diff --git a/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/controlCenter.tsx b/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/controlCenter.tsx
index 3e8ed6cd8..29f329abc 100644
--- a/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/controlCenter.tsx
+++ b/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/controlCenter.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export const ControlCenter = () => {
 
         const panel = api.getPanel(id);
         if (panel) {
-            api.setActivePanel(panel);
+            panel.api.setActive();
             return;
         }
         api.addPanel({
@@ -76,10 +76,8 @@ export const ControlCenter = () => {
 
     const onLoad = async () => {
         const api = registry.get<DockviewApi>('dockview');
-        const didClose = await api.closeAllGroups();
-        if (!didClose) {
-            return;
-        }
+        api.closeAllGroups();
+
         const data = localStorage.getItem('layout');
         if (data) {
             const jsonData = JSON.parse(data);
@@ -102,7 +100,7 @@ export const ControlCenter = () => {
 
         const settingsPanel = api.getPanel('settings');
         if (settingsPanel) {
-            api.setActivePanel(settingsPanel);
+            settingsPanel.api.setActive();
             return;
         }
 
@@ -124,7 +122,7 @@ export const ControlCenter = () => {
     const onFocusPanel = () => {
         const api = registry.get<DockviewApi>('dockview');
         const panel = api.getPanel('split_panel');
-        api.setActivePanel(panel);
+        panel.api.setActive();
     };
 
     return (
diff --git a/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/layoutGrid.tsx b/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/layoutGrid.tsx
index 559e5018b..68b64164b 100644
--- a/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/layoutGrid.tsx
+++ b/packages/dockview-demo/src/layout-grid/layoutGrid.tsx
@@ -145,13 +145,6 @@ const components: PanelCollection<IDockviewPanelProps> = {
                 })
             );
 
-            props.api.interceptOnCloseAction(() => {
-                if (confirm('close?')) {
-                    return Promise.resolve(true);
-                }
-                return Promise.resolve(false);
-            });
-
             return () => {
                 disposable.dispose();
             };
diff --git a/packages/dockview-demo/src/panels/welcome/welcome.tsx b/packages/dockview-demo/src/panels/welcome/welcome.tsx
index 27cffc19a..cfd688f3b 100644
--- a/packages/dockview-demo/src/panels/welcome/welcome.tsx
+++ b/packages/dockview-demo/src/panels/welcome/welcome.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ export const WelcomePanel = (props: IDockviewPanelProps) => {
     const onAddSplitview = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
         const splitviewPanel = props.containerApi.getPanel('splitview');
         if (splitviewPanel) {
-            props.containerApi.setActivePanel(splitviewPanel);
+            splitviewPanel.api.setActive();
             return;
         }
 
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export const WelcomePanel = (props: IDockviewPanelProps) => {
     const onAddGridview = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
         const splitviewPanel = props.containerApi.getPanel('gridview');
         if (splitviewPanel) {
-            props.containerApi.setActivePanel(splitviewPanel);
+            splitviewPanel.api.setActive();
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.spec.ts b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.spec.ts
index 5d5c305f8..43a755a12 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.spec.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { DockviewComponent } from '../..';
 import { DockviewApi } from '../../api/component.api';
 import { DockviewGroupPanel } from '../../dockview/dockviewGroupPanel';
 
@@ -6,8 +7,12 @@ describe('dockviewGroupPanel', () => {
         const dockviewApiMock = jest.fn<DockviewApi, []>(() => {
             return {} as any;
         });
+        const accessorMock = jest.fn<DockviewComponent, []>(() => {
+            return {} as any;
+        });
         const api = new dockviewApiMock();
-        const cut = new DockviewGroupPanel('fake-id', api);
+        const accessor = new accessorMock();
+        const cut = new DockviewGroupPanel('fake-id', accessor, api);
 
         let latestTitle: string | undefined = undefined;
 
@@ -32,8 +37,13 @@ describe('dockviewGroupPanel', () => {
         const dockviewApiMock = jest.fn<DockviewApi, []>(() => {
             return {} as any;
         });
+        const accessorMock = jest.fn<DockviewComponent, []>(() => {
+            return {} as any;
+        });
         const api = new dockviewApiMock();
-        const cut = new DockviewGroupPanel('fake-id', api);
+        const accessor = new accessorMock();
+
+        const cut = new DockviewGroupPanel('fake-id', accessor, api);
 
         let latestSuppressClosable: boolean | undefined = undefined;
 
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/component.api.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/component.api.ts
index 5beb0a87b..6e6598211 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/component.api.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/component.api.ts
@@ -396,10 +396,6 @@ export class DockviewApi implements CommonApi {
         return this.component.getGroupPanel(id);
     }
 
-    setActivePanel(panel: IGroupPanel): void {
-        this.component.setActivePanel(panel);
-    }
-
     layout(width: number, height: number, force = false): void {
         this.component.layout(width, height, force);
     }
@@ -408,10 +404,6 @@ export class DockviewApi implements CommonApi {
         return this.component.addPanel(options);
     }
 
-    removePanel(panel: IGroupPanel): void {
-        this.component.removePanel(panel);
-    }
-
     addEmptyGroup(options?: AddGroupOptions): void {
         this.component.addEmptyGroup(options);
     }
@@ -424,7 +416,7 @@ export class DockviewApi implements CommonApi {
         this.component.moveToPrevious(options);
     }
 
-    closeAllGroups(): Promise<boolean> {
+    closeAllGroups(): void {
         return this.component.closeAllGroups();
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts b/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts
index 1690cd02d..e23d20c48 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/api/groupPanelApi.ts
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ export interface DockviewPanelApi
     readonly isGroupActive: boolean;
     readonly title: string;
     readonly suppressClosable: boolean;
-    close: () => Promise<boolean>;
-    interceptOnCloseAction(interceptor: () => Promise<boolean>): void;
+    close(): void;
     setTitle(title: string): void;
 }
 
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ export class DockviewPanelApiImpl
     implements DockviewPanelApi
 {
     private _group: GroupviewPanel | undefined;
-    private _interceptor: undefined | (() => Promise<boolean>);
 
     readonly _onDidTitleChange = new Emitter<TitleEvent>();
     readonly onDidTitleChange = this._onDidTitleChange.event;
@@ -42,10 +40,6 @@ export class DockviewPanelApiImpl
     readonly _suppressClosableChanged = new Emitter<SuppressClosableEvent>();
     readonly suppressClosableChanged = this._suppressClosableChanged.event;
 
-    get tryClose(): undefined | (() => Promise<boolean>) {
-        return this._interceptor;
-    }
-
     get title() {
         return this.panel.title;
     }
@@ -81,14 +75,10 @@ export class DockviewPanelApiImpl
         this._onDidTitleChange.fire({ title });
     }
 
-    public close(): Promise<boolean> {
+    public close(): void {
         if (!this.group) {
             throw new Error(`panel ${this.id} has no group`);
         }
         return this.group.model.closePanel(this.panel);
     }
-
-    public interceptOnCloseAction(interceptor: () => Promise<boolean>) {
-        this._interceptor = interceptor;
-    }
 }
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
index 658bac7f8..eef18f9ce 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export interface IDockviewComponent extends IBaseGrid<GroupviewPanel> {
 
     // lifecycle
     addEmptyGroup(options?: AddGroupOptions): void;
-    closeAllGroups: () => Promise<boolean>;
+    closeAllGroups(): void;
     // events
     onTabInteractionEvent: Event<LayoutMouseEvent>;
     onTabContextMenu: Event<TabContextMenuEvent>;
@@ -400,16 +400,12 @@ export class DockviewComponent
         this._onGridEvent.fire({ kind: GroupChangeKind.LAYOUT_FROM_JSON });
     }
 
-    async closeAllGroups(): Promise<boolean> {
+    closeAllGroups(): void {
         for (const entry of this._groups.entries()) {
             const [_, group] = entry;
 
-            const didCloseAll = await group.value.model.closeAllPanels();
-            if (!didCloseAll) {
-                return false;
-            }
+            group.value.model.closeAllPanels();
         }
-        return true;
     }
 
     fireMouseEvent(event: LayoutMouseEvent): void {
@@ -733,6 +729,7 @@ export class DockviewComponent
 
         const panel: IGroupPanel = new DockviewGroupPanel(
             options.id,
+            this,
             this._api
         );
         panel.init({
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.ts b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.ts
index c55c49e3e..c0ddcd33d 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewGroupPanel.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { GroupviewPanel } from '../groupview/groupviewPanel';
 import { CompositeDisposable, MutableDisposable } from '../lifecycle';
 import { Parameters } from '../panel/types';
 import { IGroupPanelView } from './defaultGroupPanelView';
+import { DockviewComponent } from './dockviewComponent';
 
 export class DockviewGroupPanel
     extends CompositeDisposable
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ export class DockviewGroupPanel
 
     constructor(
         public readonly id: string,
+        accessor: DockviewComponent,
         private readonly containerApi: DockviewApi
     ) {
         super();
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ export class DockviewGroupPanel
 
         this.addDisposables(
             this.api.onActiveChange(() => {
-                this.containerApi.setActivePanel(this);
+                accessor.setActivePanel(this);
             }),
             this.api.onDidTitleChange((event) => {
                 const title = event.title;
@@ -82,14 +84,6 @@ export class DockviewGroupPanel
         this.api._onFocusEvent.fire();
     }
 
-    public close(): Promise<boolean> {
-        if (this.api.tryClose) {
-            return this.api.tryClose();
-        }
-
-        return Promise.resolve(true);
-    }
-
     public toJSON(): GroupviewPanelState {
         return <GroupviewPanelState>{
             id: this.id,
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupPanel.ts b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupPanel.ts
index 9b3179e05..609ac77d0 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupPanel.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupPanel.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ export interface IGroupPanel extends IDisposable, IPanel {
     readonly title: string;
     readonly suppressClosable: boolean;
     updateParentGroup(group: GroupviewPanel, isGroupActive: boolean): void;
-    close?(): Promise<boolean>;
     init(params: IGroupPanelInitParameters): void;
     toJSON(): GroupviewPanelState;
     update(event: GroupPanelUpdateEvent): void;
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
index 98afcb6c7..14779da1a 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/groupview/groupview.ts
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ export interface IGroupview extends IDisposable, IGridPanelView {
         panel: IGroupPanel,
         options?: { index?: number; skipFocus?: boolean }
     ): void;
-    closePanel(panel: IGroupPanel): Promise<boolean>;
-    closeAllPanels(): Promise<boolean>;
+    closePanel(panel: IGroupPanel): void;
+    closeAllPanels(): void;
     containsPanel(panel: IGroupPanel): boolean;
     removePanel: (panelOrId: IGroupPanel | string) => IGroupPanel;
     // events
@@ -393,57 +393,21 @@ export class Groupview extends CompositeDisposable implements IGroupview {
         return this._removePanel(panelToRemove);
     }
 
-    public async closeAllPanels() {
-        const index = this._activePanel
-            ? this.panels.indexOf(this._activePanel)
-            : -1;
-
-        if (this._activePanel && index > -1) {
-            if (this.panels.indexOf(this._activePanel) < 0) {
-                console.warn('active panel not tracked');
-            }
-
-            const canClose =
-                !this._activePanel?.close || (await this._activePanel.close());
-            if (!canClose) {
-                return false;
-            }
-        }
-
-        for (let i = 0; i < this.panels.length; i++) {
-            if (i === index) {
-                continue;
-            }
-            const panel = this.panels[i];
-            this.openPanel(panel);
-
-            if (panel.close) {
-                const canClose = await panel.close();
-                if (!canClose) {
-                    return false;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
+    public closeAllPanels() {
         if (this.panels.length > 0) {
             // take a copy since we will be edting the array as we iterate through
             const arrPanelCpy = [...this.panels];
-            await Promise.all(arrPanelCpy.map((p) => this.doClose(p)));
+            for (const panel of arrPanelCpy) {
+                this.doClose(panel);
+            }
         } else {
             this.accessor.removeGroup(this.parent);
         }
-
-        return true;
     }
 
-    public closePanel = async (panel: IGroupPanel) => {
-        if (panel.close && !(await panel.close())) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
+    public closePanel(panel: IGroupPanel): void {
         this.doClose(panel);
-        return true;
-    };
+    }
 
     private doClose(panel: IGroupPanel) {
         this.accessor.removePanel(panel);
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/react/deserializer.ts b/packages/dockview/src/react/deserializer.ts
index f9e5a827b..904f25891 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/react/deserializer.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/react/deserializer.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export class ReactPanelDeserialzier implements IPanelDeserializer {
 
         const panel = new DockviewGroupPanel(
             panelId,
+            this.layout,
             new DockviewApi(this.layout)
         );