diff --git a/browser/base/content/browser-tabview.js b/browser/base/content/browser-tabview.js
index 2cd896d17fd0..6f561ecc0ab4 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/browser-tabview.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/browser-tabview.js
@@ -233,15 +233,9 @@ let TabView = {
         event.preventDefault();
 
         self._initFrame(function() {
-          let groupItems = self._window.GroupItems;
-          let tabItem = groupItems.getNextGroupItemTab(event.shiftKey);
-          if (!tabItem)
-            return;
-
-          // Switch to the new tab, and close the old group if it's now empty.
-          let oldGroupItem = groupItems.getActiveGroupItem();
-          window.gBrowser.selectedTab = tabItem.tab;
-          oldGroupItem.closeIfEmpty();
+          let tabItem = self._window.GroupItems.getNextGroupItemTab(event.shiftKey);
+          if (tabItem)
+            window.gBrowser.selectedTab = tabItem.tab;
         });
       }
     }, true);
diff --git a/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js b/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js
index 147f601f2bac..50e1091f68dc 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/groupitems.js
@@ -623,21 +623,6 @@ GroupItem.prototype = Utils.extend(new Item(), new Subscribable(), {
     }
   },
 
-  // ----------
-  // Function: closeIfEmpty
-  // Closes the group if it's empty, unlocked, has no title, is closable, and
-  // autoclose is enabled (see pauseAutoclose()). Returns true if the close
-  // occurred and false otherwise.
-  closeIfEmpty: function() {
-    if (!this._children.length && !this.locked.close && !this.getTitle() &&
-        !GroupItems.getUnclosableGroupItemId() &&
-        !GroupItems._autoclosePaused) {
-      this.close();
-      return true;
-    }
-    return false;
-  },
-
   // ----------
   // Function: _unhide
   // Shows the hidden group.
@@ -885,9 +870,7 @@ GroupItem.prototype = Utils.extend(new Item(), new Subscribable(), {
         item.groupItemData = {};
 
         item.addSubscriber(this, "close", function() {
-          let dontClose = !item.closedManually && gBrowser._numPinnedTabs > 0;
-          self.remove(item, { dontClose: dontClose });
-
+          self.remove(item);
           if (self._children.length > 0 && self._activeTab) {
             GroupItems.setActiveGroupItem(self);
             UI.setActiveTab(self._activeTab);
@@ -975,11 +958,17 @@ GroupItem.prototype = Utils.extend(new Item(), new Subscribable(), {
       if (typeof item.setResizable == 'function')
         item.setResizable(true, options.immediately);
 
-      let closed = options.dontClose ? false : this.closeIfEmpty();
-      if (closed)
-        this._makeClosestTabActive();
-      else if (!options.dontArrage)
+      if (this._children.length == 0 && !this.locked.close && !this.getTitle() && 
+          !options.dontClose) {
+        if (!GroupItems.getUnclosableGroupItemId()) {
+          this.close();
+          this._makeClosestTabActive();
+        } else {
+          // this.close();  this line is causing the leak but the leak doesn't happen after re-enabling it
+        }
+      } else if (!options.dontArrange) {
         this.arrange({animate: !options.immediately});
+      }
 
       this._sendToSubscribers("childRemoved",{ groupItemId: this.id, item: item });
     } catch(e) {
@@ -1692,7 +1681,6 @@ let GroupItems = {
   _arrangesPending: [],
   _removingHiddenGroups: false,
   _delayedModUpdates: [],
-  _autoclosePaused: false,
   minGroupHeight: 110,
   minGroupWidth: 125,
 
@@ -2448,21 +2436,5 @@ let GroupItems = {
     return new Point(
       Math.max(size.x, GroupItems.minGroupWidth),
       Math.max(size.y, GroupItems.minGroupHeight));
-  },
-
-  // ----------
-  // Function: pauseAutoclose()
-  // Temporarily disable the behavior that closes groups when they become
-  // empty. This is used when entering private browsing, to avoid trashing the
-  // user's groups while private browsing is shuffling things around.
-  pauseAutoclose: function GroupItems_pauseAutoclose() {
-    this._autoclosePaused = true;
-  },
-
-  // ----------
-  // Function: unpauseAutoclose()
-  // Re-enables the auto-close behavior.
-  resumeAutoclose: function GroupItems_resumeAutoclose() {
-    this._autoclosePaused = false;
   }
 };
diff --git a/browser/base/content/tabview/tabitems.js b/browser/base/content/tabview/tabitems.js
index 90ba952dda15..6ae5513d0af3 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/tabitems.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/tabitems.js
@@ -201,7 +201,6 @@ function TabItem(tab, options) {
 
     // press close button or middle mouse click
     if (iQ(e.target).hasClass("close") || Utils.isMiddleClick(e)) {
-      self.closedManually = true;
       self.close();
     } else {
       if (!Items.item(this).isDragging)
diff --git a/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js b/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
index 873c7016bceb..b106e78514e2 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/tabview/ui.js
@@ -479,17 +479,6 @@ let UI = {
     let event = document.createEvent("Events");
     event.initEvent("tabviewshown", true, false);
 
-    // Close the active group if it was empty. This will happen when the
-    // user returns to Panorama after looking at an app tab, having
-    // closed all other tabs. (If the user is looking at an orphan tab, then
-    // there is no active group for the purposes of this check.)
-    let activeGroupItem = null;
-    if (!GroupItems.getActiveOrphanTab()) {
-      activeGroupItem = GroupItems.getActiveGroupItem();
-      if (activeGroupItem && activeGroupItem.closeIfEmpty())
-        activeGroupItem = null;
-    }
-
     if (zoomOut && currentTab && currentTab._tabViewTabItem) {
       item = currentTab._tabViewTabItem;
       // If there was a previous currentTab we want to animate
@@ -503,8 +492,11 @@ let UI = {
 
         self.setActiveTab(item);
 
-        if (activeGroupItem && item.parent)
-          activeGroupItem.setTopChild(item);
+        if (item.parent) {
+          var activeGroupItem = GroupItems.getActiveGroupItem();
+          if (activeGroupItem)
+            activeGroupItem.setTopChild(item);
+        }
 
         self._resize(true);
         dispatchEvent(event);
@@ -599,10 +591,8 @@ let UI = {
   // Pauses the storage activity that conflicts with sessionstore updates and 
   // private browsing mode switches. Calls can be nested. 
   storageBusy: function UI_storageBusy() {
-    if (!this._storageBusyCount) {
+    if (!this._storageBusyCount)
       TabItems.pauseReconnecting();
-      GroupItems.pauseAutoclose();
-    }
     
     this._storageBusyCount++;
   },
@@ -620,7 +610,6 @@ let UI = {
   
       TabItems.resumeReconnecting();
       GroupItems._updateTabBar();
-      GroupItems.resumeAutoclose();
     }
   },
 
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/Makefile.in b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/Makefile.in
index c1e6bfa8db1f..89411c76dae1 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/Makefile.in
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/Makefile.in
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ _BROWSER_FILES = \
                  browser_tabview_bug608184.js \
                  browser_tabview_bug608158.js \
                  browser_tabview_bug610242.js \
-                 browser_tabview_bug612470.js \
                  browser_tabview_bug613541.js \
                  browser_tabview_bug616729.js \
                  browser_tabview_bug616967.js \
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug588265.js b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug588265.js
index f509135bf58f..308ed2bb760d 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug588265.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug588265.js
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ function testGroups(groupItemOne, groupItemTwo, contentWindow) {
         finish();
       });
       gBrowser.removeTab(groupItemTwo.getChild(0).tab);
-      groupItemTwo.close();
     }
     window.addEventListener("tabviewhidden", onTabViewHidden, false);
     EventUtils.synthesizeKey("t", { accelKey: true });
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug595943.js b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug595943.js
index 746bf51029e5..f4ef74ce2d4f 100644
--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug595943.js
+++ b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug595943.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function onTabViewWindowLoaded() {
     window.removeEventListener("tabviewhidden", onTabViewHidden, false);
     ok(!TabView.isVisible(), "Tab View is hidden because we clicked on the app tab");
   
-    // Remove the tab we're looking at.
+    // Remove the tab we're looking at. Note: this will also close groupItem (verified below)
     gBrowser.removeTab(normalXulTab);  
   
     // Make sure we haven't returned to TabView; this is the crux of this test
@@ -93,12 +93,9 @@ function onTabViewWindowLoaded() {
     gBrowser.unpinTab(appXulTab);
     gBrowser.removeTab(appXulTab);
 
-    ok(groupItem.closeIfEmpty(), "the second group was empty");
-
     // Verify ending state
     is(gBrowser.tabs.length, 1, "we finish with one tab");
-    is(contentWindow.GroupItems.groupItems.length, 1,
-       "we finish with one group");
+    is(contentWindow.GroupItems.groupItems.length, 1, "we finish with one group");
     ok(!TabView.isVisible(), "we finish with Tab View hidden");
       
     finish();
@@ -107,4 +104,4 @@ function onTabViewWindowLoaded() {
   window.addEventListener("tabviewhidden", onTabViewHidden, false);
   EventUtils.sendMouseEvent({ type: "mousedown" }, normalXulTab._tabViewTabItem.container, contentWindow);
   EventUtils.sendMouseEvent({ type: "mouseup" }, normalXulTab._tabViewTabItem.container, contentWindow);
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug612470.js b/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug612470.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4b68791a96f6..000000000000
--- a/browser/base/content/test/tabview/browser_tabview_bug612470.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,110 +0,0 @@
-/* ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
- * Version: MPL 1.1/GPL 2.0/LGPL 2.1
- *
- * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version
- * 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
- * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
- * http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/
- *
- * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License
- * for the specific language governing rights and limitations under the
- * License.
- *
- * The Original Code is tabview bug 612470 test.
- *
- * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is
- * Mozilla Foundation.
- * Portions created by the Initial Developer are Copyright (C) 2010
- * the Initial Developer. All Rights Reserved.
- *
- * Contributor(s):
- * Patrick Walton <pcwalton@mozilla.com>
- *
- * Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of
- * either the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later (the "GPL"), or
- * the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1 or later (the "LGPL"),
- * in which case the provisions of the GPL or the LGPL are applicable instead
- * of those above. If you wish to allow use of your version of this file only
- * under the terms of either the GPL or the LGPL, and not to allow others to
- * use your version of this file under the terms of the MPL, indicate your
- * decision by deleting the provisions above and replace them with the notice
- * and other provisions required by the GPL or the LGPL. If you do not delete
- * the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of this file under
- * the terms of any one of the MPL, the GPL or the LGPL.
- *
- * ***** END LICENSE BLOCK ***** */
-
-// Tests that groups behave properly when closing all tabs but app tabs.
-
-let appTab, contentWindow;
-let originalGroup, originalGroupTab, newGroup, newGroupTab;
-
-function test() {
-  waitForExplicitFinish();
-
-  appTab = gBrowser.selectedTab;
-  gBrowser.pinTab(appTab);
-  originalGroupTab = gBrowser.addTab();
-
-  addEventListener("tabviewshown", createGroup, false);
-  TabView.toggle();
-}
-
-function createGroup() {
-  removeEventListener("tabviewshown", createGroup, false);
-
-  contentWindow = document.getElementById("tab-view").contentWindow;
-  is(contentWindow.GroupItems.groupItems.length, 1, "There's only one group");
-
-  originalGroup = contentWindow.GroupItems.groupItems[0];
-
-  // Create a new group.
-  let box = new contentWindow.Rect(20, 400, 300, 300);
-  newGroup = new contentWindow.GroupItem([], { bounds: box });
-
-  contentWindow.GroupItems.setActiveGroupItem(newGroup);
-
-  addEventListener("tabviewhidden", addTab, false);
-  TabView.toggle();
-}
-
-function addTab() {
-  removeEventListener("tabviewhidden", addTab, false);
-
-  newGroupTab = gBrowser.addTab();
-  is(newGroup.getChildren().length, 1, "One tab is in the new group");
-  executeSoon(removeTab);
-}
-
-function removeTab() {
-  is(gBrowser.visibleTabs.length, 2, "There are two tabs displayed");
-  gBrowser.removeTab(newGroupTab);
-
-  is(newGroup.getChildren().length, 0, "No tabs are in the new group");
-  is(gBrowser.visibleTabs.length, 1, "There is one tab displayed");
-  is(contentWindow.GroupItems.groupItems.length, 2,
-     "There are two groups still");
-
-  addEventListener("tabviewshown", checkForRemovedGroup, false);
-  TabView.toggle();
-}
-
-function checkForRemovedGroup() {
-  removeEventListener("tabviewshown", checkForRemovedGroup, false);
-
-  is(contentWindow.GroupItems.groupItems.length, 1,
-     "There is now only one group");
-
-  addEventListener("tabviewhidden", finishTest, false);
-  TabView.toggle();
-}
-
-function finishTest() {
-  removeEventListener("tabviewhidden", finishTest, false);
-
-  gBrowser.removeTab(originalGroupTab);
-  gBrowser.unpinTab(appTab);
-  finish();
-}
-