Signalling by IFN‐y and CD40 is known to trigger anti‐microbial activity in macrophages infected with Toxoplasma gondii, but their effects on infected neurons are less well known. Here, we compared how stimulation with IFN‐y and an agonistic anti‐CD40 mAb impacts infection and cyst formation in the mouse neuroblastoma cell line Neuro‐2a relative to bone marrow‐derived macrophages. Both IFN‐y and CD40 mAb decreased cyst emergence in Neuro‐2a cells. In macrophages, these stimuli decreased infection, but had no impact on infection in the neuroblastoma cell line. Resistance to killing in Neuro‐2a cells may explain why neurons preferentially harbour parasites during chronic infection in the brain.