diff --git a/helix-view/src/tree.rs b/helix-view/src/tree.rs
index 6174021cb000c..4301eb6ea73f5 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/tree.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/tree.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ pub struct Tree {
 pub struct Node {
     parent: ViewId,
     content: Content,
+    spawned_by: ViewId,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -30,17 +31,19 @@ pub enum Content {
 }
 
 impl Node {
-    pub fn container(layout: Layout) -> Self {
+    pub fn container(layout: Layout, focus: ViewId) -> Self {
         Self {
             parent: ViewId::default(),
             content: Content::Container(Box::new(Container::new(layout))),
+            spawned_by: focus,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn view(view: View) -> Self {
+    pub fn view(view: View, focus: ViewId) -> Self {
         Self {
             parent: ViewId::default(),
             content: Content::View(Box::new(view)),
+            spawned_by: focus,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -85,10 +88,11 @@ impl Default for Container {
 
 impl Tree {
     pub fn new(area: Rect) -> Self {
-        let root = Node::container(Layout::Vertical);
+        let root = Node::container(Layout::Vertical, ViewId::default());
 
         let mut nodes = HopSlotMap::with_key();
         let root = nodes.insert(root);
+        //nodes[root].spawned_by = root;
 
         // root is it's own parent
         nodes[root].parent = root;
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@ impl Tree {
     pub fn insert(&mut self, view: View) -> ViewId {
         let focus = self.focus;
         let parent = self.nodes[focus].parent;
-        let mut node = Node::view(view);
+        let mut node = Node::view(view, focus);
         node.parent = parent;
         let node = self.nodes.insert(node);
         self.get_mut(node).id = node;
@@ -145,7 +149,7 @@ impl Tree {
         let focus = self.focus;
         let parent = self.nodes[focus].parent;
 
-        let node = Node::view(view);
+        let node = Node::view(view, focus);
         let node = self.nodes.insert(node);
         self.get_mut(node).id = node;
 
@@ -171,7 +175,7 @@ impl Tree {
             container.children.insert(pos, node);
             self.nodes[node].parent = parent;
         } else {
-            let mut split = Node::container(layout);
+            let mut split = Node::container(layout, focus);
             split.parent = parent;
             let split = self.nodes.insert(split);
 
@@ -219,7 +223,11 @@ impl Tree {
 
         if self.focus == index {
             // focus on something else
-            self.focus_next();
+            if self.contains(self.nodes[index].spawned_by) {
+                self.focus = self.nodes[index].spawned_by;
+            } else {
+                self.focus_next();
+            }
         }
 
         stack.push(index);