diff -r 131d40cd805b libgui/src/main-window.cc
--- a/libgui/src/main-window.cc	Sun Jan 27 22:22:19 2013 +0100
+++ b/libgui/src/main-window.cc	Mon Jan 28 07:15:35 2013 +0100
@@ -990,18 +990,6 @@
            this,                        SLOT (focus_editor ()));
   connect (documentation_action,        SIGNAL (triggered ()),
            this,                        SLOT (focus_documentation ()));
-  connect (_terminal_dock_widget,       SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_window_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_workspace_view,             SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_workspace_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_history_dock_widget,        SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_history_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_files_dock_widget,          SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_current_directory_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_file_editor,                SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_editor_visible (bool)));
-  connect (_documentation_dock_widget,  SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
-           this,                        SLOT (handle_documentation_visible (bool)));
 
   connect (reset_windows_action,        SIGNAL (triggered ()),
            this,                        SLOT   (reset_windows ()));
@@ -1065,6 +1053,21 @@
   addDockWidget (Qt::RightDockWidgetArea, _documentation_dock_widget);
   setStatusBar (_status_bar);
 
+  // connect visibility signals after adding the widgets
+  connect (_terminal_dock_widget,       SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_window_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_workspace_view,             SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_workspace_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_history_dock_widget,        SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_command_history_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_files_dock_widget,          SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_current_directory_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_file_editor,                SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_editor_visible (bool)));
+  connect (_documentation_dock_widget,  SIGNAL (visibilityChanged (bool)),
+           this,                        SLOT (handle_documentation_visible (bool)));
+
+
   _octave_qt_event_listener = new octave_qt_event_listener ();
   octave_link::register_event_listener (_octave_qt_event_listener);