diff --git a/src/rviz/display.cpp b/src/rviz/display.cpp
index e483783691..d7302fad25 100644
--- a/src/rviz/display.cpp
+++ b/src/rviz/display.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Display::Display()
   , visibility_bits_(0xFFFFFFFF)
   , associated_widget_(nullptr)
   , associated_widget_panel_(nullptr)
-  , associated_widget_visible_(false)
+  , suppress_hiding_associated_widget_panel_(false)
 {
   // Needed for timeSignal (see header) to work across threads
   qRegisterMetaType<ros::Time>();
@@ -311,10 +311,7 @@ void Display::onEnableChanged()
     scene_node_->setVisible(true);
 
     if (associated_widget_panel_)
-    {
-      if (!associated_widget_visible_)
-        associated_widget_panel_->show();
-    }
+      associated_widget_panel_->show();
     else if (associated_widget_)
       associated_widget_->show();
 
@@ -327,7 +324,7 @@ void Display::onEnableChanged()
 
     if (associated_widget_panel_)
     {
-      if (associated_widget_visible_)
+      if (!suppress_hiding_associated_widget_panel_)
         associated_widget_panel_->hide();
     }
     else if (associated_widget_)
@@ -366,7 +363,6 @@ void Display::setAssociatedWidget(QWidget* widget)
     if (wm)
     {
       associated_widget_panel_ = wm->addPane(getName(), associated_widget_);
-      associated_widget_visible_ = true;
       connect(associated_widget_panel_, SIGNAL(visibilityChanged(bool)), this,
               SLOT(associatedPanelVisibilityChange(bool)));
       connect(associated_widget_panel_, SIGNAL(closed()), this, SLOT(disable()));
@@ -386,9 +382,10 @@ void Display::setAssociatedWidget(QWidget* widget)
 
 void Display::associatedPanelVisibilityChange(bool visible)
 {
-  associated_widget_visible_ = visible;
   // If something external makes the panel visible/invisible, make sure to enable/disable the display
+  suppress_hiding_associated_widget_panel_ = true;
   setEnabled(visible);
+  suppress_hiding_associated_widget_panel_ = false;
   // Remark: vice versa, in Display::onEnableChanged(),
   //         the panel is made visible/invisible when the display is enabled/disabled
 }
diff --git a/src/rviz/display.h b/src/rviz/display.h
index 72e841f214..ddff16256d 100644
--- a/src/rviz/display.h
+++ b/src/rviz/display.h
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
   uint32_t visibility_bits_;
   QWidget* associated_widget_;
   PanelDockWidget* associated_widget_panel_;
-  bool associated_widget_visible_;
+  bool suppress_hiding_associated_widget_panel_;
 };
 
 } // end namespace rviz