diff --git a/src/actions/setupActions.ts b/src/actions/setupActions.ts
index 50322e17..99dd045c 100644
--- a/src/actions/setupActions.ts
+++ b/src/actions/setupActions.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ const setupActions = async (workspaceRoot: vscode.WorkspaceFolder, {commands, co
 			// 		await vscode.window.showTextDocument(doc, vscode.ViewColumn.One)
 			// 		// there are times when initialization leave the panel behind any files opened
 			// 		// ensure the panel is redrawn on the right side first
-			// 		// webview.createOrShow(vscode.ViewColumn.Two)
+			// 		// webview.createOrShow()
 			// 	} catch (error) {
 			// 		console.log(`Failed to open file ${filePath}`, error)
 			// 	}
diff --git a/src/editor/ReactWebView.ts b/src/editor/ReactWebView.ts
index 933ded92..64d1f948 100644
--- a/src/editor/ReactWebView.ts
+++ b/src/editor/ReactWebView.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class ReactWebView {
 		this.extensionPath = extensionPath
 
 		// Create and show a new webview panel
-		this.panel = this.createWebviewPanel(vscode.ViewColumn.Two)
+		this.panel = this.createWebviewPanel()
 
 		// Set the webview initial html content
 		this.render()
@@ -46,23 +46,16 @@ class ReactWebView {
 
 
 		// update panel on changes
-		const updateWindows = () => {
-			vscode.commands.executeCommand('coderoad.open_webview')
-		}
+		// const updateWindows = () => {
+		// 	vscode.commands.executeCommand('coderoad.open_webview')
+		// }
 
-		// prevents new panels from going on top of coderoad panel
-		vscode.window.onDidChangeActiveTextEditor((textEditor?: vscode.TextEditor) => {
-			// console.log('onDidChangeActiveTextEditor')
-			// console.log(textEditor)
-			if (!textEditor || textEditor.viewColumn !== vscode.ViewColumn.Two) {
-				updateWindows()
-			}
-		})
-		// // prevents moving coderoad panel on top of left panel
-		vscode.window.onDidChangeVisibleTextEditors((textEditor: vscode.TextEditor[]) => {
-			// console.log('onDidChangeVisibleTextEditors')
-			updateWindows()
-		})
+		// // // prevents moving coderoad panel on top of left panel
+		// vscode.window.onDidChangeVisibleTextEditors((textEditors: vscode.TextEditor[]) => {
+		// 	console.log('onDidChangeVisibleTextEditors')
+		// 	console.log(textEditors)
+		// 	// updateWindows()
+		// })
 
 		// TODO: prevent window from moving to the left when no windows remain on rights
 
@@ -81,13 +74,21 @@ class ReactWebView {
 		this.send = this.channel.send
 	}
 
-	public createOrShow(column: number): void {
+	public createOrShow(): void {
+		vscode.commands.executeCommand('vscode.setEditorLayout', {
+			orientation: 0,
+			groups: [{groups: [{}], size: 0.6}, {groups: [{}], size: 0.4}],
+		})
 		// If we already have a panel, show it.
 		// Otherwise, create a new panel.
+
 		if (this.panel && this.panel.webview) {
-			this.panel.reveal(column)
+			if (!this.loaded) {
+				this.panel.reveal(vscode.ViewColumn.Two)
+				this.loaded = true
+			}
 		} else {
-			this.panel = this.createWebviewPanel(column)
+			this.panel = this.createWebviewPanel()
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ class ReactWebView {
 		Promise.all(this.disposables.map((x) => x.dispose()))
 	}
 
-	private createWebviewPanel = (column: number): vscode.WebviewPanel => {
+	private createWebviewPanel = (): vscode.WebviewPanel => {
 		const viewType = 'CodeRoad'
 		const title = 'CodeRoad'
 		const config = {
@@ -109,7 +110,8 @@ class ReactWebView {
 			// prevents destroying the window when it is in the background
 			retainContextWhenHidden: true,
 		}
-		return vscode.window.createWebviewPanel(viewType, title, column, config)
+		this.loaded = true
+		return vscode.window.createWebviewPanel(viewType, title, vscode.ViewColumn.Two, config)
 	}
 
 	private render = async (): Promise<void> => {
diff --git a/src/editor/commands.ts b/src/editor/commands.ts
index 4102743a..2d13b4be 100644
--- a/src/editor/commands.ts
+++ b/src/editor/commands.ts
@@ -47,16 +47,9 @@ export const createCommands = ({extensionPath, workspaceState, workspaceRoot}: C
 			})
 		},
 		// open React webview
-		[COMMANDS.OPEN_WEBVIEW]: (column: number = vscode.ViewColumn.Two) => {
+		[COMMANDS.OPEN_WEBVIEW]: () => {
 			// setup 1x1 horizontal layout
-
-			// reset layout
-			vscode.commands.executeCommand('vscode.setEditorLayout', {
-				orientation: 0,
-				groups: [{groups: [{}], size: 0.6}, {groups: [{}], size: 0.4}],
-			})
-
-			webview.createOrShow(column)
+			webview.createOrShow()
 		},
 		[COMMANDS.SET_CURRENT_STEP]: ({stepId}: {stepId: string}) => {
 			// NOTE: as async, may sometimes be inaccurate
diff --git a/src/editor/index.ts b/src/editor/index.ts
index 0b0c507d..14742014 100644
--- a/src/editor/index.ts
+++ b/src/editor/index.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ class Editor {
 		console.log('ACTIVATE!')
 		this.vscodeExt = vscodeExt
 
+		// set out 60/40 layout
+		vscode.commands.executeCommand('vscode.setEditorLayout', {
+			orientation: 0,
+			groups: [{groups: [{}], size: 0.6}, {groups: [{}], size: 0.4}],
+		})
+
 		// commands
 		this.activateCommands()