diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
index a50889e0fe..bd4872d955 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
@@ -868,13 +868,7 @@ void GuiViewBase::setCurrentWorkArea(WorkArea * work_area)
 
 	GuiWorkArea * wa = dynamic_cast<GuiWorkArea *>(work_area);
 	BOOST_ASSERT(wa);
-	if (wa != d.tab_widget_->currentWidget())
-		// Switch to the work area.
-		d.tab_widget_->setCurrentWidget(wa);
-	else
-		// Make sure the work area is up to date.
-		d.tab_widget_->on_currentTabChanged(d.tab_widget_->currentIndex());
-	wa->setFocus();
+	d.tab_widget_->setCurrentWorkArea(wa);
 }
 
 
@@ -891,26 +885,14 @@ void GuiViewBase::removeWorkArea(WorkArea * work_area)
 	updateToc();
 
 	GuiWorkArea * gwa = dynamic_cast<GuiWorkArea *>(work_area);
-	gwa->setUpdatesEnabled(false);
 	BOOST_ASSERT(gwa);
-	int index = d.tab_widget_->indexOf(gwa);
-	d.tab_widget_->removeTab(index);
-
-	delete gwa;
-
-	if (d.tab_widget_->count()) {
-		// make sure the next work area is enabled.
-		d.tab_widget_->currentWidget()->setUpdatesEnabled(true);
-		// Hide tabbar if there's only one tab.
-		d.tab_widget_->showBar(d.tab_widget_->count() > 1);
-		return;
-	}
+	d.tab_widget_->removeWorkArea(gwa);
 
 	getDialogs().hideBufferDependent();
-	if (d.stack_widget_) {
+
+	if (d.tab_widget_->count() == 0 && d.stack_widget_)
 		// No more work area, switch to the background widget.
 		d.setBackground();
-	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
index c25d392531..0bb9100904 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
@@ -728,6 +728,46 @@ void TabWorkArea::showBar(bool show)
 }
 
 
+bool TabWorkArea::setCurrentWorkArea(GuiWorkArea * work_area)
+{
+	BOOST_ASSERT(work_area);
+	int index = indexOf(work_area);
+	if (index == -1)
+		return false;
+
+	if (index == currentIndex())
+		// Make sure the work area is up to date.
+		on_currentTabChanged(index);
+	else
+		// Switch to the work area.
+		setCurrentIndex(index);
+	work_area->setFocus();
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+
+bool TabWorkArea::removeWorkArea(GuiWorkArea * work_area)
+{
+	BOOST_ASSERT(work_area);
+	int index = indexOf(work_area);
+	if (index == -1)
+		return false;
+
+	work_area->setUpdatesEnabled(false);
+	removeTab(index);
+	delete work_area;
+
+	if (count()) {
+		// make sure the next work area is enabled.
+		currentWidget()->setUpdatesEnabled(true);
+		// Hide tabbar if there's only one tab.
+		showBar(count() > 1);
+	}
+	return true;
+}
+
+
 void TabWorkArea::on_currentTabChanged(int i)
 {
 	GuiWorkArea * wa = dynamic_cast<GuiWorkArea *>(widget(i));
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h
index dc9c84c2a4..2ddad927b0 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.h
@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@ class TabWorkArea : public QTabWidget
 public:
 	TabWorkArea(QWidget * parent = 0);
 	void showBar(bool show);
+	bool setCurrentWorkArea(GuiWorkArea *);
+	bool removeWorkArea(GuiWorkArea *);
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
 	///