diff --git a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/TabInfo.kt b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/TabInfo.kt
index ef74510fa13b..124ce45c1001 100644
--- a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/TabInfo.kt
+++ b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/TabInfo.kt
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ class TabInfo(var component: JComponent) : Queryable, PlaceProvider {
     changeSupport.firePropertyChange(ALERT_STATUS, null, false)
   }
 
-  override fun toString(): String = LoadingNode.getText()
+  override fun toString(): String = text
 
   fun getAlertIcon(): AlertIcon = alertIcon ?: DEFAULT_ALERT_ICON
 
diff --git a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBTabsImpl.kt b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBTabsImpl.kt
index f47b01507a34..bff30cf51fb0 100644
--- a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBTabsImpl.kt
+++ b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBTabsImpl.kt
@@ -2464,10 +2464,13 @@ open class JBTabsImpl internal constructor(
     val toSelect = if (forcedSelectionTransfer == null) {
       getToSelectOnRemoveOf(info!!)
     }
-    else {
-      assert(visibleInfos.contains(forcedSelectionTransfer)) { "Cannot find tab for selection transfer, tab=$forcedSelectionTransfer" }
+    else if (visibleInfos.contains(forcedSelectionTransfer)) {
       forcedSelectionTransfer
     }
+    else {
+      LOG.error("Cannot find tab for selection transfer, tab=$forcedSelectionTransfer")
+      getToSelectOnRemoveOf(info!!)
+    }
 
     val result = ActionCallback()
     if (toSelect == null) {
diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/EditorWindow.kt b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/EditorWindow.kt
index 7d6c97b547de..9645112788c9 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/EditorWindow.kt
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/fileEditor/impl/EditorWindow.kt
@@ -730,8 +730,12 @@ class EditorWindow internal constructor(
     fileBeingClosed: VirtualFile,
     componentIndex: Int,
   ): TabInfo? {
-    tabBeingClosed.previousSelection?.let {
-      return it
+    val previousSelection = tabBeingClosed.previousSelection
+    if (previousSelection != null) {
+      // the WeakReference might reference an already closed tab
+      if (tabbedPane.editorTabs.getVisibleInfos().contains(previousSelection)) {
+        return previousSelection
+      }
     }
 
     val indexToSelect = computeIndexToSelect(fileBeingClosed = fileBeingClosed, fileIndex = componentIndex)