diff --git a/spec/pane-container-spec.js b/spec/pane-container-spec.js
index a21c3fd9c0e..d96f759b151 100644
--- a/spec/pane-container-spec.js
+++ b/spec/pane-container-spec.js
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ describe('PaneContainer', () => {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('::onWillDestroyPaneItem() and ::onDidDestroyPaneItem', () => {
+  describe('::onWillDestroyPaneItem() and ::onDidDestroyPaneItem()', () => {
     it('invokes the given callbacks when an item will be destroyed on any pane', async () => {
       const container = new PaneContainer(params);
       const pane1 = container.getRoot();
@@ -409,14 +409,37 @@ describe('PaneContainer', () => {
       await pane2.destroyItem(item3);
       await pane2.destroyItem(item2);
 
-      expect(events).toEqual([
-        ['will', { item: item1, pane: pane1, index: 0 }],
-        ['did', { item: item1, pane: pane1, index: 0 }],
-        ['will', { item: item3, pane: pane2, index: 1 }],
-        ['did', { item: item3, pane: pane2, index: 1 }],
-        ['will', { item: item2, pane: pane2, index: 0 }],
-        ['did', { item: item2, pane: pane2, index: 0 }]
+      expect(events.length).toBe(6);
+      expect(events[1]).toEqual([
+        'did',
+        { item: item1, pane: pane1, index: 0 }
+      ]);
+      expect(events[3]).toEqual([
+        'did',
+        { item: item3, pane: pane2, index: 1 }
       ]);
+      expect(events[5]).toEqual([
+        'did',
+        { item: item2, pane: pane2, index: 0 }
+      ]);
+
+      expect(events[0][0]).toEqual('will');
+      expect(events[0][1].item).toEqual(item1);
+      expect(events[0][1].pane).toEqual(pane1);
+      expect(events[0][1].index).toEqual(0);
+      expect(typeof events[0][1].prevent).toEqual('function');
+
+      expect(events[2][0]).toEqual('will');
+      expect(events[2][1].item).toEqual(item3);
+      expect(events[2][1].pane).toEqual(pane2);
+      expect(events[2][1].index).toEqual(1);
+      expect(typeof events[2][1].prevent).toEqual('function');
+
+      expect(events[4][0]).toEqual('will');
+      expect(events[4][1].item).toEqual(item2);
+      expect(events[4][1].pane).toEqual(pane2);
+      expect(events[4][1].index).toEqual(0);
+      expect(typeof events[4][1].prevent).toEqual('function');
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/spec/pane-spec.js b/spec/pane-spec.js
index 873e9f8fc18..7482f9662de 100644
--- a/spec/pane-spec.js
+++ b/spec/pane-spec.js
@@ -568,6 +568,32 @@ describe('Pane', () => {
       expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBeUndefined();
     });
 
+    it('does nothing if prevented', () => {
+      const container = new PaneContainer({
+        config: atom.config,
+        deserializerManager: atom.deserializers,
+        applicationDelegate: atom.applicationDelegate
+      });
+
+      pane.setContainer(container);
+      container.onWillDestroyPaneItem(e => e.prevent());
+      pane.itemStack = [item2, item3, item1];
+
+      pane.activateItem(item1);
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe(item1);
+      pane.destroyItem(item3);
+      expect(pane.itemStack).toEqual([item2, item3, item1]);
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe(item1);
+
+      pane.destroyItem(item1);
+      expect(pane.itemStack).toEqual([item2, item3, item1]);
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe(item1);
+
+      pane.destroyItem(item2);
+      expect(pane.itemStack).toEqual([item2, item3, item1]);
+      expect(pane.getActiveItem()).toBe(item1);
+    });
+
     it('invokes ::onWillDestroyItem() and PaneContainer::onWillDestroyPaneItem observers before destroying the item', async () => {
       jasmine.useRealClock();
       pane.container = new PaneContainer({ config: atom.config, confirm });
@@ -589,10 +615,16 @@ describe('Pane', () => {
 
       await pane.destroyItem(item2);
       expect(item2.isDestroyed()).toBe(true);
-      expect(events).toEqual([
-        ['will-destroy-item', { item: item2, index: 1 }],
-        ['will-destroy-pane-item', { item: item2, index: 1, pane }]
-      ]);
+
+      expect(events[0][0]).toEqual('will-destroy-item');
+      expect(events[0][1].item).toEqual(item2);
+      expect(events[0][1].index).toEqual(1);
+
+      expect(events[1][0]).toEqual('will-destroy-pane-item');
+      expect(events[1][1].item).toEqual(item2);
+      expect(events[1][1].index).toEqual(1);
+      expect(typeof events[1][1].prevent).toEqual('function');
+      expect(events[1][1].pane).toEqual(pane);
     });
 
     it('invokes ::onWillRemoveItem() observers', () => {
diff --git a/src/pane.js b/src/pane.js
index 4b4f4a6f35e..a55575ae049 100644
--- a/src/pane.js
+++ b/src/pane.js
@@ -814,6 +814,9 @@ module.exports = class Pane {
   // last item, the pane will be destroyed if the `core.destroyEmptyPanes` config
   // setting is `true`.
   //
+  // This action can be prevented by onWillDestroyPaneItem callbacks in which
+  // case nothing happens.
+  //
   // * `item` Item to destroy
   // * `force` (optional) {Boolean} Destroy the item without prompting to save
   //    it, even if the item's `isPermanentDockItem` method returns true.
@@ -844,7 +847,16 @@ module.exports = class Pane {
         'will-destroy-pane-item'
       ) > 0
     ) {
-      await this.container.willDestroyPaneItem({ item, index, pane: this });
+      let preventClosing = false;
+      await this.container.willDestroyPaneItem({
+        item,
+        index,
+        pane: this,
+        prevent: () => {
+          preventClosing = true;
+        }
+      });
+      if (preventClosing) return false;
     }
 
     if (