diff --git a/src/public/app/layouts/desktop_layout.js b/src/public/app/layouts/desktop_layout.js
index 984617e2e..a80907cce 100644
--- a/src/public/app/layouts/desktop_layout.js
+++ b/src/public/app/layouts/desktop_layout.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import FlexContainer from "../widgets/containers/flex_container.js";
-import GlobalMenuWidget from "../widgets/global_menu.js";
+import GlobalMenuWidget from "../widgets/buttons/global_menu.js";
 import TabRowWidget from "../widgets/tab_row.js";
 import TitleBarButtonsWidget from "../widgets/title_bar_buttons.js";
 import SidePaneContainer from "../widgets/containers/side_pane_container.js";
 import NoteTreeWidget from "../widgets/note_tree.js";
 import NoteTitleWidget from "../widgets/note_title.js";
 import OwnedAttributeListWidget from "../widgets/type_property_widgets/owned_attribute_list.js";
-import NoteActionsWidget from "../widgets/note_actions.js";
+import NoteActionsWidget from "../widgets/buttons/note_actions.js";
 import NoteDetailWidget from "../widgets/note_detail.js";
 import CollapsibleSectionContainer from "../widgets/containers/collapsible_section_container.js";
 import PromotedAttributesWidget from "../widgets/type_property_widgets/promoted_attributes.js";
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ import RootContainer from "../widgets/containers/root_container.js";
 import NoteUpdateStatusWidget from "../widgets/note_update_status.js";
 import SpacerWidget from "../widgets/spacer.js";
 import QuickSearchWidget from "../widgets/quick_search.js";
-import ButtonWidget from "../widgets/button_widget.js";
-import ProtectedSessionStatusWidget from "../widgets/protected_session_status.js";
+import ButtonWidget from "../widgets/buttons/button_widget.js";
+import ProtectedSessionStatusWidget from "../widgets/buttons/protected_session_status.js";
 import PaneContainer from "../widgets/containers/pane_container.js";
-import SidebarToggleWidget from "../widgets/sidebar_toggle.js";
+import SidebarToggleWidget from "../widgets/buttons/sidebar_toggle.js";
+import CreatePaneButton from "../widgets/buttons/create_pane_button.js";
+import ClosePaneButton from "../widgets/buttons/close_pane_button.js";
 
 export default class DesktopLayout {
     constructor(customWidgets) {
@@ -90,12 +92,9 @@ export default class DesktopLayout {
                             .overflowing()
                             .child(new NoteIconWidget())
                             .child(new NoteTitleWidget())
-                            .child(new ButtonWidget()
-                                .icon("bx-window-open bx-rotate-90")
-                                .title("Create new pane")
-                                .titlePlacement("bottom")
-                                .onClick(widget => widget.triggerCommand("openNewPane", { ntxId: widget.getNtxId() }))
-                            )
+                            .child(new SpacerWidget(1))
+                            .child(new ClosePaneButton())
+                            .child(new CreatePaneButton())
                         )
                         .child(
                             new CollapsibleSectionContainer()
diff --git a/src/public/app/services/note_context.js b/src/public/app/services/note_context.js
index 6e1ae1408..5e1354e9e 100644
--- a/src/public/app/services/note_context.js
+++ b/src/public/app/services/note_context.js
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ class NoteContext extends Component {
         return appContext.tabManager.noteContexts.filter(nc => nc.ntxId === this.ntxId || nc.mainNtxId === this.ntxId);
     }
 
+    isMainContext() {
+        // if null then this is a main context
+        return !this.mainNtxId;
+    }
+
     getMainContext() {
         if (this.mainNtxId) {
             return appContext.tabManager.getNoteContextById(this.mainNtxId);
diff --git a/src/public/app/services/tab_manager.js b/src/public/app/services/tab_manager.js
index 0fc318925..c0bed71cc 100644
--- a/src/public/app/services/tab_manager.js
+++ b/src/public/app/services/tab_manager.js
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ export default class TabManager extends Component {
         await this.openContextWithNote(noteId, true);
     }
 
-    activateNoteContext(ntxId, triggerEvent = true) {
+    async activateNoteContext(ntxId, triggerEvent = true) {
         if (ntxId === this.activeNtxId) {
             return;
         }
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ export default class TabManager extends Component {
         this.activeNtxId = ntxId;
 
         if (triggerEvent) {
-            this.triggerEvent('activeContextChanged', {
+            await this.triggerEvent('activeContextChanged', {
                 noteContext: this.getNoteContextById(ntxId)
             });
         }
@@ -296,20 +296,23 @@ export default class TabManager extends Component {
     }
 
     async removeNoteContext(ntxId) {
-        const mainNoteContextToRemove = this.getNoteContextById(ntxId).getMainContext();
+        const noteContextToRemove = this.getNoteContextById(ntxId);
 
         // close dangling autocompletes after closing the tab
         $(".aa-input").autocomplete("close");
 
-        const ntxIdsToRemove = mainNoteContextToRemove.getSubContexts().map(nc => nc.ntxId);
+        const ntxIdsToRemove = noteContextToRemove.getSubContexts().map(nc => nc.ntxId);
 
         await this.triggerEvent('beforeTabRemove', { ntxIds: ntxIdsToRemove });
 
-        if (this.mainNoteContexts.length <= 1) {
+        if (!noteContextToRemove.isMainContext()) {
+            await this.activateNoteContext(noteContextToRemove.getMainContext().ntxId);
+        }
+        else if (this.mainNoteContexts.length <= 1) {
             await this.openAndActivateEmptyTab();
         }
         else if (ntxIdsToRemove.includes(this.activeNtxId)) {
-            const idx = this.mainNoteContexts.findIndex(nc => nc.ntxId === mainNoteContextToRemove.ntxId);
+            const idx = this.mainNoteContexts.findIndex(nc => nc.ntxId === noteContextToRemove.ntxId);
 
             if (idx === this.mainNoteContexts.length - 1) {
                 this.activatePreviousTabCommand();
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/button_widget.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/button_widget.js
similarity index 89%
rename from src/public/app/widgets/button_widget.js
rename to src/public/app/widgets/buttons/button_widget.js
index 52f06f894..bef965cb1 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/button_widget.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/button_widget.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import BasicWidget from "./basic_widget.js";
+import NoteContextAwareWidget from "../note_context_aware_widget.js";
 
 const TPL = `
 <span class="button-widget" 
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ const TPL = `
 </span>
 `;
 
-export default class ButtonWidget extends BasicWidget {
+export default class ButtonWidget extends NoteContextAwareWidget {
+    isEnabled() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     constructor() {
         super();
 
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/close_pane_button.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/close_pane_button.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..79c82762c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/close_pane_button.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import ButtonWidget from "./button_widget.js";
+
+export default class ClosePaneButton extends ButtonWidget {
+    isEnabled() {
+        return super.isEnabled()
+            // main note context should not be closeable
+            && this.noteContext && !!this.noteContext.mainNtxId;
+    }
+
+    constructor() {
+        super();
+
+        this.icon("bx-x")
+            .title("Close this pane")
+            .titlePlacement("bottom")
+            .onClick(widget => widget.triggerCommand("closeThisPane", { ntxId: widget.getNtxId() }));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/create_pane_button.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/create_pane_button.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd6fa602b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/create_pane_button.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import ButtonWidget from "./button_widget.js";
+
+export default class CreatePaneButton extends ButtonWidget {
+    constructor() {
+        super();
+
+        this.icon("bx-window-open bx-rotate-90")
+            .title("Create new pane")
+            .titlePlacement("bottom")
+            .onClick(widget => widget.triggerCommand("openNewPane", { ntxId: widget.getNtxId() }));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/global_menu.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/global_menu.js
similarity index 95%
rename from src/public/app/widgets/global_menu.js
rename to src/public/app/widgets/buttons/global_menu.js
index 4d1dd351b..ccc266807 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/global_menu.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/global_menu.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import BasicWidget from "./basic_widget.js";
-import utils from "../services/utils.js";
+import BasicWidget from "../basic_widget.js";
+import utils from "../../services/utils.js";
 
 const TPL = `
 <div class="global-menu-wrapper">
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export default class GlobalMenuWidget extends BasicWidget {
         this.overflowing();
 
         this.$widget.find(".show-about-dialog-button").on('click',
-            () => import("../dialogs/about.js").then(d => d.showDialog()));
+            () => import("../../dialogs/about.js").then(d => d.showDialog()));
 
         this.$widget.find(".logout-button").toggle(!utils.isElectron());
 
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/note_actions.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/note_actions.js
similarity index 92%
rename from src/public/app/widgets/note_actions.js
rename to src/public/app/widgets/buttons/note_actions.js
index 879f11e06..0416f2ab8 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/note_actions.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/note_actions.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import NoteContextAwareWidget from "./note_context_aware_widget.js";
-import protectedSessionService from "../services/protected_session.js";
-import utils from "../services/utils.js";
+import NoteContextAwareWidget from "../note_context_aware_widget.js";
+import protectedSessionService from "../../services/protected_session.js";
+import utils from "../../services/utils.js";
 
 const TPL = `
 <div class="dropdown note-actions">
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@ export default class NoteActionsWidget extends NoteContextAwareWidget {
                 return;
             }
 
-            import('../dialogs/export.js').then(d => d.showDialog(this.noteContext.notePath, 'single'));
+            import('../../dialogs/export.js').then(d => d.showDialog(this.noteContext.notePath, 'single'));
         });
 
         this.$importNoteButton = this.$widget.find('.import-files-button');
-        this.$importNoteButton.on("click", () => import('../dialogs/import.js').then(d => d.showDialog(this.noteId)));
+        this.$importNoteButton.on("click", () => import('../../dialogs/import.js').then(d => d.showDialog(this.noteId)));
 
         this.$protectButton = this.$widget.find(".protect-button");
         this.$protectButton.on('click', () => protectedSessionService.protectNote(this.noteId, true, false));
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/protected_session_status.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/protected_session_status.js
similarity index 91%
rename from src/public/app/widgets/protected_session_status.js
rename to src/public/app/widgets/buttons/protected_session_status.js
index 18c3a16cf..7037b03e6 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/protected_session_status.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/protected_session_status.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import ButtonWidget from "./button_widget.js";
-import protectedSessionHolder from "../services/protected_session_holder.js";
+import protectedSessionHolder from "../../services/protected_session_holder.js";
 
 export default class ProtectedSessionStatusWidget extends ButtonWidget {
     doRender() {
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/sidebar_toggle.js b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/sidebar_toggle.js
similarity index 90%
rename from src/public/app/widgets/sidebar_toggle.js
rename to src/public/app/widgets/buttons/sidebar_toggle.js
index fde94eab0..4fe40e3ee 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/sidebar_toggle.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/buttons/sidebar_toggle.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import ButtonWidget from "./button_widget.js";
-import options from "../services/options.js";
-import splitService from "../services/split.js";
+import options from "../../services/options.js";
+import splitService from "../../services/split.js";
 
 export default class SidebarToggleWidget extends ButtonWidget {
     refreshIcon() {
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/containers/pane_container.js b/src/public/app/widgets/containers/pane_container.js
index 779404451..220871053 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/containers/pane_container.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/containers/pane_container.js
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ export default class PaneContainer extends FlexContainer {
         await noteContext.setEmpty();
     }
 
+    closeThisPaneCommand({ntxId}) {
+        appContext.tabManager.removeNoteContext(ntxId);
+    }
+
     activeContextChangedEvent() {
         this.refresh();
     }
@@ -63,6 +67,16 @@ export default class PaneContainer extends FlexContainer {
         this.refresh();
     }
 
+    noteContextRemovedEvent({ntxIds}) {
+        this.children = this.children.filter(c => !ntxIds.includes(c.ntxId));
+
+        for (const ntxId of ntxIds) {
+            this.$widget.find(`[data-ntx-id="${ntxId}"]`).remove();
+
+            delete this.widgets[ntxId];
+        }
+    }
+
     async refresh() {
         this.toggleExt(true);
     }
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/note_title.js b/src/public/app/widgets/note_title.js
index fbb74c015..991d078de 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/note_title.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/note_title.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const TPL = `
 <div class="note-title-container">
     <style>
     .note-title-container {
-        flex-grow: 100;
+        flex-grow: 1000;
     }
     
     .note-title-container input.note-title {
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/side_pane_toggles.js b/src/public/app/widgets/side_pane_toggles.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 914ce7885..000000000
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/side_pane_toggles.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-import options from "../services/options.js";
-import splitService from "../services/split.js";
-import BasicWidget from "./basic_widget.js";
-
-const TPL = `
-<div>
-    <style>
-    .hide-left-pane-button, .show-left-pane-button {
-        position: fixed;
-        bottom: 10px;
-        left: 10px;
-        z-index: 100;
-    }
-    </style>
-    
-    <button class="hide-left-pane-button btn btn-sm icon-button bx bx-chevrons-left" title="Hide sidebar"></button>
-    <button class="show-left-pane-button btn btn-sm icon-button bx bx-chevrons-right" title="Show sidebar"></button>
-            
-    <button class="hide-right-pane-button btn btn-sm icon-button bx bx-chevrons-right" title="Hide sidebar"></button>
-    <button class="show-right-pane-button btn btn-sm icon-button bx bx-chevrons-left" title="Show sidebar"></button>
-</div>
-`;
-
-export default class SidePaneToggles extends BasicWidget {
-    constructor() {
-        super();
-
-        this.paneVisible = {};
-    }
-
-    doRender() {
-        this.$widget = $(TPL);
-
-        this.$widget.find(".show-right-pane-button").on('click', () => this.toggleAndSave('right', true));
-        this.$widget.find(".hide-right-pane-button").on('click', () => this.toggleAndSave('right', false));
-
-        this.$widget.find(".show-left-pane-button").on('click', () => this.toggleAndSave('left', true));
-        this.$widget.find(".hide-left-pane-button").on('click', () => this.toggleAndSave('left', false));
-
-        this.$widget.css("contain", "none"); // this widget overflows so we need to override default containment
-    }
-
-    toggleSidebar(side, show) {
-        $(`#${side}-pane`).toggle(show);
-        this.$widget.find(`.show-${side}-pane-button`).toggle(!show);
-        this.$widget.find(`.hide-${side}-pane-button`).toggle(show);
-
-        this.paneVisible[side] = show;
-    }
-
-    async toggleAndSave(side, show) {
-        await options.save(`${side}PaneVisible`, show.toString());
-
-        this.toggleSidebar(side, show);
-
-        splitService.setupSplit(this.paneVisible.left, this.paneVisible.right);
-
-        this.triggerEvent('sidebarVisibilityChanged', {side, show});
-    }
-
-    initialRenderCompleteEvent() {
-        this.toggleSidebar('left', options.is('leftPaneVisible'));
-        this.toggleSidebar('right', options.is('rightPaneVisible'));
-
-        splitService.setupSplit(this.paneVisible.left, this.paneVisible.right);
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/public/app/widgets/spacer.js b/src/public/app/widgets/spacer.js
index f48827b1e..9b053f59c 100644
--- a/src/public/app/widgets/spacer.js
+++ b/src/public/app/widgets/spacer.js
@@ -1,17 +1,16 @@
 import BasicWidget from "./basic_widget.js";
 
-const TPL = `
-<div class="spacer">
-    <style>
-    .spacer {
-        flex-grow: 1000;
-    }
-    </style>
-</div>
-`;
+const TPL = `<div class="spacer"></div>`;
 
 export default class SpacerWidget extends BasicWidget {
+    constructor(growIndex = 1000) {
+        super();
+
+        this.growIndex = growIndex;
+    }
+
     doRender() {
         this.$widget = $(TPL);
+        this.$widget.css("flex-grow", this.growIndex)
     }
 }