diff --git a/spec/pane-element-spec.js b/spec/pane-element-spec.js
index 71855c24792..f2aa30d3210 100644
--- a/spec/pane-element-spec.js
+++ b/spec/pane-element-spec.js
@@ -1,19 +1,11 @@
-const PaneContainer = require('../src/pane-container');
-
 describe('PaneElement', function() {
   let [paneElement, container, containerElement, pane] = [];
 
   beforeEach(function() {
     spyOn(atom.applicationDelegate, 'open');
 
-    container = new PaneContainer({
-      location: 'center',
-      config: atom.config,
-      confirm: atom.confirm.bind(atom),
-      viewRegistry: atom.views,
-      applicationDelegate: atom.applicationDelegate
-    });
-    containerElement = container.getElement();
+    container = atom.workspace.getActivePaneContainer();
+    containerElement = container.paneContainer.getElement();
     pane = container.getActivePane();
     paneElement = pane.getElement();
   });
@@ -277,9 +269,9 @@ describe('PaneElement', function() {
     }));
 
   describe('drag and drop', function() {
-    const buildDragEvent = function(type, files) {
+    const buildDragEvent = function(type, items) {
       const dataTransfer = {
-        files,
+        items,
         data: {},
         setData(key, value) {
           this.data[key] = value;
@@ -294,26 +286,46 @@ describe('PaneElement', function() {
       return event;
     };
 
-    describe('when a file is dragged to the pane', () =>
-      it('opens it', function() {
-        const event = buildDragEvent('drop', [
-          { path: '/fake1' },
-          { path: '/fake2' }
-        ]);
-        paneElement.dispatchEvent(event);
-        expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open.callCount).toBe(1);
-        expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open.argsForCall[0][0]).toEqual({
-          pathsToOpen: ['/fake1', '/fake2'],
-          here: true
-        });
-      }));
+    describe('when the pane is in the center workspace', () => {
+      describe('when a file is dragged to the pane', () =>
+        it('opens it', function() {
+          const event = buildDragEvent('drop', [
+            { kind: 'file', getAsFile: () => ({ path: '/fake1' }) },
+            { kind: 'file', getAsFile: () => ({ path: '/fake2' }) }
+          ]);
+          paneElement.dispatchEvent(event);
+          expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open.callCount).toBe(1);
+          expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open.argsForCall[0][0]).toEqual({
+            pathsToOpen: ['/fake1', '/fake2'],
+            here: true
+          });
+        }));
+
+      describe('when a non-file is dragged to the pane', () =>
+        it('does nothing', function() {
+          const event = buildDragEvent('drop', []);
+          paneElement.dispatchEvent(event);
+          expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        }));
+    });
 
-    describe('when a non-file is dragged to the pane', () =>
-      it('does nothing', function() {
-        const event = buildDragEvent('drop', []);
-        paneElement.dispatchEvent(event);
-        expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      }));
+    describe('when the pane is not in the center workspace', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        pane = atom.workspace.getLeftDock().getActivePane();
+        paneElement = pane.getElement();
+      });
+
+      describe('when a drag event occurs', () => {
+        it('does nothing', () => {
+          const event = buildDragEvent('drop', [
+            { kind: 'file', getAsFile: () => ({ path: '/fake1' }) },
+            { kind: 'file', getAsFile: () => ({ path: '/fake2' }) }
+          ]);
+          paneElement.dispatchEvent(event);
+          expect(atom.applicationDelegate.open).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        });
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('resize', () =>
diff --git a/src/pane-element.js b/src/pane-element.js
index 60b8cf5d003..dbbcef4d99c 100644
--- a/src/pane-element.js
+++ b/src/pane-element.js
@@ -54,15 +54,39 @@ class PaneElement extends HTMLElement {
       }
     };
     const handleDragOver = event => {
-      event.preventDefault();
-      event.stopPropagation();
+      const items = Array.from(event.dataTransfer.items).filter(
+        item => item.kind === 'file'
+      );
+      // TextEditors are only allowed in the center workspace, so make sure this pane is in the center
+      if (
+        items.length > 0 &&
+        atom.workspace
+          .getCenter()
+          .getPanes()
+          .includes(this.getModel())
+      ) {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+      }
     };
     const handleDrop = event => {
-      event.preventDefault();
-      event.stopPropagation();
-      this.getModel().activate();
-      const pathsToOpen = [...event.dataTransfer.files].map(file => file.path);
-      if (pathsToOpen.length > 0) {
+      const items = Array.from(event.dataTransfer.items).filter(
+        item => item.kind === 'file'
+      );
+      // TextEditors are only allowed in the center workspace, so make sure this pane is in the center
+      if (
+        items.length > 0 &&
+        atom.workspace
+          .getCenter()
+          .getPanes()
+          .includes(this.getModel())
+      ) {
+        event.preventDefault();
+        event.stopPropagation();
+        this.getModel().activate();
+
+        const files = items.map(item => item.getAsFile());
+        const pathsToOpen = files.map(file => file.path);
         this.applicationDelegate.open({ pathsToOpen, here: true });
       }
     };
diff --git a/src/window-event-handler.js b/src/window-event-handler.js
index b796defb6d6..935d98863c2 100644
--- a/src/window-event-handler.js
+++ b/src/window-event-handler.js
@@ -78,12 +78,6 @@ module.exports = class WindowEventHandler {
       'keydown',
       this.handleDocumentKeyEvent
     );
-    this.addEventListener(this.document, 'drop', this.handleDocumentDrop);
-    this.addEventListener(
-      this.document,
-      'dragover',
-      this.handleDocumentDragover
-    );
     this.addEventListener(
       this.document,
       'contextmenu',
@@ -154,17 +148,6 @@ module.exports = class WindowEventHandler {
     event.stopImmediatePropagation();
   }
 
-  handleDrop(event) {
-    event.preventDefault();
-    event.stopPropagation();
-  }
-
-  handleDragover(event) {
-    event.preventDefault();
-    event.stopPropagation();
-    event.dataTransfer.dropEffect = 'none';
-  }
-
   eachTabIndexedElement(callback) {
     for (let element of this.document.querySelectorAll('[tabindex]')) {
       if (element.disabled) {