diff --git a/src/editor/core/view/pinnedTabsRow.test.tsx b/src/editor/core/view/pinnedTabsRow.test.tsx
index 55bb45c0..4113fdff 100644
--- a/src/editor/core/view/pinnedTabsRow.test.tsx
+++ b/src/editor/core/view/pinnedTabsRow.test.tsx
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
-import { cleanup, render, screen, within } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, within } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { useProject } from "@/platform/project";
 import { useTabs } from "../controller";
 import type { Tab } from "../model/tabs";
 import { EditorAreaView } from "./EditorArea";
 
+const { closeTab } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ closeTab: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("../controller", async (original) => ({
   ...(await original<object>()),
-  editorController: () => ({ publishContext: vi.fn(), tabMenu: () => [] }),
+  editorController: () => ({ publishContext: vi.fn(), tabMenu: () => [], closeTab }),
 }));
 vi.mock("./TextEditorHost", () => ({ TextEditorHost: () => <input aria-label="Source" /> }));
 vi.mock("./FindBar", () => ({ FindBar: () => null }));
@@ -34,7 +35,10 @@ function seed(pinned: boolean[], tabs: Record<string, unknown>) {
   useProject.setState({ settings: { editor: { tabs } } as never });
 }
 
-beforeEach(() => cleanup());
+beforeEach(() => {
+  cleanup();
+  closeTab.mockClear();
+});
 afterEach(() => {
   cleanup();
   useTabs.setState(originalTabs, true);
@@ -69,4 +73,11 @@ describe("pinned tabs in a separate row", () => {
     render(<EditorAreaView />);
     expect(screen.getAllByRole("tablist", { name: "Editor tabs" })).toHaveLength(1);
   });
+
+  it("middle click closes an editor tab", () => {
+    seed([false, false, false], { placement: "top" });
+    render(<EditorAreaView />);
+    fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: /f2/ }), { button: 1 });
+    expect(closeTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith("p1", "t2");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx b/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx
index bb8ca7b5..85854d67 100644
--- a/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/Tabs.test.tsx
@@ -117,6 +117,24 @@ describe("Tabs interactions", () => {
     expect(onSelect).toHaveBeenCalledWith("c");
   });
 
+  it("middle click closes a tab without selecting it", () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    render(<Tabs items={items} activeId="a" onSelect={onSelect} onClose={onClose} />);
+    fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "B" }), { button: 1 });
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledWith("b");
+    expect(onSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("middle click ignores tabs that cannot close", () => {
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const onSelect = vi.fn();
+    render(<Tabs items={items} activeId="a" onSelect={onSelect} onClose={onClose} />);
+    fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "C" }), { button: 1 });
+    expect(onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(onSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("keeps Shift+click selection where the strip does not opt in", () => {
     const onClose = vi.fn();
     const onSelect = vi.fn();
diff --git a/src/workbench/toolwindows/ToolWindows.tsx b/src/workbench/toolwindows/ToolWindows.tsx
index cfd19e70..0a09cbaa 100644
--- a/src/workbench/toolwindows/ToolWindows.tsx
+++ b/src/workbench/toolwindows/ToolWindows.tsx
@@ -648,6 +648,14 @@ function HeaderRow({
     <header
       className={clsx(styles.header, tw.headerContent && styles.headerTabbed)}
       onDoubleClick={(e) => e.target === e.currentTarget && toggleMaximizeToolWindow(tw.id)}
+      onMouseDown={(e) => {
+        // A middle click on the header hides the window (like the Hide button).
+        // Not a press on the header's tabs or buttons, which close and act
+        // themselves: their event would otherwise hide the whole window too.
+        if (e.button !== 1 || (e.target as Element).closest('button, a, [role="tablist"], [role="separator"]')) return;
+        e.preventDefault();
+        hideToolWindow(tw.id);
+      }}
     >
       {!showTitle ? null : titleItems.length > 0 ? (
         <>
diff --git a/src/workbench/toolwindows/header.test.tsx b/src/workbench/toolwindows/header.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..143d1ca7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/workbench/toolwindows/header.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { Tabs } from "@/ui";
+import { registerToolWindow } from "../contributions";
+import { isToolWindowVisible, resetToolWindowLayout, showToolWindow } from "./store";
+import { ToolWindowLayout } from "./ToolWindows";
+
+const Empty = () => null;
+const closeContentTab = vi.fn();
+let disposers: Array<() => void> = [];
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  resetToolWindowLayout();
+  closeContentTab.mockClear();
+  disposers = [
+    registerToolWindow({
+      id: "run",
+      title: "Run",
+      icon: "terminal",
+      anchor: "bottom",
+      requiresProject: false,
+      component: Empty,
+    }),
+    registerToolWindow({
+      id: "problems",
+      title: "Problems",
+      icon: "file",
+      anchor: "bottom",
+      requiresProject: false,
+      component: Empty,
+      headerContent: () => (
+        <div role="tablist" aria-label="Views">
+          <Tabs items={[{ id: "file", label: "File" }]} activeId="file" onSelect={() => {}} onClose={closeContentTab} />
+        </div>
+      ),
+    }),
+  ];
+});
+
+afterEach(() => disposers.forEach((d) => d()));
+
+const header = (id: string) => document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`[data-toolwindow="${id}"] header`)!;
+
+it("middle click on the header hides the tool window", () => {
+  showToolWindow("run");
+  render(<ToolWindowLayout editor={null} />);
+  expect(isToolWindowVisible("run")).toBe(true);
+  fireEvent.mouseDown(header("run"), { button: 1 });
+  expect(isToolWindowVisible("run")).toBe(false);
+});
+
+it("middle click on the header title hides the tool window", () => {
+  showToolWindow("run");
+  render(<ToolWindowLayout editor={null} />);
+  fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByText("Run"), { button: 1 });
+  expect(isToolWindowVisible("run")).toBe(false);
+});
+
+it("middle click on a header button leaves the tool window open", () => {
+  showToolWindow("run");
+  render(<ToolWindowLayout editor={null} />);
+  fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Hide" }), { button: 1 });
+  expect(isToolWindowVisible("run")).toBe(true);
+});
+
+it("middle click on a header content tab closes the tab, not the window", () => {
+  showToolWindow("problems");
+  render(<ToolWindowLayout editor={null} />);
+  fireEvent.mouseDown(screen.getByRole("tab", { name: "File" }), { button: 1 });
+  expect(closeContentTab).toHaveBeenCalledWith("file");
+  expect(isToolWindowVisible("problems")).toBe(true);
+});