diff --git a/src/private/multisplitter/Item.cpp b/src/private/multisplitter/Item.cpp
index 330a73bb..d993de22 100644
--- a/src/private/multisplitter/Item.cpp
+++ b/src/private/multisplitter/Item.cpp
@@ -3136,7 +3136,7 @@ void ItemContainer::simplify()
         if (ItemContainer *childContainer = child->asContainer()) {
             childContainer->simplify(); // recurse down the hierarchy
 
-            if (childContainer->orientation() == d->m_orientation) {
+            if (childContainer->orientation() == d->m_orientation || childContainer->d->m_children.size() == 1) {
                 // This sub-container is reduntant, as it has the same orientation as its parent
                 // Canibalize it.
                 for (Item *child2 : childContainer->childItems()) {
diff --git a/src/private/multisplitter/tests/tst_multisplitter.cpp b/src/private/multisplitter/tests/tst_multisplitter.cpp
index 5a8d9d84..053acab7 100644
--- a/src/private/multisplitter/tests/tst_multisplitter.cpp
+++ b/src/private/multisplitter/tests/tst_multisplitter.cpp
@@ -1066,6 +1066,7 @@ void TestMultiSplitter::tst_misc2()
     Item *item3 = root3->childItems().constFirst();
     ItemContainer *root4 = createRootWithSingleItem();
     ItemContainer *root5 = createRootWithSingleItem();
+    Item *item5 = root5->childItems().constFirst();
 
     root->insertItem(root1, Item::Location_OnTop);
     QVERIFY(root->checkSanity());
@@ -1079,7 +1080,7 @@ void TestMultiSplitter::tst_misc2()
     root->insertItem(root5, Item::Location_OnLeft);
     QVERIFY(root->checkSanity());
 
-    root5->parentContainer()->removeItem(root5);
+    item5->parentContainer()->removeItem(item5);
     QVERIFY(root->checkSanity());
     QVERIFY(serializeDeserializeTest(root));
 }