diff --git a/UI/CMakeLists.txt b/UI/CMakeLists.txt
index 3c2542e70..0f64fb3b5 100644
--- a/UI/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/UI/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ set(obs_SOURCES
 	${obs_libffutil_SOURCES}
 	../deps/json11/json11.cpp
 	obs-app.cpp
+	window-dock.cpp
 	api-interface.cpp
 	window-basic-main.cpp
 	window-basic-stats.cpp
@@ -234,6 +235,7 @@ set(obs_HEADERS
 	../deps/json11/json11.hpp
 	obs-app.hpp
 	platform.hpp
+	window-dock.hpp
 	window-main.hpp
 	window-basic-main.hpp
 	window-basic-stats.hpp
diff --git a/UI/auth-mixer.cpp b/UI/auth-mixer.cpp
index d835cfc16..dc2cb5b8e 100644
--- a/UI/auth-mixer.cpp
+++ b/UI/auth-mixer.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "window-basic-main.hpp"
 #include "remote-text.hpp"
+#include "window-dock.hpp"
 
 #include <json11.hpp>
 
@@ -204,9 +205,9 @@ bool MixerAuth::LoadInternal()
 	return OAuthStreamKey::LoadInternal();
 }
 
-class MixerChat : public QDockWidget {
+class MixerChat : public OBSDock {
 public:
-	inline MixerChat() : QDockWidget() {}
+	inline MixerChat() : OBSDock() {}
 
 	QScopedPointer<QCefWidget> widget;
 };
diff --git a/UI/auth-twitch.cpp b/UI/auth-twitch.cpp
index 33d87222c..19c6584e2 100644
--- a/UI/auth-twitch.cpp
+++ b/UI/auth-twitch.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "window-basic-main.hpp"
 #include "remote-text.hpp"
+#include "window-dock.hpp"
 
 #include <json11.hpp>
 
@@ -165,9 +166,9 @@ bool TwitchAuth::LoadInternal()
 	return OAuthStreamKey::LoadInternal();
 }
 
-class TwitchWidget : public QDockWidget {
+class TwitchWidget : public OBSDock {
 public:
-	inline TwitchWidget() : QDockWidget() {}
+	inline TwitchWidget() : OBSDock() {}
 
 	QScopedPointer<QCefWidget> widget;
 
diff --git a/UI/data/locale/en-US.ini b/UI/data/locale/en-US.ini
index 44f101aac..d68020a6c 100644
--- a/UI/data/locale/en-US.ini
+++ b/UI/data/locale/en-US.ini
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ AlreadyRunning.Title="OBS is already running"
 AlreadyRunning.Text="OBS is already running!  Unless you meant to do this, please shut down any existing instances of OBS before trying to run a new instance.  If you have OBS set to minimize to the system tray, please check to see if it's still running there."
 AlreadyRunning.LaunchAnyway="Launch Anyway"
 
+# warning when closing docks.  it's frustrating that we actually need this.
+DockCloseWarning.Title="Closing Dockable Window"
+DockCloseWarning.Text="You just closed a dockable window. If you'd like to show it again, use the View → Docks menu on the menu bar."
+
 # Auth
 Auth.Authing.Title="Authenticating..."
 Auth.Authing.Text="Authenticating with %1, please wait..."
diff --git a/UI/forms/OBSBasic.ui b/UI/forms/OBSBasic.ui
index 530b05669..b07d5c5b4 100644
--- a/UI/forms/OBSBasic.ui
+++ b/UI/forms/OBSBasic.ui
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
      <x>0</x>
      <y>0</y>
      <width>1079</width>
-     <height>25</height>
+     <height>21</height>
     </rect>
    </property>
    <widget class="QMenu" name="menu_File">
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@
    <addaction name="menuBasic_MainMenu_Help"/>
   </widget>
   <widget class="OBSBasicStatusBar" name="statusbar"/>
-  <widget class="QDockWidget" name="scenesDock">
+  <widget class="OBSDock" name="scenesDock">
    <property name="features">
     <set>QDockWidget::AllDockWidgetFeatures</set>
    </property>
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@
     </layout>
    </widget>
   </widget>
-  <widget class="QDockWidget" name="sourcesDock">
+  <widget class="OBSDock" name="sourcesDock">
    <property name="features">
     <set>QDockWidget::AllDockWidgetFeatures</set>
    </property>
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@
     </layout>
    </widget>
   </widget>
-  <widget class="QDockWidget" name="mixerDock">
+  <widget class="OBSDock" name="mixerDock">
    <property name="features">
     <set>QDockWidget::AllDockWidgetFeatures</set>
    </property>
@@ -651,7 +651,7 @@
           <rect>
            <x>0</x>
            <y>0</y>
-           <width>82</width>
+           <width>80</width>
            <height>16</height>
           </rect>
          </property>
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@
            <x>0</x>
            <y>0</y>
            <width>16</width>
-           <height>26</height>
+           <height>28</height>
           </rect>
          </property>
          <property name="sizePolicy">
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@
     </layout>
    </widget>
   </widget>
-  <widget class="QDockWidget" name="transitionsDock">
+  <widget class="OBSDock" name="transitionsDock">
    <property name="features">
     <set>QDockWidget::AllDockWidgetFeatures</set>
    </property>
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@
     </layout>
    </widget>
   </widget>
-  <widget class="QDockWidget" name="controlsDock">
+  <widget class="OBSDock" name="controlsDock">
    <property name="features">
     <set>QDockWidget::AllDockWidgetFeatures</set>
    </property>
@@ -1712,6 +1712,12 @@
    <extends>QListView</extends>
    <header>source-tree.hpp</header>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>OBSDock</class>
+   <extends>QDockWidget</extends>
+   <header>window-dock.hpp</header>
+   <container>1</container>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <resources>
   <include location="obs.qrc"/>
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
index 2d577a948..8d454b112 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main.cpp
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ OBSBasic::OBSBasic(QWidget *parent)
 
 	startingDockLayout = saveState();
 
-	statsDock = new QDockWidget();
+	statsDock = new OBSDock();
 	statsDock->setObjectName(QStringLiteral("statsDock"));
 	statsDock->setFeatures(QDockWidget::AllDockWidgetFeatures);
 	statsDock->setWindowTitle(QTStr("Basic.Stats"));
diff --git a/UI/window-dock.cpp b/UI/window-dock.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..365c221f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/UI/window-dock.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#include "window-dock.hpp"
+#include "obs-app.hpp"
+
+#include <QMessageBox>
+
+void OBSDock::closeEvent(QCloseEvent *event)
+{
+	auto msgBox = [] ()
+	{
+		QMessageBox::information(App()->GetMainWindow(),
+				QTStr("DockCloseWarning.Title"),
+				QTStr("DockCloseWarning.Text"));
+	};
+
+	bool warned = config_get_bool(App()->GlobalConfig(), "General",
+			"WarnedAboutClosingDocks");
+	if (!warned) {
+		QMetaObject::invokeMethod(App(), "Exec",
+				Qt::QueuedConnection,
+				Q_ARG(VoidFunc, msgBox));
+		config_set_bool(App()->GlobalConfig(), "General",
+				"WarnedAboutClosingDocks", true);
+		config_save_safe(App()->GlobalConfig(), "tmp", nullptr);
+	}
+
+	QDockWidget::closeEvent(event);
+}
diff --git a/UI/window-dock.hpp b/UI/window-dock.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccb1cf0ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/UI/window-dock.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QDockWidget>
+
+class OBSDock : public QDockWidget {
+	Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+	inline OBSDock(QWidget *parent = nullptr) : QDockWidget(parent) {}
+
+	virtual void closeEvent(QCloseEvent *event);
+};