diff --git a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/AppearancePanel.java b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/AppearancePanel.java
index 86632889a..19361928a 100644
--- a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/AppearancePanel.java
+++ b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/AppearancePanel.java
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@ package net.sf.openrocket.gui.configdialog;
 import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
 import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
-import java.awt.event.WindowAdapter;
-import java.awt.event.WindowEvent;
-import java.awt.event.WindowListener;
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.util.EventObject;
 
@@ -61,7 +58,7 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.util.LineStyle;
 import net.sf.openrocket.util.StateChangeListener;
 import net.sf.openrocket.gui.widgets.SelectColorButton;
 
-public class AppearancePanel extends JPanel implements WindowListener {
+public class AppearancePanel extends JPanel {
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = 2709187552673202019L;
 
 	private static final Translator trans = Application.getTranslator();
@@ -110,14 +107,7 @@ public class AppearancePanel extends JPanel implements WindowListener {
 
 	private static final JColorChooser colorChooser = new JColorChooser();
 
-	@Override
-	public void windowOpened(WindowEvent e) {}
-
-	@Override
-	public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) {}
-
-	@Override
-	public void windowClosed(WindowEvent e) {
+	public void clearConfigListeners() {
 		if (ab != null) {
 			ab.clearConfigListeners();
 		}
@@ -126,18 +116,6 @@ public class AppearancePanel extends JPanel implements WindowListener {
 		}
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void windowIconified(WindowEvent e) {}
-
-	@Override
-	public void windowDeiconified(WindowEvent e) {}
-
-	@Override
-	public void windowActivated(WindowEvent e) {}
-
-	@Override
-	public void windowDeactivated(WindowEvent e) {}
-
 	private class ColorActionListener implements ActionListener {
 		private final String valueName;
 		private final Object o;
diff --git a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/ComponentConfigDialog.java b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/ComponentConfigDialog.java
index 8b88185a3..4919c1ee3 100644
--- a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/ComponentConfigDialog.java
+++ b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/ComponentConfigDialog.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.l10n.Translator;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.AxialStage;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.ComponentChangeEvent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.ComponentChangeListener;
+import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.Rocket;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.RocketComponent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.startup.Application;
 import net.sf.openrocket.util.BugException;
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ public class ComponentConfigDialog extends JDialog implements ComponentChangeLis
 			 *  In fact, it should trigger for any method of closing the dialog.
 			 */
 			public void windowClosed(WindowEvent e){
+				configurator.clearConfigListeners();
 				configurator.invalidate();
 				document.getRocket().removeComponentChangeListener(ComponentConfigDialog.this);
 				ComponentConfigDialog.this.dispose();
@@ -231,9 +233,10 @@ public class ComponentConfigDialog extends JDialog implements ComponentChangeLis
 	 */
 	public static void showDialog(Window parent, OpenRocketDocument document, RocketComponent component, boolean rememberPreviousTab) {
 		if (dialog != null) {
-			// Don't remember the previous tab for stages, because this will leave you in the override tab for
+			// Don't remember the previous tab for rockets or stages, because this will leave you in the override tab for
 			// the next component, which is generally not what you want.
-			if (dialog.getComponent() instanceof AxialStage && !(component instanceof AxialStage)) {
+			if (dialog.getComponent() instanceof Rocket ||
+				(dialog.getComponent() instanceof AxialStage && !(component instanceof AxialStage))) {
 				previousSelectedTab = null;
 			} else {
 				previousSelectedTab = dialog.getSelectedTabName();
diff --git a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/RocketComponentConfig.java b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/RocketComponentConfig.java
index d21013064..1b7486292 100644
--- a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/RocketComponentConfig.java
+++ b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/configdialog/RocketComponentConfig.java
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public class RocketComponentConfig extends JPanel {
 	private final TextFieldListener textFieldListener;
 	
 	private JPanel buttonPanel;
+	private AppearancePanel appearancePanel = null;
 	
 	private JLabel infoLabel;
 	private StyledLabel multiCompEditLabel;
@@ -125,7 +126,8 @@ public class RocketComponentConfig extends JPanel {
 				trans.get("RocketCompCfg.tab.MassandCGoverride"));
 		if (allMassive) {
 			//// Appearance options
-			tabbedPane.addTab(trans.get("RocketCompCfg.tab.Appearance"), null, new AppearancePanel(document, component),
+			appearancePanel = new AppearancePanel(document, component);
+			tabbedPane.addTab(trans.get("RocketCompCfg.tab.Appearance"), null, appearancePanel,
 					"Appearance Tool Tip");
 		}
 
@@ -237,7 +239,12 @@ public class RocketComponentConfig extends JPanel {
 			multiCompEditLabel.setText("");
 		}
 	}
-	
+
+	public void clearConfigListeners() {
+		if (appearancePanel != null) {
+			appearancePanel.clearConfigListeners();
+		}
+	}
 	
 	protected JPanel materialPanel(Material.Type type) {
 		////Component material: and Component finish: