diff --git a/src/browser/app/profile/zen-browser.js b/src/browser/app/profile/zen-browser.js
index f9680152a..8247521d6 100644
--- a/src/browser/app/profile/zen-browser.js
+++ b/src/browser/app/profile/zen-browser.js
@@ -99,9 +99,12 @@ pref('zen.view.sidebar-expanded.max-width', 400);
 
 pref('zen.view.sidebar-collapsed.hide-mute-button', true);
 
+pref('zen.tabs.dim-pending', true);
+pref('zen.tabs.newtab-on-middle-click', true);
+
 pref('zen.keyboard.shortcuts.enabled', true, locked);
 pref('zen.keyboard.shortcuts.version', 0); // Empty string means default shortcuts
-pref('zen.tabs.dim-pending', true);
+
 pref('zen.themes.updated-value-observer', false);
 
 pref('zen.tab-unloader.enabled', true);
diff --git a/src/browser/base/content/ZenUIManager.mjs b/src/browser/base/content/ZenUIManager.mjs
index 798c77154..01e105585 100644
--- a/src/browser/base/content/ZenUIManager.mjs
+++ b/src/browser/base/content/ZenUIManager.mjs
@@ -87,14 +87,21 @@ var gZenVerticalTabsManager = {
 
     let tabs = document.getElementById("tabbrowser-tabs");
 
+    XPCOMUtils.defineLazyPreferenceGetter(
+      this,
+      "canOpenTabOnMiddleClick",
+      "zen.tabs.newtab-on-middle-click",
+      true
+    );
+
     if (tabs) {
       tabs.addEventListener("mouseup", this.openNewTabOnTabsMiddleClick.bind(this));
     }
   },
 
   openNewTabOnTabsMiddleClick(event) {
-    if (event.button === 1 && event.target.id === "tabbrowser-tabs") {
-      BrowserCommands.openTab({ event });
+    if (event.button === 1 && event.target.id === "tabbrowser-tabs" && this.canOpenTabOnMiddleClick) {
+      document.getElementById("cmd_newNavigatorTabNoEvent").doCommand();
       event.stopPropagation();
       event.preventDefault();
     }