diff -aur Thunar-1.6.9.orig/thunar/thunar-preferences.c Thunar-1.6.9.new/thunar/thunar-preferences.c
--- Thunar-1.6.9.orig/thunar/thunar-preferences.c	2015-05-20 09:29:57.567519767 +0100
+++ Thunar-1.6.9.new/thunar/thunar-preferences.c	2015-05-20 10:08:53.105457375 +0100
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@
   PROP_SHORTCUTS_ICON_SIZE,
   PROP_TREE_ICON_EMBLEMS,
   PROP_TREE_ICON_SIZE,
+  PROP_PRESERVE_FINAL_TAB,
   N_PROPERTIES,
 };
 
@@ -759,6 +760,18 @@
                          THUNAR_ICON_SIZE_SMALLEST,
                          EXO_PARAM_READWRITE);
 
+      /**
+       * ThunarPreferences:Preserve final tab:
+       *
+       * Preserves the final tab.
+       **/
+      preferences_props[PROP_PRESERVE_FINAL_TAB] =
+          g_param_spec_boolean ("preserve-final-tab",
+                                "PreserveFinalTab",
+                                NULL,
+                                FALSE,
+                                EXO_PARAM_READWRITE);
+
   /* install all properties */
   g_object_class_install_properties (gobject_class, N_PROPERTIES, preferences_props);
 }
diff -aur Thunar-1.6.9.orig/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c Thunar-1.6.9.new/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c
--- Thunar-1.6.9.orig/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c	2015-05-20 09:29:57.560852954 +0100
+++ Thunar-1.6.9.new/thunar/thunar-preferences-dialog.c	2015-05-20 09:55:11.034109226 +0100
@@ -581,6 +581,26 @@
   gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (vbox), button, FALSE, TRUE, 0);
   gtk_widget_show (button);
 
+    frame = g_object_new (GTK_TYPE_FRAME, "border-width", 0, "shadow-type", GTK_SHADOW_NONE, NULL);
+    gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (vbox), frame, FALSE, TRUE, 0);
+    gtk_widget_show (frame);
+
+    label = gtk_label_new (_("Tab"));
+    gtk_label_set_attributes (GTK_LABEL (label), thunar_pango_attr_list_bold ());
+    gtk_frame_set_label_widget (GTK_FRAME (frame), label);
+    gtk_widget_show (label);
+    
+    vbox = gtk_vbox_new (FALSE, 6);
+    gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (frame), vbox);
+    gtk_container_set_border_width (GTK_CONTAINER (vbox), 12);
+    gtk_widget_show (vbox);
+    
+    button = gtk_check_button_new_with_mnemonic (_("Preserve final tab"));
+    exo_mutual_binding_new (G_OBJECT (dialog->preferences), "preserve-final-tab", G_OBJECT (button), "active");
+    gtk_widget_set_tooltip_text (button, _("Preserve the final tab."));
+    gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (vbox), button, FALSE, TRUE, 0);
+    gtk_widget_show (button);
+
   /*
      Advanced
    */
diff -aur Thunar-1.6.9.orig/thunar/thunar-window.c Thunar-1.6.9.new/thunar/thunar-window.c
--- Thunar-1.6.9.orig/thunar/thunar-window.c	2015-05-20 09:29:57.560852954 +0100
+++ Thunar-1.6.9.new/thunar/thunar-window.c	2015-05-20 10:39:08.545170693 +0100
@@ -2481,8 +2481,21 @@
 thunar_window_action_close_tab (GtkAction    *action,
                                 ThunarWindow *window)
 {
-  if (window->view != NULL)
-    gtk_widget_destroy (window->view);
+  if (window->view != NULL) {
+    gboolean   preserve_last_tab = FALSE;
+    gint       n_pages;
+
+    g_object_get (G_OBJECT (window->preferences), "preserve-final-tab", &preserve_last_tab, NULL);
+    if (preserve_last_tab) {
+      n_pages = gtk_notebook_get_n_pages (GTK_NOTEBOOK (window->notebook));
+      if (n_pages > 1) {
+        gtk_widget_destroy (window->view);
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      gtk_widget_destroy (window->view);
+    }
+  }
 }