diff --git a/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java b/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java
index 92682c1..b3be618 100644
--- a/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java
+++ b/src/com/android/browser/Controller.java
@@ -2159,6 +2159,13 @@
                 return null;
             }
         }
+        // check tab count and make room for new tab
+        if (!mTabControl.canCreateNewTab()) {
+            Tab leastUsed = mTabControl.getLeastUsedTab(getCurrentTab());
+            if (leastUsed != null) {
+                closeTab(leastUsed);
+            }
+        }
         Tab t = tabControl.getTab();
         mTabControl.addPreloadedTab(t);
         addTab(t);
diff --git a/src/com/android/browser/TabControl.java b/src/com/android/browser/TabControl.java
index 7055ef3..cd8da2e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/browser/TabControl.java
+++ b/src/com/android/browser/TabControl.java
@@ -514,6 +514,25 @@
         return tabsToGo;
     }
 
+    Tab getLeastUsedTab(Tab current) {
+        if (getTabCount() == 1 || current == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        if (mTabQueue.size() == 0) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        // find a tab which is not the current tab or the parent of the
+        // current tab
+        for (Tab t : mTabQueue) {
+            if (t != null && t.getWebView() != null) {
+                if (t != current && t != current.getParent()) {
+                    return t;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Show the tab that contains the given WebView.
      * @param view The WebView used to find the tab.