diff --git a/tabby-core/src/components/splitTab.component.ts b/tabby-core/src/components/splitTab.component.ts
index ae25688bbd..f0e53b518d 100644
--- a/tabby-core/src/components/splitTab.component.ts
+++ b/tabby-core/src/components/splitTab.component.ts
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ export class SplitTabComponent extends BaseTabComponent implements AfterViewInit
                     }
                     break
                 case 'close-pane':
-                    this.removeTab(this.focusedTab)
+                    this.focusedTab.destroy()
                     break
                 case 'pane-increase-vertical':
                     this.resizePane('v')