browserPage.waitForSelector(containerSelector);
+
+      // Find the link to the local post by its text content
+      const internalLink = browserPage
+        .getByRole("link", { name: "Local Post" })
+        .first();
+
+      // Verify the link exists
+      await expect(internalLink).toBeVisible();
+
+      // Internal links should not have target="_blank"
+      await expect(internalLink).not.toHaveAttribute("target", "_blank");
+    });
+  });
+});