diff --git a/src/common/cfgfiles.c b/src/common/cfgfiles.c
index eda24f6b..63f34720 100644
--- a/src/common/cfgfiles.c
+++ b/src/common/cfgfiles.c
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ const struct prefs vars[] =
 	{"gui_tab_dots", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_dots), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_icons", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_icons), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_layout", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_layout), TYPE_INT},
+	{"gui_tab_middleclose", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_middleclose), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"gui_tab_newtofront", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_newtofront), TYPE_INT},
 	{"gui_tab_pos", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_pos), TYPE_INT},
 	{"gui_tab_scrollchans", P_OFFINT (hex_gui_tab_scrollchans), TYPE_BOOL},
@@ -759,6 +760,7 @@ load_default_config(void)
 	prefs.hex_gui_tab_chans = 1;
 	prefs.hex_gui_tab_dialogs = 1;
 	prefs.hex_gui_tab_icons = 1;
+	prefs.hex_gui_tab_middleclose = 1;
 	prefs.hex_gui_tab_server = 1;
 	prefs.hex_gui_tab_sort = 1;
 	prefs.hex_gui_topicbar = 1;
diff --git a/src/common/hexchat.h b/src/common/hexchat.h
index c9c281cc..27df0b6f 100644
--- a/src/common/hexchat.h
+++ b/src/common/hexchat.h
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ struct hexchatprefs
 	int hex_gui_search_pos;
 	int hex_gui_slist_select;
 	int hex_gui_tab_layout;
+	int hex_gui_tab_middleclose;
 	int hex_gui_tab_newtofront;
 	int hex_gui_tab_pos;
 	int hex_gui_tab_small;
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c b/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
index f61c93a1..5edd4ee8 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/maingui.c
@@ -1617,7 +1617,7 @@ static gboolean
 mg_tab_contextmenu_cb (chanview *cv, chan *ch, int tag, gpointer ud, GdkEventButton *event)
 {
 	/* middle-click or shift-click to close a tab */
-	if ((event->button == 2 || (event->button == 1 && event->state & STATE_SHIFT))
+	if (((prefs.hex_gui_tab_middleclose && event->button == 2) || (event->button == 1 && event->state & STATE_SHIFT))
 		&& event->type == GDK_BUTTON_PRESS)
 	{
 		mg_xbutton_cb (cv, ch, tag, ud);
diff --git a/src/fe-gtk/setup.c b/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
index e4372dc9..a517fa82 100644
--- a/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
+++ b/src/fe-gtk/setup.c
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ static const setting tabs_settings[] =
 	{ST_TOGGLE, N_("Show icons in the channel tree"), P_OFFINTNL(hex_gui_tab_icons), 0, 0, 0},
 	{ST_TOGGLE, N_("Show dotted lines in the channel tree"), P_OFFINTNL(hex_gui_tab_dots), 0, 0, 0},
 	{ST_TOGGLE, N_("Scroll mouse-wheel to change tabs"), P_OFFINTNL (hex_gui_tab_scrollchans), 0, 0, 0},
+	{ST_TOGGLE, N_("Middle click to close tab"), P_OFFINTNL(hex_gui_tab_middleclose), 0, 0, 0},
 	{ST_TOGGLE, N_("Smaller text"), P_OFFINTNL(hex_gui_tab_small), 0, 0, 0},
 	{ST_MENU,	N_("Focus new tabs:"), P_OFFINTNL(hex_gui_tab_newtofront), 0, focusnewtabsmenu, 0},
 	{ST_MENU,	N_("Placement of notices:"), P_OFFINTNL(hex_irc_notice_pos), 0, noticeposmenu, 0},