diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
index 6ac7471876..65fe9195e2 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
@@ -1922,9 +1922,12 @@ bool GuiView::getStatus(FuncRequest const & cmd, FuncStatus & flag)
 		break;
 
 	case LFUN_BUFFER_NEXT:
-	case LFUN_BUFFER_PREVIOUS:
-		// FIXME: should we check is there is an previous or next buffer?
+	case LFUN_BUFFER_PREVIOUS: {
+		// because we cycle, it doesn't matter whether on first or last
+		if (d.currentTabWorkArea()->count() <= 1)
+			enable = false;
 		break;
+	}
 	case LFUN_BUFFER_SWITCH:
 		// toggle on the current buffer, but do not toggle off
 		// the other ones (is that a good idea?)