diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/App.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/App.zig
index bf1e80fef..fba7bf89e 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/App.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/App.zig
@@ -192,9 +192,7 @@ pub fn newWindow(self: *App, parent_: ?*CoreSurface) !void {
     //
     // The allocation is owned by the GtkWindow created. It will be
     // freed when the window is closed.
-    var window = try alloc.create(Window);
-    errdefer alloc.destroy(window);
-    try window.init(self);
+    var window = try Window.create(alloc, self);
 
     // Add our initial tab
     try window.newTab(parent_);
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
index b4a97e38a..398f2bf85 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Surface.zig
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ pub fn init(self: *Surface, app: *App, opts: Options) !void {
 
     // GL events
     _ = c.g_signal_connect_data(opts.gl_area, "realize", c.G_CALLBACK(&gtkRealize), self, null, c.G_CONNECT_DEFAULT);
+    _ = c.g_signal_connect_data(opts.gl_area, "unrealize", c.G_CALLBACK(&gtkUnrealize), self, null, c.G_CONNECT_DEFAULT);
     _ = c.g_signal_connect_data(opts.gl_area, "destroy", c.G_CALLBACK(&gtkDestroy), self, null, c.G_CONNECT_DEFAULT);
     _ = c.g_signal_connect_data(opts.gl_area, "render", c.G_CALLBACK(&gtkRender), self, null, c.G_CONNECT_DEFAULT);
     _ = c.g_signal_connect_data(opts.gl_area, "resize", c.G_CALLBACK(&gtkResize), self, null, c.G_CONNECT_DEFAULT);
@@ -177,6 +178,16 @@ pub fn init(self: *Surface, app: *App, opts: Options) !void {
 }
 
 fn realize(self: *Surface) !void {
+    // If this surface has already been realized, then we don't need to
+    // reinitialize. This can happen if a surface is moved from one GDK surface
+    // to another (i.e. a tab is pulled out into a window).
+    if (self.realized) {
+        // If we have no OpenGL state though, we do need to reinitialize.
+        // We allow the renderer to figure that out
+        try self.core_surface.renderer.displayRealize();
+        return;
+    }
+
     // Add ourselves to the list of surfaces on the app.
     try self.app.core_app.addSurface(self);
     errdefer self.app.core_app.deleteSurface(self);
@@ -479,6 +490,15 @@ fn gtkRealize(area: *c.GtkGLArea, ud: ?*anyopaque) callconv(.C) void {
     };
 }
 
+/// This is called when the underlying OpenGL resources must be released.
+/// This is usually due to the OpenGL area changing GDK surfaces.
+fn gtkUnrealize(area: *c.GtkGLArea, ud: ?*anyopaque) callconv(.C) void {
+    _ = area;
+
+    const self = userdataSelf(ud.?);
+    self.core_surface.renderer.displayUnrealized();
+}
+
 /// render signal
 fn gtkRender(area: *c.GtkGLArea, ctx: *c.GdkGLContext, ud: ?*anyopaque) callconv(.C) c.gboolean {
     _ = area;
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
index 24a82bfe3..99d2e14d8 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/Window.zig
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const Window = @This();
 
 const std = @import("std");
 const builtin = @import("builtin");
+const Allocator = std.mem.Allocator;
 const assert = std.debug.assert;
 const configpkg = @import("../../config.zig");
 const font = @import("../../font/main.zig");
@@ -29,6 +30,20 @@ notebook: *c.GtkNotebook,
 /// pointer to this because GTK can use it at any time.
 icon_search_dir: ?[:0]const u8 = null,
 
+pub fn create(alloc: Allocator, app: *App) !*Window {
+    // Allocate a fixed pointer for our window. We try to minimize
+    // allocations but windows and other GUI requirements are so minimal
+    // compared to the steady-state terminal operation so we use heap
+    // allocation for this.
+    //
+    // The allocation is owned by the GtkWindow created. It will be
+    // freed when the window is closed.
+    var window = try alloc.create(Window);
+    errdefer alloc.destroy(window);
+    try window.init(app);
+    return window;
+}
+
 pub fn init(self: *Window, app: *App) !void {
     // Set up our own state
     self.* = .{