diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java
index d2867b4355..defe72f4b1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java
@@ -1110,10 +1110,11 @@ public class ActivityView extends ActivityBilling implements FragmentManager.OnB
             drawerToggle.setDrawerIndicatorEnabled(count == 1);
 
             if (content_pane != null) {
-                boolean duo = Helper.isSurfaceDuo();
+                SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this);
+                boolean close_pane = prefs.getBoolean("close_pane", !Helper.isSurfaceDuo());
                 boolean thread = "thread".equals(getSupportFragmentManager().getBackStackEntryAt(count - 1).getName());
                 Fragment fragment = getSupportFragmentManager().findFragmentById(R.id.content_pane);
-                int visibility = (!thread || fragment == null ? (duo ? View.INVISIBLE : View.GONE) : View.VISIBLE);
+                int visibility = (!thread || fragment == null ? (close_pane ? View.GONE : View.INVISIBLE) : View.VISIBLE);
                 content_separator.setVisibility(visibility);
                 content_pane.setVisibility(visibility);
             }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
index 529da694ec..3fff8aff89 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private Spinner spPortraitMinSize;
     private SwitchCompat swLandscape;
     private Spinner spLandscapeMinSize;
+    private SwitchCompat swClosePane;
     private SwitchCompat swNavOptions;
     private SwitchCompat swNavMessageCount;
     private SwitchCompat swNavUnseenDrafts;
@@ -166,7 +167,8 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private final static String[] RESET_OPTIONS = new String[]{
             "theme", "startup", "cards", "beige", "tabular_card_bg", "shadow_unread", "shadow_highlight",
             "date", "date_fixed", "date_bold",
-            "portrait2", "portrait2c", "landscape", "nav_options", "nav_count", "nav_unseen_drafts", "navbar_colorize",
+            "portrait2", "portrait2c", "landscape", "close_pane",
+            "nav_options", "nav_count", "nav_unseen_drafts", "navbar_colorize",
             "threading", "threading_unread", "indentation", "seekbar", "actionbar", "actionbar_color",
             "highlight_unread", "highlight_color", "color_stripe", "color_stripe_wide",
             "avatars", "bimi", "gravatars", "favicons", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular", "saturation", "brightness", "threshold",
@@ -208,6 +210,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         spPortraitMinSize = view.findViewById(R.id.spPortraitMinSize);
         swLandscape = view.findViewById(R.id.swLandscape);
         spLandscapeMinSize = view.findViewById(R.id.spLandscapeMinSize);
+        swClosePane = view.findViewById(R.id.swClosePane);
         swNavOptions = view.findViewById(R.id.swNavOptions);
         swNavMessageCount = view.findViewById(R.id.swNavMessageCount);
         swNavUnseenDrafts = view.findViewById(R.id.swNavUnseenDrafts);
@@ -439,6 +442,13 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             }
         });
 
+        swClosePane.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
+                prefs.edit().putBoolean("close_pane", checked).apply();
+            }
+        });
+
         swNavOptions.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
             @Override
             public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
@@ -1145,6 +1155,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         spPortraitMinSize.setSelection(prefs.getInt("portrait_min_size", 0));
         swLandscape.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("landscape", true));
         spLandscapeMinSize.setSelection(prefs.getInt("landscape_min_size", 0));
+        swClosePane.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("close_pane", !Helper.isSurfaceDuo()));
         swNavOptions.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("nav_options", true));
         swNavMessageCount.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("nav_count", false));
         swNavUnseenDrafts.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("nav_unseen_drafts", false));
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
index 66de4da18c..6576d9cf25 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
@@ -409,6 +409,18 @@
                     app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
                     app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/spLandscapeMinSize" />
 
+                <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
+                    android:id="@+id/swClosePane"
+                    android:layout_width="0dp"
+                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                    android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
+                    android:checked="true"
+                    android:text="@string/title_advanced_close_pane"
+                    app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+                    app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/tvLandscapeSplitMinHint"
+                    app:switchPadding="12dp" />
+
                 <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
                     android:id="@+id/swNavOptions"
                     android:layout_width="0dp"
@@ -417,7 +429,7 @@
                     android:text="@string/title_advanced_nav_options"
                     app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
                     app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/tvLandscapeSplitMinHint"
+                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swClosePane"
                     app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
                 <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index cce7805db1..5b63ca0525 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@
     <string name="title_advanced_two_row">Use two rows</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_two_col">Use two columns</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_min_screen_size">Minimum screen size for splitting the screen</string>
+    <string name="title_advanced_close_pane">Collapse row or column when closing a conversation</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_nav_options">Show navigation menu options</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_nav_pin">Pin navigation menu</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_nav_hide_title">Hide navigation menu options?</string>