diff --git a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
index e5e97533..2f743cee 100644
--- a/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
+++ b/doc/xschem_man/developer_info.html
@@ -1593,6 +1593,8 @@ C {verilog_timescale.sym} 1050 -100 0 0 {name=s1 timestep="1ns" precision="1ns"
    <li><kbd>       switch [window_path |schematic_name]</kbd></li><pre>
    Switch context to indicated window path or schematic name
    returns 0 if switch was successfull or 1 in case of errors
+   if "previous" given as window path switch to previously active tab
+   (only for tabbed interface)
    (no tabs/windows present or no matching win_path / schematic name
    found).</pre>
    <li><kbd>       symbols [n | 'derived_symbols']</kbd></li><pre>
diff --git a/src/callback.c b/src/callback.c
index 56f6c389..4822ca84 100644
--- a/src/callback.c
+++ b/src/callback.c
@@ -3806,7 +3806,8 @@ static void handle_key_press(int event, KeySym key, int state, int rstate, int m
         int save = xctx->semaphore;
         if(xctx->semaphore >= 2) break;
         xctx->semaphore = 0;
-        tcleval("next_tab");
+        /* tcleval("next_tab"); */
+        new_schematic("switch", "previous", "", 1);
         xctx->semaphore = save;
       }
       break;
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index df471237..f5386e48 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -5959,6 +5959,8 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
     /* switch [window_path |schematic_name]
      *   Switch context to indicated window path or schematic name
      *   returns 0 if switch was successfull or 1 in case of errors
+     *   if "previous" given as window path switch to previously active tab
+     *   (only for tabbed interface)
      *   (no tabs/windows present or no matching win_path / schematic name
      *   found).
      */
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index 3a8ce74e..32afaec4 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -1527,6 +1527,9 @@ static int switch_window(int *window_count, const char *win_path, int tcl_ctx)
     dbg(0, "switch_window(): no filename or window path given\n");
     return 1;
   }
+  if(win_path && !strcmp(win_path, "previous")) {
+    return 1; /* not used in window interface, only for tabbed interface */
+  }
   if(!strcmp(win_path, xctx->current_win_path)) return 0; /* already there */
   n = get_tab_or_window_number(win_path);
   if(n == 0) my_snprintf(my_win_path, S(my_win_path), ".drw");
@@ -1566,26 +1569,39 @@ static int switch_window(int *window_count, const char *win_path, int tcl_ctx)
 static int switch_tab(int *window_count, const char *win_path, int dr)
 {        
   int n;
-
+  static char previous_win_path[200] = "";
+  const char *new_path = win_path;
   dbg(1, "switch_tab(): win_path=%s\n", win_path);
   if(xctx->semaphore) return 1; /* some editing operation ongoing. do nothing */
   if(!win_path) {
     dbg(0, "switch_tab(): no filename or window path given\n");
     return 1;
   }
-  if(!strcmp(win_path, xctx->current_win_path)) return 0; /* already there */
-  n = get_tab_or_window_number(win_path);
+
+  if(win_path && !strcmp(win_path, "previous")) {
+    if(previous_win_path[0]) {
+      new_path = previous_win_path;
+    }
+    else return 1;
+  }
+    
+  if(!strcmp(new_path, xctx->current_win_path)) return 0; /* already there */
+  n = get_tab_or_window_number(new_path);
   if(n == -1) {
-    dbg(0, "new_schematic(\"switch_tab\"...): no tab to switch to found: %s\n", win_path);
+    dbg(0, "new_schematic(\"switch_tab\"...): no tab to switch to found: %s\n", new_path);
     return 1;
   }
   if(*window_count) {
-    dbg(1, "new_schematic() switch_tab: %s\n", win_path);
+    dbg(1, "new_schematic() switch_tab: %s\n", new_path);
     /* if no matching tab found --> do nothing */
     if(n >= 0 && n < MAX_NEW_WINDOWS) {
+      if(xctx->current_win_path) {
+        my_strncpy(previous_win_path, xctx->current_win_path, sizeof(previous_win_path));
+      }
+      dbg(1, "switch_tab(): previous_win_path=%s\n", previous_win_path);
       tclvareval("save_ctx ", xctx->current_win_path, NULL);
       xctx = save_xctx[n];
-      tclvareval("restore_ctx ", win_path, NULL);
+      tclvareval("restore_ctx ", new_path, NULL);
       tclvareval("housekeeping_ctx", NULL);
       if(has_x) tclvareval("reconfigure_layers_button {}", NULL);
       xctx->window = save_xctx[0]->window;
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index 857077a1..c38472f7 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -8171,7 +8171,6 @@ proc swap_tabs {x y what} {
         raise .tabs.mm
       }
     }
-
   } else {
     bind .tabs <B1-Motion> {}
     place forget .tabs.mm