diff --git a/lib/items/changed-file-item.js b/lib/items/changed-file-item.js
index da54340e9d..f3d1b6aa0a 100644
--- a/lib/items/changed-file-item.js
+++ b/lib/items/changed-file-item.js
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
-import {Emitter} from 'event-kit';
+import ItemComponent from './item-component';
 
 import {WorkdirContextPoolPropType} from '../prop-types';
-import {autobind} from '../helpers';
 import ChangedFileContainer from '../containers/changed-file-container';
-import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
 
-export default class ChangedFileItem extends React.Component {
+export default class ChangedFileItem extends ItemComponent {
   static propTypes = {
     workdirContextPool: WorkdirContextPoolPropType.isRequired,
 
@@ -36,15 +34,9 @@ export default class ChangedFileItem extends React.Component {
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
-    autobind(this, 'destroy');
+    super(props, {});
 
-    this.emitter = new Emitter();
-    this.isDestroyed = false;
-    this.hasTerminatedPendingState = false;
-
-    this.refEditor = new RefHolder();
-    this.refEditor.observe(editor => {
+    this.refHolder.observe(editor => {
       this.emitter.emit('did-change-embedded-text-editor', editor);
     });
   }
@@ -56,29 +48,6 @@ export default class ChangedFileItem extends React.Component {
     return title;
   }
 
-  terminatePendingState() {
-    if (!this.hasTerminatedPendingState) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-terminate-pending-state');
-      this.hasTerminatedPendingState = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidTerminatePendingState(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-terminate-pending-state', callback);
-  }
-
-  destroy() {
-    /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (!this.isDestroyed) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-destroy');
-      this.isDestroyed = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidDestroy(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-destroy', callback);
-  }
-
   render() {
     const repository = this.props.workdirContextPool.getContext(this.props.workingDirectory).getRepository();
 
@@ -87,14 +56,14 @@ export default class ChangedFileItem extends React.Component {
         itemType={this.constructor}
         repository={repository}
         destroy={this.destroy}
-        refEditor={this.refEditor}
+        refEditor={this.refHolder}
         {...this.props}
       />
     );
   }
 
   observeEmbeddedTextEditor(cb) {
-    this.refEditor.map(editor => cb(editor));
+    this.refHolder.map(editor => cb(editor));
     return this.emitter.on('did-change-embedded-text-editor', cb);
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/items/commit-detail-item.js b/lib/items/commit-detail-item.js
index 4d019a2a16..3a1561005f 100644
--- a/lib/items/commit-detail-item.js
+++ b/lib/items/commit-detail-item.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
-import {Emitter} from 'event-kit';
 
+import ItemComponent from './item-component';
 import {WorkdirContextPoolPropType} from '../prop-types';
 import CommitDetailContainer from '../containers/commit-detail-container';
 import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
 
-export default class CommitDetailItem extends React.Component {
+export default class CommitDetailItem extends ItemComponent {
   static propTypes = {
     workdirContextPool: WorkdirContextPoolPropType.isRequired,
     workingDirectory: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
@@ -20,43 +20,16 @@ export default class CommitDetailItem extends React.Component {
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
+    super(props, {title: 'Commit', icon: 'git-commit'});
 
-    this.emitter = new Emitter();
-    this.isDestroyed = false;
-    this.hasTerminatedPendingState = false;
     this.shouldFocus = true;
     this.refInitialFocus = new RefHolder();
 
-    this.refEditor = new RefHolder();
-    this.refEditor.observe(editor => {
+    this.refHolder.observe(editor => {
       this.emitter.emit('did-change-embedded-text-editor', editor);
     });
   }
 
-  terminatePendingState() {
-    if (!this.hasTerminatedPendingState) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-terminate-pending-state');
-      this.hasTerminatedPendingState = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidTerminatePendingState(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-terminate-pending-state', callback);
-  }
-
-  destroy = () => {
-    /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (!this.isDestroyed) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-destroy');
-      this.isDestroyed = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidDestroy(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-destroy', callback);
-  }
-
   render() {
     const repository = this.props.workdirContextPool.getContext(this.props.workingDirectory).getRepository();
 
@@ -66,7 +39,7 @@ export default class CommitDetailItem extends React.Component {
         repository={repository}
         {...this.props}
         destroy={this.destroy}
-        refEditor={this.refEditor}
+        refEditor={this.refHolder}
         refInitialFocus={this.refInitialFocus}
       />
     );
@@ -76,12 +49,8 @@ export default class CommitDetailItem extends React.Component {
     return `Commit: ${this.props.sha}`;
   }
 
-  getIconName() {
-    return 'git-commit';
-  }
-
   observeEmbeddedTextEditor(cb) {
-    this.refEditor.map(editor => cb(editor));
+    this.refHolder.map(editor => cb(editor));
     return this.emitter.on('did-change-embedded-text-editor', cb);
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/items/commit-preview-item.js b/lib/items/commit-preview-item.js
index 9b44b3f4ad..fe687a6eb1 100644
--- a/lib/items/commit-preview-item.js
+++ b/lib/items/commit-preview-item.js
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
-import {Emitter} from 'event-kit';
+import ItemComponent from './item-component';
 
 import {WorkdirContextPoolPropType} from '../prop-types';
 import CommitPreviewContainer from '../containers/commit-preview-container';
 import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
 
-export default class CommitPreviewItem extends React.Component {
+export default class CommitPreviewItem extends ItemComponent {
   static propTypes = {
     workdirContextPool: WorkdirContextPoolPropType.isRequired,
     workingDirectory: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
@@ -23,42 +23,15 @@ export default class CommitPreviewItem extends React.Component {
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
+    super(props, {title: 'Staged Changes', icon: 'tasklist'});
 
-    this.emitter = new Emitter();
-    this.isDestroyed = false;
-    this.hasTerminatedPendingState = false;
     this.refInitialFocus = new RefHolder();
 
-    this.refEditor = new RefHolder();
-    this.refEditor.observe(editor => {
+    this.refHolder.observe(editor => {
       this.emitter.emit('did-change-embedded-text-editor', editor);
     });
   }
 
-  terminatePendingState() {
-    if (!this.hasTerminatedPendingState) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-terminate-pending-state');
-      this.hasTerminatedPendingState = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidTerminatePendingState(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-terminate-pending-state', callback);
-  }
-
-  destroy = () => {
-    /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (!this.isDestroyed) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-destroy');
-      this.isDestroyed = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidDestroy(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-destroy', callback);
-  }
-
   render() {
     const repository = this.props.workdirContextPool.getContext(this.props.workingDirectory).getRepository();
 
@@ -68,22 +41,14 @@ export default class CommitPreviewItem extends React.Component {
         repository={repository}
         {...this.props}
         destroy={this.destroy}
-        refEditor={this.refEditor}
+        refEditor={this.refHolder}
         refInitialFocus={this.refInitialFocus}
       />
     );
   }
 
-  getTitle() {
-    return 'Staged Changes';
-  }
-
-  getIconName() {
-    return 'tasklist';
-  }
-
   observeEmbeddedTextEditor(cb) {
-    this.refEditor.map(editor => cb(editor));
+    this.refHolder.map(editor => cb(editor));
     return this.emitter.on('did-change-embedded-text-editor', cb);
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/items/git-tab-item.js b/lib/items/git-tab-item.js
index e8de6d7cca..ff164d3da3 100644
--- a/lib/items/git-tab-item.js
+++ b/lib/items/git-tab-item.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 
-import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
+import ItemComponent from './item-component';
 import GitTabContainer from '../containers/git-tab-container';
 
-export default class GitTabItem extends React.Component {
+export default class GitTabItem extends ItemComponent {
   static propTypes = {
     repository: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
   }
@@ -16,15 +16,13 @@ export default class GitTabItem extends React.Component {
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
-
-    this.refController = new RefHolder();
+    super(props, {title: 'Git', icon: 'git-commit'});
   }
 
   render() {
     return (
       <GitTabContainer
-        controllerRef={this.refController}
+        controllerRef={this.refHolder}
         {...this.props}
       />
     );
@@ -37,14 +35,6 @@ export default class GitTabItem extends React.Component {
     };
   }
 
-  getTitle() {
-    return 'Git';
-  }
-
-  getIconName() {
-    return 'git-commit';
-  }
-
   getDefaultLocation() {
     return 'right';
   }
@@ -61,37 +51,47 @@ export default class GitTabItem extends React.Component {
     return this.props.repository.getWorkingDirectoryPath();
   }
 
+  // no-op
+  destroy() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // no-op
+  terminatePendingState() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   // Forwarded to the controller instance when one is present
 
   rememberLastFocus(...args) {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.rememberLastFocus(...args));
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.rememberLastFocus(...args));
   }
 
   restoreFocus(...args) {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.restoreFocus(...args));
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.restoreFocus(...args));
   }
 
   hasFocus(...args) {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.hasFocus(...args));
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.hasFocus(...args));
   }
 
   focus() {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.restoreFocus());
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.restoreFocus());
   }
 
   focusAndSelectStagingItem(...args) {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.focusAndSelectStagingItem(...args));
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.focusAndSelectStagingItem(...args));
   }
 
   focusAndSelectCommitPreviewButton() {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.focusAndSelectCommitPreviewButton());
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.focusAndSelectCommitPreviewButton());
   }
 
   quietlySelectItem(...args) {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.quietlySelectItem(...args));
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.quietlySelectItem(...args));
   }
 
   focusAndSelectRecentCommit() {
-    return this.refController.map(c => c.focusAndSelectRecentCommit());
+    return this.refHolder.map(c => c.focusAndSelectRecentCommit());
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/items/github-tab-item.js b/lib/items/github-tab-item.js
index dc55141ef6..c4ba5089d8 100644
--- a/lib/items/github-tab-item.js
+++ b/lib/items/github-tab-item.js
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 
 import {GithubLoginModelPropType} from '../prop-types';
-import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
+import ItemComponent from './item-component';
 import GitHubTabContainer from '../containers/github-tab-container';
 
-export default class GitHubTabItem extends React.Component {
+export default class GitHubTabItem extends ItemComponent {
   static propTypes = {
     workspace: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
     repository: PropTypes.object,
@@ -25,17 +25,7 @@ export default class GitHubTabItem extends React.Component {
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
-
-    this.rootHolder = new RefHolder();
-  }
-
-  getTitle() {
-    return 'GitHub';
-  }
-
-  getIconName() {
-    return 'octoface';
+    super(props, {title: 'GitHub', icon: 'octoface'});
   }
 
   getDefaultLocation() {
@@ -59,15 +49,25 @@ export default class GitHubTabItem extends React.Component {
 
   render() {
     return (
-      <GitHubTabContainer {...this.props} rootHolder={this.rootHolder} />
+      <GitHubTabContainer {...this.props} rootHolder={this.refHolder} />
     );
   }
 
   hasFocus() {
-    return this.rootHolder.map(root => root.contains(this.props.documentActiveElement())).getOr(false);
+    return this.refHolder.map(root => root.contains(this.props.documentActiveElement())).getOr(false);
   }
 
   restoreFocus() {
     // No-op
   }
+
+  // no-op
+  destroy() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // no-op
+  terminatePendingState() {
+    return false;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/lib/items/issueish-detail-item.js b/lib/items/issueish-detail-item.js
index a0c5c3a1f6..74b21f3dc2 100644
--- a/lib/items/issueish-detail-item.js
+++ b/lib/items/issueish-detail-item.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import React, {Component} from 'react';
+import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
-import {Emitter} from 'event-kit';
+import ItemComponent from './item-component';
 
 import {autobind} from '../helpers';
 import {GithubLoginModelPropType, WorkdirContextPoolPropType} from '../prop-types';
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@ import {addEvent} from '../reporter-proxy';
 import Repository from '../models/repository';
 import {getEndpoint} from '../models/endpoint';
 import IssueishDetailContainer from '../containers/issueish-detail-container';
-import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
 
-export default class IssueishDetailItem extends Component {
+export default class IssueishDetailItem extends ItemComponent {
   static propTypes = {
     // Issueish selection criteria
     // Parsed from item URI
@@ -45,12 +44,10 @@ export default class IssueishDetailItem extends Component {
   }
 
   constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
-    autobind(this, 'switchToIssueish', 'handleTitleChanged');
+    super(props, {});
 
-    this.emitter = new Emitter();
     this.title = `${this.props.owner}/${this.props.repo}#${this.props.issueishNumber}`;
-    this.hasTerminatedPendingState = false;
+    autobind(this, 'switchToIssueish', 'handleTitleChanged');
 
     const repository = this.props.workingDirectory === ''
       ? Repository.absent()
@@ -68,8 +65,7 @@ export default class IssueishDetailItem extends Component {
       this.switchToIssueish(this.props.owner, this.props.repo, this.props.issueishNumber);
     }
 
-    this.refEditor = new RefHolder();
-    this.refEditor.observe(editor => {
+    this.refHolder.observe(editor => {
       this.emitter.emit('did-change-embedded-text-editor', editor);
     });
   }
@@ -95,7 +91,7 @@ export default class IssueishDetailItem extends Component {
 
         destroy={this.destroy}
         itemType={this.constructor}
-        refEditor={this.refEditor}
+        refEditor={this.refHolder}
       />
     );
   }
@@ -150,29 +146,6 @@ export default class IssueishDetailItem extends Component {
     return this.emitter.on('did-change-title', cb);
   }
 
-  terminatePendingState() {
-    if (!this.hasTerminatedPendingState) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-terminate-pending-state');
-      this.hasTerminatedPendingState = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidTerminatePendingState(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-terminate-pending-state', callback);
-  }
-
-  destroy = () => {
-    /* istanbul ignore else */
-    if (!this.isDestroyed) {
-      this.emitter.emit('did-destroy');
-      this.isDestroyed = true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  onDidDestroy(callback) {
-    return this.emitter.on('did-destroy', callback);
-  }
-
   serialize() {
     return {
       uri: this.getURI(),
@@ -180,12 +153,8 @@ export default class IssueishDetailItem extends Component {
     };
   }
 
-  getTitle() {
-    return this.title;
-  }
-
   observeEmbeddedTextEditor(cb) {
-    this.refEditor.map(editor => cb(editor));
+    this.refHolder.map(editor => cb(editor));
     return this.emitter.on('did-change-embedded-text-editor', cb);
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/items/item-component.js b/lib/items/item-component.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f13fad1a34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/items/item-component.js
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import RefHolder from '../models/ref-holder';
+import {Emitter} from 'event-kit';
+import {autobind} from '../helpers';
+
+export default class ItemComponent extends React.Component {
+
+  constructor(props, {title, icon}) {
+    super(props);
+    autobind(this, 'destroy');
+
+    this.title = title;
+    this.icon = icon;
+
+    this.refHolder = new RefHolder();
+    this.emitter = new Emitter();
+    this.isDestroyed = false;
+    this.hasTerminatedPendingState = false;
+  }
+
+  getTitle() {
+    return this.title;
+  }
+
+  getIconName() {
+    return this.icon;
+  }
+
+  destroy() {
+    /* istanbul ignore else */
+    if (!this.isDestroyed) {
+      this.emitter.emit('did-destroy');
+      this.isDestroyed = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  onDidDestroy(callback) {
+    return this.emitter.on('did-destroy', callback);
+  }
+
+  terminatePendingState() {
+    if (!this.hasTerminatedPendingState) {
+      this.emitter.emit('did-terminate-pending-state');
+      this.hasTerminatedPendingState = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  onDidTerminatePendingState(callback) {
+    return this.emitter.on('did-terminate-pending-state', callback);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/items/git-tab-item.test.js b/test/items/git-tab-item.test.js
index 4bd740b459..8f4ceec06e 100644
--- a/test/items/git-tab-item.test.js
+++ b/test/items/git-tab-item.test.js
@@ -74,4 +74,34 @@ describe('GitTabItem', function() {
       assert.isTrue(spies[method].called);
     }
   });
+
+  describe('destroy and terminatePendingState should be overridden as no-ops', function() {
+    it('does not destroy', async function() {
+      mount(buildApp());
+      const item = await atomEnv.workspace.open(GitTabItem.buildURI());
+      const callback = sinon.spy();
+      const sub = item.onDidDestroy(callback);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+      item.destroy();
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+
+      sub.dispose();
+    });
+
+    it('does not terminate pending state', async function() {
+      mount(buildApp());
+
+      const item = await atomEnv.workspace.open(GitTabItem.buildURI());
+      const callback = sinon.spy();
+      const sub = item.onDidTerminatePendingState(callback);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+      item.terminatePendingState();
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+
+      sub.dispose();
+    });
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/test/items/github-tab-item.test.js b/test/items/github-tab-item.test.js
index ae127b9a51..c2f7e81c60 100644
--- a/test/items/github-tab-item.test.js
+++ b/test/items/github-tab-item.test.js
@@ -76,4 +76,34 @@ describe('GitHubTabItem', function() {
     activeElement = wrapper.find('.github-GitHub').getDOMNode();
     assert.isTrue(item.hasFocus());
   });
+
+  describe('destroy and terminatePendingState should be overridden as no-ops', function() {
+    it('does not destroy', async function() {
+      mount(buildApp());
+      const item = await atomEnv.workspace.open(GitHubTabItem.buildURI());
+      const callback = sinon.spy();
+      const sub = item.onDidDestroy(callback);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+      item.destroy();
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+
+      sub.dispose();
+    });
+
+    it('does not terminate pending state', async function() {
+      mount(buildApp());
+
+      const item = await atomEnv.workspace.open(GitHubTabItem.buildURI());
+      const callback = sinon.spy();
+      const sub = item.onDidTerminatePendingState(callback);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+      item.terminatePendingState();
+      assert.strictEqual(callback.callCount, 0);
+
+      sub.dispose();
+    });
+  });
+
 });