diff --git a/packages/console/src/Console.tsx b/packages/console/src/Console.tsx
index 0edcf19086..7474d80698 100644
--- a/packages/console/src/Console.tsx
+++ b/packages/console/src/Console.tsx
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ interface ConsoleProps {
   statusBarChildren: ReactNode;
   settings: Partial<Settings>;
   focusCommandHistory: () => void;
-  openObject: (object: VariableDefinition) => void;
+  openObject: (object: VariableDefinition, autoLaunch?: boolean) => void;
   closeObject: (object: VariableDefinition) => void;
   session: IdeSession;
   language: string;
@@ -471,15 +471,20 @@ export class Console extends PureComponent<ConsoleProps, ConsoleState> {
   }, Console.LOG_THROTTLE);
 
   openUpdatedItems(changes: VariableChanges): void {
+    log.log('openUpdatedItems', changes);
     const { isAutoLaunchPanelsEnabled } = this.state;
-    if (changes == null || !isAutoLaunchPanelsEnabled) {
+    if (changes == null) {
       return;
     }
 
     const { openObject } = this.props;
-    [...changes.created, ...changes.updated].forEach(object =>
-      openObject(object)
-    );
+    [...changes.created, ...changes.updated].forEach(object => {
+      openObject(
+        object,
+        isAutoLaunchPanelsEnabled &&
+          (object.title === undefined || !object.title.startsWith('_'))
+      );
+    });
   }
 
   closeRemovedItems(changes: VariableChanges): void {
diff --git a/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx b/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx
index f0dd70f29e..7842fa5e0b 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ export class ConsolePanel extends PureComponent<
     // as they may have been saved with the dashboard
     this.closeDisconnectedPanels();
     glEventHub.on(PanelEvent.MOUNT, this.handlePanelMount);
+    glEventHub.on(PanelEvent.CLOSED, this.handleItemClosed);
     this.subscribeToFieldUpdates();
   }
 
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ export class ConsolePanel extends PureComponent<
     const { glEventHub } = this.props;
     this.savePanelState.flush();
     glEventHub.off(PanelEvent.MOUNT, this.handlePanelMount);
+    glEventHub.off(PanelEvent.CLOSED, this.handleItemClosed);
     this.objectSubscriptionCleanup?.();
   }
 
@@ -222,6 +224,22 @@ export class ConsolePanel extends PureComponent<
     }
   }
 
+  handleItemClosed(panelId: string | string[] | null | undefined): void {
+    if (panelId == null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const removeId = Array.isArray(panelId) ? panelId[0] : panelId;
+    this.setState(({ itemIds }) => {
+      const newItemIds = new Map(itemIds);
+      newItemIds.forEach(([key, value]) => {
+        if (value === removeId) {
+          newItemIds.delete(key);
+        }
+      });
+      return { itemIds: newItemIds };
+    });
+  }
+
   handleFocusCommandHistory(): void {
     const { glEventHub } = this.props;
     glEventHub.emit(ConsoleEvent.FOCUS_HISTORY);
@@ -235,18 +253,28 @@ export class ConsolePanel extends PureComponent<
     this.updateDimensions();
   }
 
-  handleOpenObject(object: VariableDefinition): void {
+  handleOpenObject(object: VariableDefinition, autoLaunch = true): void {
     const { sessionWrapper } = this.props;
+    const { itemIds } = this.state;
     const { session } = sessionWrapper;
-    this.openWidget(object, session);
+    // Title should always be non-null
+    if (
+      autoLaunch ||
+      (object.title !== undefined && itemIds.has(object.title))
+    ) {
+      log.log('handleOpenObject', autoLaunch, object, itemIds);
+      this.openWidget(object, session);
+    }
   }
 
   handleCloseObject(object: VariableDefinition): void {
     const { title } = object;
     if (title !== undefined) {
       const id = this.getItemId(title, false);
-      const { glEventHub } = this.props;
-      glEventHub.emit(PanelEvent.CLOSE, id);
+      if (id != null) {
+        const { glEventHub } = this.props;
+        glEventHub.emit(PanelEvent.CLOSE, id);
+      }
     }
   }