diff --git a/website/src/lib/components/Menu.svelte b/website/src/lib/components/Menu.svelte
index c89d139b6..224c75c81 100644
--- a/website/src/lib/components/Menu.svelte
+++ b/website/src/lib/components/Menu.svelte
@@ -354,12 +354,17 @@
                             <Shortcut key="V" ctrl={true} />
                         </Menubar.Item>
                     {/if}
-                    <Menubar.Separator />
-                    <Menubar.Item onclick={() => engine.delete()} disabled={selectionCount == 0}>
-                        <Trash2 size="16" />
-                        {i18n._('menu.delete')}
-                        <Shortcut key="⌫" ctrl={true} />
-                    </Menubar.Item>
+                    {#if !desktop}
+                        <Menubar.Separator />
+                        <Menubar.Item
+                            onclick={() => engine.delete()}
+                            disabled={selectionCount == 0}
+                        >
+                            <Trash2 size="16" />
+                            {i18n._('menu.delete')}
+                            <Shortcut key="⌫" ctrl={true} />
+                        </Menubar.Item>
+                    {/if}
                 </Menubar.Content>
             </Menubar.Menu>
             <Menubar.Menu>
diff --git a/website/src/lib/components/file-list/FileListNodeLabel.svelte b/website/src/lib/components/file-list/FileListNodeLabel.svelte
index 9983d0192..5193890e1 100644
--- a/website/src/lib/components/file-list/FileListNodeLabel.svelte
+++ b/website/src/lib/components/file-list/FileListNodeLabel.svelte
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
         Maximize,
         Scissors,
         FileStack,
+        FileX,
     } from '@lucide/svelte';
     import { getContext } from 'svelte';
     import { i18n } from '$lib/i18n/i18n.svelte';
@@ -34,10 +35,12 @@
         isInClipboard,
         isSelected,
         selectedElementIds,
+        selectedFileIds,
         selectionSize,
         type FileTreeNode,
     } from '$lib/engine/selection-helpers';
     import { boundsManager } from '$lib/state/bounds';
+    import { closeFiles } from '$lib/actions/file-actions';
     import { waypointPopup } from '$lib/components/map/gpx-layer/gpx-layer-popup';
 
     let {
@@ -92,6 +95,9 @@
             selectedElementIds($selection)[0]?.ids[0] === elementId(node)
     );
 
+    // the desktop app: the files are linked to the file system, they are closed rather than deleted
+    let desktop = $derived($workspace !== undefined);
+
     // the file is not the one on the disk (the desktop app)
     let unsaved = $derived(node.type === 'file' && $workspace?.files[node.fileId]?.dirty === true);
     let hidden = $derived(isHidden(fileState, elementId(node)));
@@ -296,10 +302,18 @@
             </ContextMenu.Item>
         {/if}
         <ContextMenu.Separator />
-        <ContextMenu.Item onclick={() => engine.delete()}>
-            <Trash2 size="16" />
-            {i18n._('menu.delete')}
-            <Shortcut key="⌫" ctrl={true} />
-        </ContextMenu.Item>
+        {#if desktop && node.type === 'file'}
+            <ContextMenu.Item onclick={() => closeFiles(selectedFileIds($selection))}>
+                <FileX size="16" />
+                {i18n._('menu.close')}
+                <Shortcut key="W" ctrl={true} />
+            </ContextMenu.Item>
+        {:else}
+            <ContextMenu.Item onclick={() => engine.delete()}>
+                <Trash2 size="16" />
+                {i18n._('menu.delete')}
+                <Shortcut key="⌫" ctrl={true} />
+            </ContextMenu.Item>
+        {/if}
     </ContextMenu.Content>
 </ContextMenu.Root>