diff --git a/spec/app/pane-spec.coffee b/spec/app/pane-spec.coffee
index 331e414e4..b24f9540c 100644
--- a/spec/app/pane-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/pane-spec.coffee
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ describe "Pane", ->
 
   beforeEach ->
     container = new PaneContainer
-    view1 = $$ -> @div id: 'view-1', 'View 1'
-    view2 = $$ -> @div id: 'view-2', 'View 2'
+    view1 = $$ -> @div id: 'view-1', tabindex: -1, 'View 1'
+    view2 = $$ -> @div id: 'view-2', tabindex: -1, 'View 2'
     editSession1 = project.buildEditSession('sample.js')
     editSession2 = project.buildEditSession('sample.txt')
     pane = new Pane(view1, editSession1, view2, editSession2)
@@ -144,6 +144,62 @@ describe "Pane", ->
       expect(editSession1.destroyed).toBeTruthy()
       expect(editSession2.destroyed).toBeTruthy()
 
+    describe "when there are other panes", ->
+      [paneToLeft, paneToRight] = []
+
+      beforeEach ->
+        pane.showItem(editSession1)
+        paneToLeft = pane.splitLeft()
+        paneToRight = pane.splitRight()
+        container.attachToDom()
+
+      describe "when the removed pane is focused", ->
+        it "activates and focuses the next pane", ->
+          pane.focus()
+          pane.remove()
+          expect(paneToLeft.isActive()).toBeFalsy()
+          expect(paneToRight.isActive()).toBeTruthy()
+          expect(paneToRight).toMatchSelector ':has(:focus)'
+
+      describe "when the removed pane is active but not focused", ->
+        it "activates the next pane, but does not focus it", ->
+          $(document.activeElement).blur()
+          expect(pane).not.toMatchSelector ':has(:focus)'
+          pane.makeActive()
+          pane.remove()
+          expect(paneToLeft.isActive()).toBeFalsy()
+          expect(paneToRight.isActive()).toBeTruthy()
+          expect(paneToRight).not.toMatchSelector ':has(:focus)'
+
+      describe "when the removed pane is not active", ->
+        it "does not affect the active pane or the focus", ->
+          paneToLeft.focus()
+          expect(paneToLeft.isActive()).toBeTruthy()
+          expect(paneToRight.isActive()).toBeFalsy()
+
+          pane.remove()
+          expect(paneToLeft.isActive()).toBeTruthy()
+          expect(paneToRight.isActive()).toBeFalsy()
+          expect(paneToLeft).toMatchSelector ':has(:focus)'
+
+    describe "when it is the last pane", ->
+      beforeEach ->
+        expect(container.getPanes().length).toBe 1
+        window.rootView = focus: jasmine.createSpy("rootView.focus")
+
+      describe "when the removed pane is focused", ->
+        it "calls focus on rootView so we don't lose focus", ->
+          container.attachToDom()
+          pane.focus()
+          pane.remove()
+          expect(rootView.focus).toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+      describe "when the removed pane is not focused", ->
+        it "does not call focus on root view", ->
+          expect(pane).not.toMatchSelector ':has(:focus)'
+          pane.remove()
+          expect(rootView.focus).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
   describe "when the pane is focused", ->
     it "focuses the current item view", ->
       focusHandler = jasmine.createSpy("focusHandler")
diff --git a/spec/spec-helper.coffee b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
index 910c8d238..485521129 100644
--- a/spec/spec-helper.coffee
+++ b/spec/spec-helper.coffee
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ afterEach ->
   keymap.bindingSets = bindingSetsToRestore
   keymap.bindingSetsByFirstKeystrokeToRestore = bindingSetsByFirstKeystrokeToRestore
   if rootView?
-    rootView.deactivate()
+    rootView.deactivate?()
     window.rootView = null
   if project?
     project.destroy()
diff --git a/src/app/pane-container.coffee b/src/app/pane-container.coffee
index aae999567..f9471d0b8 100644
--- a/src/app/pane-container.coffee
+++ b/src/app/pane-container.coffee
@@ -19,9 +19,19 @@ class PaneContainer extends View
 
   focusNextPane: ->
     panes = @getPanes()
-    currentIndex = panes.indexOf(@getFocusedPane())
+    if panes.length > 1
+      currentIndex = panes.indexOf(@getFocusedPane())
+      nextIndex = (currentIndex + 1) % panes.length
+      panes[nextIndex].focus()
+      true
+    else
+      false
+
+  makeNextPaneActive: ->
+    panes = @getPanes()
+    currentIndex = panes.indexOf(@getActivePane())
     nextIndex = (currentIndex + 1) % panes.length
-    panes[nextIndex].focus()
+    panes[nextIndex].makeActive()
 
   getRoot: ->
     @children().first().view()
diff --git a/src/app/pane.coffee b/src/app/pane.coffee
index cb5e3636d..99f3d6d32 100644
--- a/src/app/pane.coffee
+++ b/src/app/pane.coffee
@@ -171,7 +171,13 @@ class Pane extends View
     # find parent elements before removing from dom
     container = @getContainer()
     parentAxis = @parent('.row, .column')
+    if @is(':has(:focus)')
+      rootView?.focus() unless container.focusNextPane()
+    else if @isActive()
+      container.makeNextPaneActive()
+
     super
+
     if parentAxis.children().length == 1
       sibling = parentAxis.children().detach()
       parentAxis.replaceWith(sibling)