diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts
index c982a8bc9..652f73e85 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/dockview/dockviewComponent.spec.ts
@@ -167,6 +167,22 @@ describe('dockviewComponent', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    test('duplicate panel', () => {
+        dockview.layout(500, 1000);
+
+        dockview.addPanel({
+            id: 'panel1',
+            component: 'default',
+        });
+
+        expect(() => {
+            dockview.addPanel({
+                id: 'panel1',
+                component: 'default',
+            });
+        }).toThrowError('panel with id panel1 already exists');
+    });
+
     test('set active panel', () => {
         dockview.layout(500, 1000);
 
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
index 5c1532ae2..9925de735 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/dockview/dockviewComponent.ts
@@ -407,7 +407,11 @@ export class DockviewComponent
     }
 
     addPanel(options: AddPanelOptions): IGroupPanel {
-        const panel = this._addPanel(options);
+        if (this.panels.find((_) => _.id === options.id)) {
+            throw new Error(`panel with id ${options.id} already exists`);
+        }
+
+        const panel = this.createPanel(options);
 
         let referenceGroup: GroupviewPanel | undefined;
 
@@ -693,7 +697,7 @@ export class DockviewComponent
         return view;
     }
 
-    private _addPanel(options: AddPanelOptions): IGroupPanel {
+    private createPanel(options: AddPanelOptions): IGroupPanel {
         const view = new DefaultGroupPanelView({
             content: this.createContentComponent(options.id, options.component),
             tab: this.createTabComponent(options.id, options.tabComponent),