diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index 55ba50a2600d..2de87d8bc4e1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ def create_defs():
     defs['cover_grid_show_title'] = False
     defs['cover_grid_texture'] = None
     defs['show_vl_tabs'] = False
+    defs['closable_tabs'] = True
     defs['show_highlight_toggle_button'] = False
     defs['add_comments_to_email'] = False
     defs['cb_preserve_aspect_ratio'] = False
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/init.py b/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
index 021b0727a07e..d85fba93f56e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ def __init__(self, parent):
         self.setDocumentMode(True)
         self.setDrawBase(False)
         self.setMovable(True)
-        self.setTabsClosable(True)
+        self.setTabsClosable(gprefs['closable_tabs'])
         self.gui = parent
         self.ignore_tab_changed = False
         self.currentChanged.connect(self.tab_changed)
@@ -432,6 +432,23 @@ def disable_bar(self):
         gprefs['show_vl_tabs'] = False
         self.setVisible(False)
 
+    def lock_tab(self):
+        gprefs['closable_tabs'] = False
+        self.setTabsClosable(False)
+
+    def unlock_tab(self):
+        gprefs['closable_tabs'] = True
+        self.setTabsClosable(True)
+        try:
+            self.tabButton(0, self.RightSide).setVisible(False)
+        except AttributeError:
+            try:
+                self.tabButton(0, self.LeftSide).setVisible(False)
+            except AttributeError:
+                # On some OS X machines (using native style) the tab button is
+                # on the left
+                pass
+
     def tab_changed(self, idx):
         if self.ignore_tab_changed:
             return
@@ -512,6 +529,10 @@ def contextMenuEvent(self, ev):
             for x in hidden:
                 s.addAction(x, partial(self.restore, x))
         m.addAction(_('Hide virtual library tabs'), self.disable_bar)
+        if gprefs['closable_tabs']:
+            m.addAction(_('Lock virtual library tabs'), self.lock_tab)
+        if not gprefs['closable_tabs']:
+            m.addAction(_('Unlock virtual library tabs'), self.unlock_tab)
         i = self.tabAt(ev.pos())
         if i > -1:
             vl = unicode(self.tabData(i) or '')