diff --git a/spec/workspace-element-spec.js b/spec/workspace-element-spec.js
index d3027e574..48ed09cee 100644
--- a/spec/workspace-element-spec.js
+++ b/spec/workspace-element-spec.js
@@ -499,6 +499,21 @@ describe('WorkspaceElement', () => {
           expect(workspace.paneForItem(item)).toBe(startingPane)
         })
       })
+
+      describe("when the item doesn't implement a `copy` function", () => {
+        it('does not copy the active item', function () {
+          const item = document.createElement('div')
+          const paneBelow = startingPane.splitDown()
+          expect(paneBelow.getItems().length).toEqual(0)
+
+          startingPane.activate()
+          startingPane.activateItem(item)
+          workspaceElement.focusPaneViewAbove()
+          workspaceElement.moveActiveItemToNearestPaneInDirection('below', {keepOriginal: true})
+          expect(workspace.paneForItem(item)).toBe(startingPane)
+          expect(paneBelow.getItems().length).toEqual(0)
+        })
+      })
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/src/pane-container.js b/src/pane-container.js
index 54cc4477d..c914cc37f 100644
--- a/src/pane-container.js
+++ b/src/pane-container.js
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ class PaneContainer {
   copyActiveItemToPane (destPane) {
     const item = this.activePane.copyActiveItem()
 
-    if (!destPane.isItemAllowed(item)) { return }
-
-    destPane.activateItem(item)
+    if (item && destPane.isItemAllowed(item)) {
+      destPane.activateItem(item)
+    }
   }
 
   destroyEmptyPanes () {