diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 6e56288e..f8398fa8 100755
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -591,10 +591,10 @@ def start(self, first_os_window_id: int) -> None:
             run_update_check(get_options().update_check_interval * 60 * 60)
             self.update_check_started = True
 
-    def activate_tab_at(self, os_window_id: int, x: int, is_double: bool = False) -> int:
+    def activate_tab_at(self, os_window_id: int, x: int, is_double: bool = False, is_middle: bool = False) -> int:
         tm = self.os_window_map.get(os_window_id)
         if tm is not None:
-            tm.activate_tab_at(x, is_double)
+            tm.activate_tab_at(x, is_double, is_middle)
 
     def on_window_resize(self, os_window_id: int, w: int, h: int, dpi_changed: bool) -> None:
         if dpi_changed:
diff --git a/kitty/mouse.c b/kitty/mouse.c
index b8ea84e4..426ae12f 100644
--- a/kitty/mouse.c
+++ b/kitty/mouse.c
@@ -517,11 +517,22 @@ HANDLER(handle_event) {
 static void
 handle_tab_bar_mouse(int button, int UNUSED modifiers) {
     static monotonic_t last_click_at = 0;
-    if (button != GLFW_MOUSE_BUTTON_LEFT || !global_state.callback_os_window->mouse_button_pressed[button]) return;
+    bool is_middle = false;
+    switch (button) {
+        case GLFW_MOUSE_BUTTON_MIDDLE:
+            is_middle = true;
+        case GLFW_MOUSE_BUTTON_LEFT:
+            if (!global_state.callback_os_window->mouse_button_pressed[button]) return;
+            break;
+        default:
+            return;
+    }
     monotonic_t now = monotonic();
     bool is_double = now - last_click_at <= OPT(click_interval);
     last_click_at = is_double ? 0 : now;
-    call_boss(activate_tab_at, "KdO", global_state.callback_os_window->id, global_state.callback_os_window->mouse_x, is_double ? Py_True : Py_False);
+    call_boss(activate_tab_at, "KdOO", global_state.callback_os_window->id, global_state.callback_os_window->mouse_x, is_double ? Py_True : Py_False, is_middle ? Py_True : Py_False);
+    // hack: disable middle click event on tab bar
+    if (is_middle) global_state.callback_os_window->mouse_button_pressed[button] = false;
 }
 
 static bool
diff --git a/kitty/tabs.py b/kitty/tabs.py
index cbef1aed..2551e4f1 100644
--- a/kitty/tabs.py
+++ b/kitty/tabs.py
@@ -965,13 +965,17 @@ def tab_bar_data(self) -> List[TabBarData]:
             ))
         return ans
 
-    def activate_tab_at(self, x: int, is_double: bool = False) -> None:
+    def activate_tab_at(self, x: int, is_double: bool = False, is_middle: bool = False) -> None:
         i = self.tab_bar.tab_at(x)
         if i is None:
             if is_double:
                 self.new_tab()
         else:
             self.set_active_tab_idx(i)
+            if is_middle:
+                tab = self.active_tab
+                if tab is not None:
+                    get_boss().confirm_tab_close(tab)
 
     @property
     def tab_bar_rects(self) -> Tuple[Border, ...]: