diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/common-frontend-contribution.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/common-frontend-contribution.ts
index c0346336f5acc..a9dcc71927eeb 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/common-frontend-contribution.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/common-frontend-contribution.ts
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ import { ConfirmDialog, confirmExit, Dialog } from './dialogs';
 import { WindowService } from './window/window-service';
 import { FrontendApplicationConfigProvider } from './frontend-application-config-provider';
 import { DecorationStyle } from './decoration-style';
-import { Title, Widget } from './widgets';
+import { PINNED_CLASS, Title, Widget } from './widgets';
 
 export namespace CommonMenus {
 
@@ -327,8 +327,6 @@ export const supportPaste = browser.isNative || (!browser.isChrome && document.q
 
 export const RECENT_COMMANDS_STORAGE_KEY = 'commands';
 
-export const PINNED_CLASS = 'theia-mod-pinned';
-
 @injectable()
 export class CommonFrontendContribution implements FrontendApplicationContribution, MenuContribution, CommandContribution, KeybindingContribution, ColorContribution {
 
@@ -912,11 +910,11 @@ export class CommonFrontendContribution implements FrontendApplicationContributi
             execute: () => this.selectIconTheme()
         });
         commandRegistry.registerCommand(CommonCommands.PIN_TAB, new CurrentWidgetCommandAdapter(this.shell, {
-            isEnabled: title => !!title && title.closable && title.className.indexOf(PINNED_CLASS) === -1,
+            isEnabled: title => !!title && title.closable && !title.className.includes(PINNED_CLASS),
             execute: title => this.togglePinned(title),
         }));
         commandRegistry.registerCommand(CommonCommands.UNPIN_TAB, new CurrentWidgetCommandAdapter(this.shell, {
-            isEnabled: title => !!title && title.className.indexOf(PINNED_CLASS) >= 0,
+            isEnabled: title => !!title && !title.closable && title.className.includes(PINNED_CLASS),
             execute: title => this.togglePinned(title),
         }));
         commandRegistry.registerCommand(CommonCommands.CONFIGURE_DISPLAY_LANGUAGE, {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/shell/tab-bars.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/shell/tab-bars.ts
index 644dc3b76beda..4deefd625736b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/shell/tab-bars.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/shell/tab-bars.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { IconThemeService } from '../icon-theme-service';
 import { BreadcrumbsRenderer, BreadcrumbsRendererFactory } from '../breadcrumbs/breadcrumbs-renderer';
 import { NavigatableWidget } from '../navigatable-types';
 import { IDragEvent } from '@phosphor/dragdrop';
+import { PINNED_CLASS } from '../widgets/widget';
 
 /** The class name added to hidden content nodes, which are required to render vertical side bars. */
 const HIDDEN_CONTENT_CLASS = 'theia-TabBar-hidden-content';
@@ -475,7 +476,7 @@ export class TabBarRenderer extends TabBar.Renderer {
         if (this.tabBar && event.currentTarget instanceof HTMLElement) {
             const id = event.currentTarget.parentElement!.id;
             const title = this.tabBar.titles.find(t => this.createTabId(t) === id);
-            if (title && title.className.indexOf('theia-mod-pinned') >= 0 && this.commandService) {
+            if (title?.closable === false && title?.className.includes(PINNED_CLASS) && this.commandService) {
                 this.commandService.executeCommand('workbench.action.unpinEditor', event);
             }
         }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/view-container.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/view-container.ts
index 573df31413340..fdd3a7b95b522 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/view-container.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/view-container.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { interfaces, injectable, inject, postConstruct } from 'inversify';
 import { IIterator, toArray, find, some, every, map, ArrayExt } from '@phosphor/algorithm';
 import {
     Widget, EXPANSION_TOGGLE_CLASS, COLLAPSED_CLASS, CODICON_TREE_ITEM_CLASSES, MessageLoop, Message, SplitPanel,
-    BaseWidget, addEventListener, SplitLayout, LayoutItem, PanelLayout, addKeyListener, waitForRevealed, UnsafeWidgetUtilities, DockPanel
+    BaseWidget, addEventListener, SplitLayout, LayoutItem, PanelLayout, addKeyListener, waitForRevealed, UnsafeWidgetUtilities, DockPanel, PINNED_CLASS
 } from './widgets';
 import { Event as CommonEvent, Emitter } from '../common/event';
 import { Disposable, DisposableCollection } from '../common/disposable';
@@ -276,7 +276,9 @@ export class ViewContainer extends BaseWidget implements StatefulWidget, Applica
         if (title.iconClass) {
             this.title.iconClass = title.iconClass;
         }
-        if (title.closeable !== undefined) {
+        if (this.title.className.includes(PINNED_CLASS)) {
+            this.title.closable &&= false;
+        } else if (title.closeable !== undefined) {
             this.title.closable = title.closeable;
         }
     }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/browser/widgets/widget.ts b/packages/core/src/browser/widgets/widget.ts
index d15a52b538ac1..7a0c46f9bb737 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/browser/widgets/widget.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/browser/widgets/widget.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export const BUSY_CLASS = 'theia-mod-busy';
 export const CODICON_LOADING_CLASSES = codiconArray('loading');
 export const SELECTED_CLASS = 'theia-mod-selected';
 export const FOCUS_CLASS = 'theia-mod-focus';
+export const PINNED_CLASS = 'theia-mod-pinned';
 export const DEFAULT_SCROLL_OPTIONS: PerfectScrollbar.Options = {
     suppressScrollX: true,
     minScrollbarLength: 35,