diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/content/umbvariantcontenteditors.directive.js b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/content/umbvariantcontenteditors.directive.js
index 3e227bfcb3..71bf151b89 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/content/umbvariantcontenteditors.directive.js
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web.UI.Client/src/common/directives/components/content/umbvariantcontenteditors.directive.js
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@
             splitViewChanged();
             unbindSplitViewRequest();
         }
+        
+        // if split view was never closed, the listener is not disposed when changing nodes - this unbinds it
+        $scope.$on('$destroy', () => unbindSplitViewRequest());
 
         /**
          * Changes the currently selected variant