diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/dnd/groupDragHandler.ts b/packages/dockview/src/dnd/groupDragHandler.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..28ab895a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/dnd/groupDragHandler.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import { GroupPanel } from '../groupview/groupviewPanel';
+import { IDisposable } from '../lifecycle';
+import { DragHandler } from './abstractDragHandler';
+import { LocalSelectionTransfer, PanelTransfer } from './dataTransfer';
+import { addGhostImage } from './ghost';
+
+export class GroupDragHandler extends DragHandler {
+    private readonly panelTransfer =
+        LocalSelectionTransfer.getInstance<PanelTransfer>();
+
+    constructor(
+        element: HTMLElement,
+        private readonly accessorId: string,
+        private readonly group: GroupPanel
+    ) {
+        super(element);
+    }
+
+    getData(dataTransfer: DataTransfer | null): IDisposable {
+        this.panelTransfer.setData(
+            [new PanelTransfer(this.accessorId, this.group.id, null)],
+            PanelTransfer.prototype
+        );
+
+        const style = window.getComputedStyle(this.el);
+
+        const bgColor = style.getPropertyValue(
+            '--dv-activegroup-visiblepanel-tab-background-color'
+        );
+        const color = style.getPropertyValue(
+            '--dv-activegroup-visiblepanel-tab-color'
+        );
+
+        if (dataTransfer) {
+            const ghostElement = document.createElement('div');
+
+            ghostElement.style.backgroundColor = bgColor;
+            ghostElement.style.color = color;
+            ghostElement.style.padding = '2px 8px';
+            ghostElement.style.height = '24px';
+            ghostElement.style.fontSize = '11px';
+            ghostElement.style.lineHeight = '20px';
+            ghostElement.style.borderRadius = '12px';
+            ghostElement.style.position = 'absolute';
+            ghostElement.textContent = `Multiple Panels (${this.group.size})`;
+
+            addGhostImage(dataTransfer, ghostElement);
+        }
+
+        return {
+            dispose: () => {
+                this.panelTransfer.clearData(PanelTransfer.prototype);
+            },
+        };
+    }
+
+    public dispose(): void {
+        //
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
index 2867e8fd2..ee3881794 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
@@ -575,38 +575,9 @@ export class DockviewComponent
 
 
       if(itemId === undefined) {
-
-
         if(sourceGroup) {
-          if (!target || target === Position.Center) {
-            const activePanel = sourceGroup.activePanel;
-            const panels = [...sourceGroup.panels].map(p => sourceGroup.model.removePanel(p.id));
-
-            if (sourceGroup?.model.size === 0) {
-              this.doRemoveGroup(sourceGroup);
-            }
-
-            for(const panel of panels) {
-              referenceGroup.model.openPanel(panel,{skipSetPanelActive:panel !== activePanel});
-            }
-          }
-          else {
-
-            this.gridview.removeView(getGridLocation(sourceGroup.element));
-
-            const referenceLocation = getGridLocation(referenceGroup.element);
-            const dropLocation = getRelativeLocation(
-              this.gridview.orientation,
-              referenceLocation,
-              target
-            );
-
-
-
-            this.gridview.addView(sourceGroup, Sizing.Distribute,  dropLocation);
-          }
+          this.moveGroup(sourceGroup, referenceGroup, target);
         }
-
         return;
       }
 
@@ -684,6 +655,38 @@ export class DockviewComponent
       }
   }
 
+  private moveGroup(sourceGroup: GroupPanel, referenceGroup: GroupPanel, target: Position): void {
+    if(sourceGroup) {
+      if (!target || target === Position.Center) {
+        const activePanel = sourceGroup.activePanel;
+        const panels = [...sourceGroup.panels].map(p => sourceGroup.model.removePanel(p.id));
+
+        if (sourceGroup?.model.size === 0) {
+          this.doRemoveGroup(sourceGroup);
+        }
+
+        for(const panel of panels) {
+          referenceGroup.model.openPanel(panel,{skipSetPanelActive:panel !== activePanel});
+        }
+      }
+      else {
+
+        this.gridview.removeView(getGridLocation(sourceGroup.element));
+
+        const referenceLocation = getGridLocation(referenceGroup.element);
+        const dropLocation = getRelativeLocation(
+          this.gridview.orientation,
+          referenceLocation,
+          target
+        );
+
+
+
+        this.gridview.addView(sourceGroup, Sizing.Distribute,  dropLocation);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   override doSetGroupActive(
       group: GroupPanel | undefined,
       skipFocus?: boolean
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
index ecb56cdf2..5b7735321 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
@@ -699,7 +699,9 @@ export class Groupview extends CompositeDisposable implements IGroupview {
 
         if (data) {
             if (data.panelId === null) {
+                // this is a group move dnd event
                 const { groupId } = data;
+
                 this._onMove.fire({
                     target: position,
                     groupId: groupId,
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/titlebar/voidContainer.ts b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/titlebar/voidContainer.ts
index c140001d6..8eadede55 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/titlebar/voidContainer.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/titlebar/voidContainer.ts
@@ -1,73 +1,13 @@
 import { last } from '../../array';
-import { DragHandler } from '../../dnd/abstractDragHandler';
-import {
-    getPanelData,
-    LocalSelectionTransfer,
-    PanelTransfer,
-} from '../../dnd/dataTransfer';
+import { getPanelData } from '../../dnd/dataTransfer';
 import { Droptarget, DroptargetEvent } from '../../dnd/droptarget';
-import { addGhostImage } from '../../dnd/ghost';
+import { GroupDragHandler } from '../../dnd/groupDragHandler';
 import { DockviewComponent } from '../../dockview/dockviewComponent';
 import { addDisposableListener, Emitter, Event } from '../../events';
-import { CompositeDisposable, IDisposable } from '../../lifecycle';
+import { CompositeDisposable } from '../../lifecycle';
 import { DockviewDropTargets } from '../dnd';
 import { GroupPanel } from '../groupviewPanel';
 
-class CustomDragHandler extends DragHandler {
-    private readonly panelTransfer =
-        LocalSelectionTransfer.getInstance<PanelTransfer>();
-
-    constructor(
-        element: HTMLElement,
-        private readonly accessorId: string,
-        private readonly group: GroupPanel
-    ) {
-        super(element);
-    }
-
-    getData(dataTransfer: DataTransfer | null): IDisposable {
-        this.panelTransfer.setData(
-            [new PanelTransfer(this.accessorId, this.group.id, null)],
-            PanelTransfer.prototype
-        );
-
-        const style = window.getComputedStyle(this.el);
-
-        const bgColor = style.getPropertyValue(
-            '--dv-activegroup-visiblepanel-tab-background-color'
-        );
-        const color = style.getPropertyValue(
-            '--dv-activegroup-visiblepanel-tab-color'
-        );
-
-        if (dataTransfer) {
-            const ghostElement = document.createElement('div');
-
-            ghostElement.style.backgroundColor = bgColor;
-            ghostElement.style.color = color;
-            ghostElement.style.padding = '2px 8px';
-            ghostElement.style.height = '24px';
-            ghostElement.style.fontSize = '11px';
-            ghostElement.style.lineHeight = '20px';
-            ghostElement.style.borderRadius = '12px';
-            ghostElement.style.position = 'absolute';
-            ghostElement.textContent = `Multiple Panels (${this.group.size})`;
-
-            addGhostImage(dataTransfer, ghostElement);
-        }
-
-        return {
-            dispose: () => {
-                this.panelTransfer.clearData(PanelTransfer.prototype);
-            },
-        };
-    }
-
-    public dispose(): void {
-        //
-    }
-}
-
 export class VoidContainer extends CompositeDisposable {
     private readonly _element: HTMLElement;
     private readonly voidDropTarget: Droptarget;
@@ -98,11 +38,7 @@ export class VoidContainer extends CompositeDisposable {
             })
         );
 
-        const handler = new CustomDragHandler(
-            this._element,
-            accessor.id,
-            group
-        );
+        const handler = new GroupDragHandler(this._element, accessor.id, group);
 
         this.voidDropTarget = new Droptarget(this._element, {
             validOverlays: 'none',