diff --git a/tabby-core/src/components/splitTabDropZone.component.ts b/tabby-core/src/components/splitTabDropZone.component.ts
index 138825e9..a8efdeba 100644
--- a/tabby-core/src/components/splitTabDropZone.component.ts
+++ b/tabby-core/src/components/splitTabDropZone.component.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { AppService } from '../services/app.service'
 import { BaseTabComponent } from './baseTab.component'
 import { SelfPositioningComponent } from './selfPositioning.component'
 import { SplitDropZoneInfo } from './splitTab.component'
+import { SplitTabComponent } from './splitTab.component'
 
 /** @hidden */
 @Component({
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ import { SplitDropZoneInfo } from './splitTab.component'
 })
 export class SplitTabDropZoneComponent extends SelfPositioningComponent {
     @Input() dropZone: SplitDropZoneInfo
-    @Input() parent: BaseTabComponent
+    @Input() parent: SplitTabComponent
     @Output() tabDropped = new EventEmitter<BaseTabComponent>()
     @HostBinding('class.active') isActive = false
     @HostBinding('class.highlighted') isHighlighted = false
@@ -34,11 +35,21 @@ export class SplitTabDropZoneComponent extends SelfPositioningComponent {
     ) {
         super(element)
         this.subscribeUntilDestroyed(app.tabDragActive$, tab => {
-            this.isActive = !!tab && tab !== this.parent && (this.dropZone.type === 'relative' || tab !== this.dropZone.container.children[this.dropZone.position])
+            this.isActive = !!tab && this.canActivateFor(tab)
             this.layout()
         })
     }
 
+    canActivateFor (tab: BaseTabComponent): boolean {
+        const allTabs = this.parent.getAllTabs()
+        return !(
+            tab === this.parent ||
+            allTabs.length === 1 && allTabs.includes(tab) ||
+            this.dropZone.type === 'relative' && tab === this.dropZone.relativeTo ||
+            this.dropZone.type === 'absolute' && tab === this.dropZone.container.children[this.dropZone.position]
+        )
+    }
+
     ngOnChanges () {
         this.layout()
     }