diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
index df06f15bfc..6a3cdb28b5 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
@@ -1727,7 +1727,12 @@ bool GuiView::closeBuffer(Buffer & buf, bool tolastopened)
 	if (buf.masterBuffer() == &buf && tolastopened)
 		LyX::ref().session().lastOpened().add(buf.fileName());
 
-	theBufferList().release(&buf);
+	if (buf.parent())
+		// Don't close child documents.
+		removeWorkArea(d.current_work_area_);
+	else
+		theBufferList().release(&buf);
+
 	return true;
 }