diff --git a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/ViewBox.py b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/ViewBox.py
index 2cd6c28f..e504be56 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/ViewBox.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/ViewBox.py
@@ -322,12 +322,7 @@ class ViewBox(GraphicsWidget):
 
         self.state.update(state)
 
-        if self.state['enableMenu'] and self.menu is None:
-            self.menu = ViewBoxMenu(self)
-            self.updateViewLists()
-        else:
-            self.menu = None
-
+        self._applyMenuEnabled()
         self.updateViewRange()
         self.sigStateChanged.emit(self)
 
@@ -381,18 +376,21 @@ class ViewBox(GraphicsWidget):
 
     def setMenuEnabled(self, enableMenu=True):
         self.state['enableMenu'] = enableMenu
-        if enableMenu:
-            if self.menu is None:
-                self.menu = ViewBoxMenu(self)
-                self.updateViewLists()
-        else:
-            self.menu.setParent(None)
-            self.menu = None
+        self._applyMenuEnabled()
         self.sigStateChanged.emit(self)
 
     def menuEnabled(self):
         return self.state.get('enableMenu', True)
 
+    def _applyMenuEnabled(self):
+        enableMenu = self.state.get("enableMenu", True)
+        if enableMenu and self.menu is None:
+            self.menu = ViewBoxMenu(self)
+            self.updateViewLists()
+        elif not enableMenu and self.menu is not None:
+            self.menu.setParent(None)
+            self.menu = None
+
     def addItem(self, item, ignoreBounds=False):
         """
         Add a QGraphicsItem to this view. The view will include this item when determining how to set its range
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/tests/test_ViewBox.py b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/tests/test_ViewBox.py
index 5a8ca141..9495bfc3 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/tests/test_ViewBox.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/graphicsItems/ViewBox/tests/test_ViewBox.py
@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ def test_ViewBox():
     win.close()
 
 
+def test_ViewBox_setMenuEnabled():
+    init_viewbox()
+    vb.setMenuEnabled(True)
+    assert vb.menu is not None
+    vb.setMenuEnabled(False)
+    assert vb.menu is None
+
+
 skipreason = "Skipping this test until someone has time to fix it."
 @pytest.mark.skipif(True, reason=skipreason)
 def test_limits_and_resize():