diff --git a/red/runtime/nodes/flows/index.js b/red/runtime/nodes/flows/index.js
index dfd3fb8fb..c52729cb8 100644
--- a/red/runtime/nodes/flows/index.js
+++ b/red/runtime/nodes/flows/index.js
@@ -257,12 +257,16 @@ function start(type,diff,muteLog) {
     var id;
     if (!diff) {
         if (!activeFlows['global']) {
+            log.debug("red/nodes/flows.start : starting flow : global");
             activeFlows['global'] = Flow.create(activeFlowConfig);
         }
         for (id in activeFlowConfig.flows) {
             if (activeFlowConfig.flows.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
-                if (!activeFlows[id]) {
+                if (!activeFlowConfig.flows[id].disabled && !activeFlows[id]) {
                     activeFlows[id] = Flow.create(activeFlowConfig,activeFlowConfig.flows[id]);
+                    log.debug("red/nodes/flows.start : starting flow : "+id);
+                } else {
+                    log.debug("red/nodes/flows.start : not starting disabled flow : "+id);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -270,10 +274,15 @@ function start(type,diff,muteLog) {
         activeFlows['global'].update(activeFlowConfig,activeFlowConfig);
         for (id in activeFlowConfig.flows) {
             if (activeFlowConfig.flows.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
-                if (activeFlows[id]) {
-                    activeFlows[id].update(activeFlowConfig,activeFlowConfig.flows[id]);
+                if (!activeFlowConfig.flows[id].disabled) {
+                    if (activeFlows[id]) {
+                        activeFlows[id].update(activeFlowConfig,activeFlowConfig.flows[id]);
+                    } else {
+                        activeFlows[id] = Flow.create(activeFlowConfig,activeFlowConfig.flows[id]);
+                        log.debug("red/nodes/flows.start : starting flow : "+id);
+                    }
                 } else {
-                    activeFlows[id] = Flow.create(activeFlowConfig,activeFlowConfig.flows[id]);
+                    log.debug("red/nodes/flows.start : not starting disabled flow : "+id);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -325,8 +334,9 @@ function stop(type,diff,muteLog) {
     }
     for (var id in activeFlows) {
         if (activeFlows.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
-            promises = promises.concat(activeFlows[id].stop(stopList));
-            if (!diff || diff.removed.indexOf(id)!==-1) {
+            var flowStateChanged = diff && (diff.added.indexOf(id) !== -1 || diff.removed.indexOf(id) !== -1);
+            promises = promises.concat(activeFlows[id].stop(flowStateChanged?null:stopList));
+            if (!diff || flowStateChanged || diff.removed.indexOf(id)!==-1) {
                 delete activeFlows[id];
             }
         }
diff --git a/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util.js b/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util.js
index a8d877004..cf5f91def 100644
--- a/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util.js
+++ b/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util.js
@@ -196,60 +196,84 @@ module.exports = {
 
         var linkMap = {};
 
+        var changedTabs = {};
+
+        // Look for tabs that have been disabled
+        for (id in oldConfig.flows) {
+            if (oldConfig.flows.hasOwnProperty(id) && newConfig.flows.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
+                var originalState = oldConfig.flows[id].disabled||false;
+                var newState = newConfig.flows[id].disabled||false;
+                if (originalState !== newState) {
+                    changedTabs[id] = true;
+                    if (originalState) {
+                        added[id] = oldConfig.allNodes[id];
+                    } else {
+                        removed[id] = oldConfig.allNodes[id];
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         for (id in oldConfig.allNodes) {
             if (oldConfig.allNodes.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
                 node = oldConfig.allNodes[id];
-                // build the map of what this node was previously wired to
-                if (node.wires) {
-                    linkMap[node.id] = linkMap[node.id] || [];
-                    for (j=0;j<node.wires.length;j++) {
-                        wires = node.wires[j];
-                        for (k=0;k<wires.length;k++) {
-                            linkMap[node.id].push(wires[k]);
-                            nn = oldConfig.allNodes[wires[k]];
-                            if (nn) {
-                                linkMap[nn.id] = linkMap[nn.id] || [];
-                                linkMap[nn.id].push(node.id);
+                if (node.type !== 'tab') {
+                    // build the map of what this node was previously wired to
+                    if (node.wires) {
+                        linkMap[node.id] = linkMap[node.id] || [];
+                        for (j=0;j<node.wires.length;j++) {
+                            wires = node.wires[j];
+                            for (k=0;k<wires.length;k++) {
+                                linkMap[node.id].push(wires[k]);
+                                nn = oldConfig.allNodes[wires[k]];
+                                if (nn) {
+                                    linkMap[nn.id] = linkMap[nn.id] || [];
+                                    linkMap[nn.id].push(node.id);
+                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }
-                }
-                // This node has been removed
-                if (!newConfig.allNodes.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
-                    removed[id] = node;
-                    // Mark the container as changed
-                    if (newConfig.allNodes[removed[id].z]) {
-                        changed[removed[id].z] = newConfig.allNodes[removed[id].z];
-                        if (changed[removed[id].z].type === "subflow") {
-                            changedSubflows[removed[id].z] = changed[removed[id].z];
-                            //delete removed[id];
-                        }
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    // This node has a material configuration change
-                    if (diffNodes(node,newConfig.allNodes[id]) || newConfig.allNodes[id].credentials) {
-                        changed[id] = newConfig.allNodes[id];
-                        if (changed[id].type === "subflow") {
-                            changedSubflows[id] = changed[id];
-                        }
+                    // This node has been removed
+                    if (removed[node.z] || !newConfig.allNodes.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
+                        removed[id] = node;
                         // Mark the container as changed
-                        if (newConfig.allNodes[changed[id].z]) {
-                            changed[changed[id].z] = newConfig.allNodes[changed[id].z];
-                            if (changed[changed[id].z].type === "subflow") {
-                                changedSubflows[changed[id].z] = changed[changed[id].z];
-                                delete changed[id];
+                        if (!removed[node.z] && newConfig.allNodes[removed[id].z]) {
+                            changed[removed[id].z] = newConfig.allNodes[removed[id].z];
+                            if (changed[removed[id].z].type === "subflow") {
+                                changedSubflows[removed[id].z] = changed[removed[id].z];
+                                //delete removed[id];
                             }
                         }
-                    }
-                    // This node's wiring has changed
-                    if (!redUtil.compareObjects(node.wires,newConfig.allNodes[id].wires)) {
-                        wiringChanged[id] = newConfig.allNodes[id];
-                        // Mark the container as changed
-                        if (newConfig.allNodes[wiringChanged[id].z]) {
-                            changed[wiringChanged[id].z] = newConfig.allNodes[wiringChanged[id].z];
-                            if (changed[wiringChanged[id].z].type === "subflow") {
-                                changedSubflows[wiringChanged[id].z] = changed[wiringChanged[id].z];
-                                delete wiringChanged[id];
+                    } else {
+                        if (added[node.z]) {
+                            added[id] = node;
+                        } else {
+                            // This node has a material configuration change
+                            if (diffNodes(node,newConfig.allNodes[id]) || newConfig.allNodes[id].credentials) {
+                                changed[id] = newConfig.allNodes[id];
+                                if (changed[id].type === "subflow") {
+                                    changedSubflows[id] = changed[id];
+                                }
+                                // Mark the container as changed
+                                if (newConfig.allNodes[changed[id].z]) {
+                                    changed[changed[id].z] = newConfig.allNodes[changed[id].z];
+                                    if (changed[changed[id].z].type === "subflow") {
+                                        changedSubflows[changed[id].z] = changed[changed[id].z];
+                                        delete changed[id];
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                            // This node's wiring has changed
+                            if (!redUtil.compareObjects(node.wires,newConfig.allNodes[id].wires)) {
+                                wiringChanged[id] = newConfig.allNodes[id];
+                                // Mark the container as changed
+                                if (newConfig.allNodes[wiringChanged[id].z]) {
+                                    changed[wiringChanged[id].z] = newConfig.allNodes[wiringChanged[id].z];
+                                    if (changed[wiringChanged[id].z].type === "subflow") {
+                                        changedSubflows[wiringChanged[id].z] = changed[wiringChanged[id].z];
+                                        delete wiringChanged[id];
+                                    }
+                                }
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -388,6 +412,7 @@ module.exports = {
                 }
             }
         }
+        // console.log(diff);
         // for (id in newConfig.allNodes) {
         //     console.log(
         //         (added[id]?"+":(changed[id]?"!":" "))+(wiringChanged[id]?"w":" ")+(diff.linked.indexOf(id)!==-1?"~":" "),
diff --git a/test/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util_spec.js b/test/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util_spec.js
index 26db59cf9..4312ec182 100644
--- a/test/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util_spec.js
+++ b/test/red/runtime/nodes/flows/util_spec.js
@@ -643,5 +643,59 @@ describe('flows/util', function() {
             diffResult.rewired.should.have.length(0);
             diffResult.linked.sort().should.eql(["1","3"]);
         });
+
+
+        it('ignores tab changes that are immaterial', function() {
+            var config = [{id:"1",type:"tab",label:"fred"},{id:"2",type:"test",bar:"b",wires:[["1"]],z:"1"}];
+            var newConfig = clone(config);
+            newConfig[0].label = "barney";
+
+            var originalConfig = flowUtil.parseConfig(config);
+            var changedConfig = flowUtil.parseConfig(newConfig);
+
+            originalConfig.missingTypes.should.have.length(0);
+
+            var diffResult = flowUtil.diffConfigs(originalConfig,changedConfig);
+            diffResult.added.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.changed.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.removed.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.rewired.should.have.length(0);
+        });
+        it('marks all nodes as added when tab state changes disabled to enabled', function() {
+            var config = [{id:"1",type:"tab",disabled:true,label:"fred"},{id:"2",type:"test",bar:"b",wires:[["1"]],z:"1"},{id:"3",type:"test"}];
+            var newConfig = clone(config);
+            newConfig[0].disabled = false;
+
+            var originalConfig = flowUtil.parseConfig(config);
+            var changedConfig = flowUtil.parseConfig(newConfig);
+
+            originalConfig.missingTypes.should.have.length(0);
+
+            var diffResult = flowUtil.diffConfigs(originalConfig,changedConfig);
+
+            diffResult.added.should.have.length(2);
+            diffResult.added.sort().should.eql(["1","2"]);
+            diffResult.changed.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.removed.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.rewired.should.have.length(0);
+        });
+        it('marks all nodes as removed when tab state changes enabled to disabled', function() {
+            var config = [{id:"1",type:"tab",disabled:false,label:"fred"},{id:"2",type:"test",bar:"b",wires:[["1"]],z:"1"},{id:"3",type:"test"}];
+            var newConfig = clone(config);
+            newConfig[0].disabled = true;
+
+            var originalConfig = flowUtil.parseConfig(config);
+            var changedConfig = flowUtil.parseConfig(newConfig);
+
+            originalConfig.missingTypes.should.have.length(0);
+
+            var diffResult = flowUtil.diffConfigs(originalConfig,changedConfig);
+
+            diffResult.added.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.changed.should.have.length(0);
+            diffResult.removed.should.have.length(2);
+            diffResult.removed.sort().should.eql(["1","2"]);
+            diffResult.rewired.should.have.length(0);
+        });
     });
 });