diff --git a/src/editor/core/view/EditorArea.tsx b/src/editor/core/view/EditorArea.tsx
index aa67dec7..fd7394dc 100644
--- a/src/editor/core/view/EditorArea.tsx
+++ b/src/editor/core/view/EditorArea.tsx
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ function PaneView({ paneId }: { paneId: string }) {
       onSelect={(id) => ctrl.activate(paneId, id)}
       onClose={(id) => void ctrl.closeTab(paneId, id)}
       onCloseOthers={(id) => void ctrl.closeOthers(paneId, id)}
+      closeOnShiftClick
       onDoubleClick={(id) => {
         // IDEA: a preview tab becomes a regular one; any other tab maximizes the editor.
         if (pane.tabs.find((t) => t.id === id)?.preview) ctrl.keepTab(paneId, id);
diff --git a/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx b/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx
index 701429bb..c81c642a 100644
--- a/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,42 @@ describe("Tabs interactions", () => {
     expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledWith("b");
   });
 
+  it("Shift+left-click closes an editor tab without selecting it", () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    render(<Tabs items={items} activeId="a" onSelect={onSelect} onClose={onClose} closeOnShiftClick />);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "B" }), { shiftKey: true, detail: 1 });
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledWith("b");
+    expect(onSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("Shift+click only closes closable tabs", () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    render(<Tabs items={items} activeId="a" onSelect={onSelect} onClose={onClose} closeOnShiftClick />);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "C" }), { shiftKey: true, detail: 1 });
+    expect(onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith("c");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps Shift+click selection where the strip does not opt in", () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    render(<Tabs items={items} activeId="a" onSelect={onSelect} onClose={onClose} />);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "B" }), { shiftKey: true, detail: 1 });
+    expect(onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith("b");
+  });
+
+  it("does not treat a keyboard click with Shift held as a close", () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    render(<Tabs items={items} activeId="a" onSelect={onSelect} onClose={onClose} closeOnShiftClick />);
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "B" }), { shiftKey: true });
+    expect(onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith("b");
+  });
+
   it("lets a container close the selected tab when it is closable", () => {
     const handles: TabStripHandle[] = [];
     const register = (h: TabStripHandle) => (handles.push(h), () => void handles.splice(handles.indexOf(h), 1));
diff --git a/src/ui/Tabs.tsx b/src/ui/Tabs.tsx
index ad4e4b12..078118fc 100644
--- a/src/ui/Tabs.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/Tabs.tsx
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ export interface TabsProps {
   onClose?: (id: string) => void;
   /** Alt+click on a close button (IDEA: close all other tabs). */
   onCloseOthers?: (id: string) => void;
+  /** Shift+left-click a tab closes it (editor tabs; plain clicks still select). */
+  closeOnShiftClick?: boolean;
   onDoubleClick?: (id: string) => void;
   onContextMenu?: (id: string, e: MouseEvent) => void;
   /** `editor`: 30px with separators (editor tabs); `compact`: 28px plain (popups, tool window sub-tabs). */
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ export function Tabs({
   onSelect,
   onClose,
   onCloseOthers,
+  closeOnShiftClick,
   onDoubleClick,
   onContextMenu,
   variant = "editor",
@@ -287,7 +290,8 @@ export function Tabs({
               onPointerDown={
                 dnd
                   ? (e) => {
-                      if ((e.target as Element).closest("[data-tab-close]")) return;
+                      if ((closeOnShiftClick && e.shiftKey) || (e.target as Element).closest("[data-tab-close]"))
+                        return;
                       startPointerDrag(
                         e,
                         e.currentTarget,
@@ -336,7 +340,15 @@ export function Tabs({
                 tabIndex={selected || (!activeId && index === 0) ? 0 : -1}
                 className={styles.tabButton}
                 style={item.color ? { color: item.color } : undefined}
-                onClick={() => onSelect(item.id)}
+                onClick={(e) => {
+                  // Shift+click is mouse-only: a keyboard Enter with Shift held still selects.
+                  if (closeOnShiftClick && e.shiftKey && e.detail > 0 && closable) {
+                    e.preventDefault();
+                    onClose!(item.id);
+                    return;
+                  }
+                  onSelect(item.id);
+                }}
                 onDoubleClick={onDoubleClick ? () => onDoubleClick(item.id) : undefined}
                 onKeyDown={(e) => onKeyDown(e, index, item)}
                 {...tooltipAttrs(item.tooltip)}