diff --git a/docs/docs/config.mdx b/docs/docs/config.mdx
index 152655a0b0..f7ed1e319e 100644
--- a/docs/docs/config.mdx
+++ b/docs/docs/config.mdx
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ wsh editconfig
 | autoupdate:installonquit             | bool     | whether to automatically install updates on quit (requires app restart)                                                                                                                                                                                       |
 | autoupdate:channel                   | string   | the auto update channel "latest" (stable builds), or "beta" (updated more frequently) (requires app restart)                                                                                                                                                  |
 | tab:preset                           | string   | a "bg@" preset to automatically apply to new tabs. e.g. `bg@green`. should match the preset key                                                                                                                                                               |
+| tab:confirmclose                     | bool     | if set to true, a confirmation dialog will be shown before closing a tab (defaults to false)                                                                                                                                                                   |
 | widget:showhelp                      | bool     | whether to show help/tips widgets in right sidebar                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
 | window:transparent                   | bool     | set to true to enable window transparency (cannot be combined with `window:blur`) (macOS and Windows only, requires app restart, see [note on Windows compatibility](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/custom-window-styles#limitations))       |
 | window:blur                          | bool     | set to enable window background blurring (cannot be combined with `window:transparent`) (macOS and Windows only, requires app restart, see [note on Windows compatibility](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/latest/tutorial/custom-window-styles#limitations)) |
diff --git a/emain/emain-window.ts b/emain/emain-window.ts
index d3b7f4849e..75dd1de379 100644
--- a/emain/emain-window.ts
+++ b/emain/emain-window.ts
@@ -728,15 +728,27 @@ ipcMain.on("set-waveai-open", (event, isOpen: boolean) => {
     }
 });
 
-ipcMain.on("close-tab", async (event, workspaceId, tabId) => {
+ipcMain.handle("close-tab", async (event, workspaceId: string, tabId: string, confirmClose: boolean) => {
     const ww = getWaveWindowByWorkspaceId(workspaceId);
     if (ww == null) {
         console.log(`close-tab: no window found for workspace ws=${workspaceId} tab=${tabId}`);
-        return;
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (confirmClose) {
+        const choice = dialog.showMessageBoxSync(ww, {
+            type: "question",
+            defaultId: 1, // Enter activates "Close Tab"
+            cancelId: 0, // Esc activates "Cancel"
+            buttons: ["Cancel", "Close Tab"],
+            title: "Confirm",
+            message: "Are you sure you want to close this tab?",
+        });
+        if (choice === 0) {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
     await ww.queueCloseTab(tabId);
-    event.returnValue = true;
-    return null;
+    return true;
 });
 
 ipcMain.on("switch-workspace", (event, workspaceId) => {
diff --git a/emain/preload.ts b/emain/preload.ts
index 3ad8d25828..3b86b86b1a 100644
--- a/emain/preload.ts
+++ b/emain/preload.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("api", {
     deleteWorkspace: (workspaceId) => ipcRenderer.send("delete-workspace", workspaceId),
     setActiveTab: (tabId) => ipcRenderer.send("set-active-tab", tabId),
     createTab: () => ipcRenderer.send("create-tab"),
-    closeTab: (workspaceId, tabId) => ipcRenderer.send("close-tab", workspaceId, tabId),
+    closeTab: (workspaceId, tabId, confirmClose) => ipcRenderer.invoke("close-tab", workspaceId, tabId, confirmClose),
     setWindowInitStatus: (status) => ipcRenderer.send("set-window-init-status", status),
     onWaveInit: (callback) => ipcRenderer.on("wave-init", (_event, initOpts) => callback(initOpts)),
     onBuilderInit: (callback) => ipcRenderer.on("builder-init", (_event, initOpts) => callback(initOpts)),
diff --git a/frontend/app/store/keymodel.ts b/frontend/app/store/keymodel.ts
index c83edbb779..d8c58ea435 100644
--- a/frontend/app/store/keymodel.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/store/keymodel.ts
@@ -130,8 +130,17 @@ function getStaticTabBlockCount(): number {
 function simpleCloseStaticTab() {
     const ws = globalStore.get(atoms.workspace);
     const tabId = globalStore.get(atoms.staticTabId);
-    getApi().closeTab(ws.oid, tabId);
-    deleteLayoutModelForTab(tabId);
+    const confirmClose = globalStore.get(getSettingsKeyAtom("tab:confirmclose")) ?? false;
+    getApi()
+        .closeTab(ws.oid, tabId, confirmClose)
+        .then((didClose) => {
+            if (didClose) {
+                deleteLayoutModelForTab(tabId);
+            }
+        })
+        .catch((e) => {
+            console.log("error closing tab", e);
+        });
 }
 
 function uxCloseBlock(blockId: string) {
@@ -151,6 +160,13 @@ function uxCloseBlock(blockId: string) {
     const blockData = globalStore.get(blockAtom);
     const isAIFileDiff = blockData?.meta?.view === "aifilediff";
 
+    // If this is the last block, closing it will close the tab — route through simpleCloseStaticTab
+    // so the tab:confirmclose setting is respected.
+    if (getStaticTabBlockCount() === 1) {
+        simpleCloseStaticTab();
+        return;
+    }
+
     const layoutModel = getLayoutModelForStaticTab();
     const node = layoutModel.getNodeByBlockId(blockId);
     if (node) {
@@ -190,6 +206,13 @@ function genericClose() {
         return;
     }
 
+    // If this is the last block, closing it will close the tab — route through simpleCloseStaticTab
+    // so the tab:confirmclose setting is respected.
+    if (blockCount === 1) {
+        simpleCloseStaticTab();
+        return;
+    }
+
     const layoutModel = getLayoutModelForStaticTab();
     const focusedNode = globalStore.get(layoutModel.focusedNode);
     const blockId = focusedNode?.data?.blockId;
diff --git a/frontend/app/tab/tabbar.tsx b/frontend/app/tab/tabbar.tsx
index 3f3e662a88..bd18ca197a 100644
--- a/frontend/app/tab/tabbar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/tab/tabbar.tsx
@@ -592,9 +592,18 @@ const TabBar = memo(({ workspace }: TabBarProps) => {
     const handleCloseTab = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent> | null, tabId: string) => {
         event?.stopPropagation();
         const ws = globalStore.get(atoms.workspace);
-        getApi().closeTab(ws.oid, tabId);
-        tabsWrapperRef.current.style.setProperty("--tabs-wrapper-transition", "width 0.3s ease");
-        deleteLayoutModelForTab(tabId);
+        const confirmClose = globalStore.get(getSettingsKeyAtom("tab:confirmclose")) ?? false;
+        getApi()
+            .closeTab(ws.oid, tabId, confirmClose)
+            .then((didClose) => {
+                if (didClose) {
+                    tabsWrapperRef.current?.style.setProperty("--tabs-wrapper-transition", "width 0.3s ease");
+                    deleteLayoutModelForTab(tabId);
+                }
+            })
+            .catch((e) => {
+                console.log("error closing tab", e);
+            });
     };
 
     const handleTabLoaded = useCallback((tabId: string) => {
diff --git a/frontend/types/custom.d.ts b/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
index d6d2d98f01..cd92c6336e 100644
--- a/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
+++ b/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ declare global {
         deleteWorkspace: (workspaceId: string) => void; // delete-workspace
         setActiveTab: (tabId: string) => void; // set-active-tab
         createTab: () => void; // create-tab
-        closeTab: (workspaceId: string, tabId: string) => void; // close-tab
+        closeTab: (workspaceId: string, tabId: string, confirmClose: boolean) => Promise<boolean>; // close-tab
         setWindowInitStatus: (status: "ready" | "wave-ready") => void; // set-window-init-status
         onWaveInit: (callback: (initOpts: WaveInitOpts) => void) => void; // wave-init
         onBuilderInit: (callback: (initOpts: BuilderInitOpts) => void) => void; // builder-init
diff --git a/frontend/types/gotypes.d.ts b/frontend/types/gotypes.d.ts
index dada3a248b..9d49696a85 100644
--- a/frontend/types/gotypes.d.ts
+++ b/frontend/types/gotypes.d.ts
@@ -1306,6 +1306,7 @@ declare global {
         "markdown:fixedfontsize"?: number;
         "preview:showhiddenfiles"?: boolean;
         "tab:preset"?: string;
+        "tab:confirmclose"?: boolean;
         "widget:*"?: boolean;
         "widget:showhelp"?: boolean;
         "window:*"?: boolean;
diff --git a/pkg/wconfig/metaconsts.go b/pkg/wconfig/metaconsts.go
index 179c7927fd..598ee5ca02 100644
--- a/pkg/wconfig/metaconsts.go
+++ b/pkg/wconfig/metaconsts.go
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ const (
 	ConfigKey_PreviewShowHiddenFiles         = "preview:showhiddenfiles"
 
 	ConfigKey_TabPreset                      = "tab:preset"
+	ConfigKey_TabConfirmClose                = "tab:confirmclose"
 
 	ConfigKey_WidgetClear                    = "widget:*"
 	ConfigKey_WidgetShowHelp                 = "widget:showhelp"
diff --git a/pkg/wconfig/settingsconfig.go b/pkg/wconfig/settingsconfig.go
index c744f77aa3..0a81f9ba45 100644
--- a/pkg/wconfig/settingsconfig.go
+++ b/pkg/wconfig/settingsconfig.go
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ type SettingsType struct {
 
 	PreviewShowHiddenFiles *bool `json:"preview:showhiddenfiles,omitempty"`
 
-	TabPreset string `json:"tab:preset,omitempty"`
+	TabPreset       string `json:"tab:preset,omitempty"`
+	TabConfirmClose bool   `json:"tab:confirmclose,omitempty"`
 
 	WidgetClear    bool  `json:"widget:*,omitempty"`
 	WidgetShowHelp *bool `json:"widget:showhelp,omitempty"`
diff --git a/schema/settings.json b/schema/settings.json
index 0f6365d711..7058295a37 100644
--- a/schema/settings.json
+++ b/schema/settings.json
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@
         "tab:preset": {
           "type": "string"
         },
+        "tab:confirmclose": {
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
         "widget:*": {
           "type": "boolean"
         },