diff --git a/packages/console/src/Console.tsx b/packages/console/src/Console.tsx
index 0edcf19086..538a9d99c7 100644
--- a/packages/console/src/Console.tsx
+++ b/packages/console/src/Console.tsx
@@ -60,7 +60,14 @@ interface ConsoleProps {
   statusBarChildren: ReactNode;
   settings: Partial<Settings>;
   focusCommandHistory: () => void;
-  openObject: (object: VariableDefinition) => void;
+
+  /**
+   * @param object The object to open
+   * @param forceOpen If true, always open the object. If false, only update existing panels
+   */
+  openObject: (object: VariableDefinition, forceOpen?: boolean) => void;
+
+  /** Closes all panels containing the object */
   closeObject: (object: VariableDefinition) => void;
   session: IdeSession;
   language: string;
@@ -471,14 +478,19 @@ export class Console extends PureComponent<ConsoleProps, ConsoleState> {
   }, Console.LOG_THROTTLE);
 
   openUpdatedItems(changes: VariableChanges): void {
+    log.debug('openUpdatedItems', changes);
     const { isAutoLaunchPanelsEnabled } = this.state;
-    if (changes == null || !isAutoLaunchPanelsEnabled) {
+    if (changes == null) {
       return;
     }
 
     const { openObject } = this.props;
     [...changes.created, ...changes.updated].forEach(object =>
-      openObject(object)
+      openObject(
+        object,
+        isAutoLaunchPanelsEnabled &&
+          (object.title === undefined || !object.title.startsWith('_'))
+      )
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx b/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx
index f0dd70f29e..15563d65b8 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard-core-plugins/src/panels/ConsolePanel.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ import {
   HeapUsage,
   ObjectIcon,
 } from '@deephaven/console';
-import { DashboardPanelProps, PanelEvent } from '@deephaven/dashboard';
+import {
+  DashboardPanelProps,
+  LayoutManagerContext,
+  LayoutUtils,
+  PanelEvent,
+} from '@deephaven/dashboard';
 import type { IdeSession, VariableDefinition } from '@deephaven/jsapi-types';
 import { SessionWrapper } from '@deephaven/jsapi-utils';
 import Log from '@deephaven/log';
@@ -84,6 +89,8 @@ export class ConsolePanel extends PureComponent<
 
   static TITLE = 'Console';
 
+  static contextType = LayoutManagerContext;
+
   constructor(props: ConsolePanelProps) {
     super(props);
 
@@ -235,18 +242,35 @@ export class ConsolePanel extends PureComponent<
     this.updateDimensions();
   }
 
-  handleOpenObject(object: VariableDefinition): void {
+  handleOpenObject(object: VariableDefinition, forceOpen = true): void {
     const { sessionWrapper } = this.props;
     const { session } = sessionWrapper;
-    this.openWidget(object, session);
+    const { root } = this.context;
+    const oldPanelId =
+      object.title != null ? this.getItemId(object.title, false) : null;
+    if (
+      forceOpen ||
+      (oldPanelId != null &&
+        LayoutUtils.getStackForRoot(
+          root,
+          { id: oldPanelId },
+          false,
+          false,
+          false
+        ) != null)
+    ) {
+      this.openWidget(object, session);
+    }
   }
 
   handleCloseObject(object: VariableDefinition): void {
     const { title } = object;
     if (title !== undefined) {
       const id = this.getItemId(title, false);
-      const { glEventHub } = this.props;
-      glEventHub.emit(PanelEvent.CLOSE, id);
+      if (id != null) {
+        const { glEventHub } = this.props;
+        glEventHub.emit(PanelEvent.CLOSE, id);
+      }
     }
   }