diff --git a/drracket/drracket/HISTORY.txt b/drracket/drracket/HISTORY.txt
index bf76f95e1..0a52a8508 100644
--- a/drracket/drracket/HISTORY.txt
+++ b/drracket/drracket/HISTORY.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+------------------------------
+       Version 8.5
+------------------------------
+
+   . added new file menu item 'Reopen Closed Tab' to open previously
+     closed tabs.
+   . Removed keyboard shortcut for 'Spell Check test' in edit menu due  
+     to conflict with  'Reopen Closed Tab'.
+
 ------------------------------
        Version 8.4
 ------------------------------
diff --git a/drracket/drracket/private/main.rkt b/drracket/drracket/private/main.rkt
index e1b7b9aa7..0699a73ce 100644
--- a/drracket/drracket/private/main.rkt
+++ b/drracket/drracket/private/main.rkt
@@ -617,6 +617,41 @@
   
   (preferences:set-default 'drracket:show-killed-dialog #t boolean?)
   
+  (preferences:set-default 
+    'drracket:recently-closed-tabs 
+    null 
+    (λ (x) (and (list? x) 
+                (andmap
+                (λ (x) 
+                  (and (list? x)
+                        (= 3 (length x))
+                        (path? (car x))
+                        (number? (cadr x))
+                        (number? (caddr x))))
+                x))))
+
+  (preferences:set-un/marshall 
+    'drracket:recently-closed-tabs
+    (λ (l) (map (λ (ele) (cons (path->bytes (car ele)) (cdr ele))) l))
+    (λ (l) 
+      (let/ec k
+        (unless (list? l)
+          (k '()))
+        (map (λ (x)
+                (unless (and (list? x)
+                            (= 3 (length x))
+                            (bytes? (car x))
+                            (number? (cadr x))
+                            (number? (caddr x)))
+                  (k '()))
+                (cons (bytes->path (car x)) (cdr x)))
+              l))))
+  
+  (preferences:set-default 'drracket:recently-closed-tabs-max-count 
+                           1000 
+                           (λ (x) (and (number? x)
+                                       (x . > . 0) 
+                                       (integer? x))))
   
   (drr:set-default 'drracket:large-letters-font #f
                    (or/c #f
diff --git a/drracket/drracket/private/unit.rkt b/drracket/drracket/private/unit.rkt
index e088ca64c..010dd4deb 100644
--- a/drracket/drracket/private/unit.rkt
+++ b/drracket/drracket/private/unit.rkt
@@ -3075,7 +3075,7 @@
       ;; create-new-tab : -> void
       ;; creates a new tab and updates the GUI for that new tab
       (define/public create-new-tab
-        (lambda ([filename #f])
+        (lambda ([filename #f] #:start-pos [start-pos 0] #:end-pos [end-pos 'same])
           (let* ([defs (new (drracket:get/extend:get-definitions-text))]
                  [tab-count (length tabs)]
                  [new-tab (new (drracket:get/extend:get-tab)
@@ -3086,6 +3086,7 @@
                                (ints-shown? (not filename)))]
                  [ints (make-object (drracket:get/extend:get-interactions-text) new-tab)])
             (send new-tab set-ints ints)
+            (send (send new-tab get-defs) set-position start-pos end-pos)
             (set! tabs (append tabs (list new-tab)))
             (send tabs-panel append 
                   (gui-utils:trim-string
@@ -3248,6 +3249,7 @@
               (send tab set-i (- (send tab get-i) 1)))
             (set! tabs (remq tab-to-close tabs))
             (send tabs-panel delete (send tab-to-close get-i))
+            (update-closed-tabs tab)
             (update-menu-bindings)
             (cond
               [(eq? tab-to-close current-tab)
@@ -3265,9 +3267,31 @@
            #t]
           [else #f]))
       
-      (define/public (open-in-new-tab filename)
-        (create-new-tab filename))
-      
+      (define/public (open-in-new-tab filename #:start-pos [start-pos 0] #:end-pos [end-pos 'same])
+        (create-new-tab filename #:start-pos start-pos #:end-pos end-pos))
+      
+      ;; reopen-closed-tab : -> void
+      ;; Opens previously closed tabs. If no tabs were closed in current session, files from 
+      ;; previous sessions are opened.
+      (define/public reopen-closed-tab
+        (lambda ()
+          (define closed-tabs (preferences:get 'drracket:recently-closed-tabs))
+          (define file-to-open
+            (for/or ([file (in-list closed-tabs)])
+              (define filename (first file))
+              (and (file-exists? filename)
+                   (set! closed-tabs (cdr closed-tabs))
+                   file)))
+          (when file-to-open
+            (let ([tab (find-matching-tab (car file-to-open))]
+                  [start-pos (cadr file-to-open)]
+                  [end-pos (caddr file-to-open)])
+              (if tab
+                (change-to-tab tab)
+                (open-in-new-tab (car file-to-open) #:start-pos start-pos #:end-pos end-pos))))
+          (preferences:set 'drracket:recently-closed-tabs closed-tabs)
+          #f))
+
       (define/public (get-tab-count) (length tabs))
       (define/public (change-to-nth-tab n)
         (unless (< n (length tabs))
@@ -3397,6 +3421,32 @@
           (update-close-tab-menu-item-shortcut close-tab-menu-item))
         (update-close-menu-item-shortcut (file-menu:get-close-item)))
       
+      ;; truncate-list : (listof X) -> (listof X)[< new-len]
+      ;; takes a list and returns the
+      ;; front of the list, up to 'new-len' number of items
+      (define/private (truncate-list l new-len)
+        (define len (length l))
+          (cond
+            [(<= len new-len) l]
+            [else (drop-right l (- len new-len))]))
+
+      (define/private (update-closed-tabs tab)
+        (define tab-filename (send (send tab get-defs) get-filename))
+        (when tab-filename 
+          (let* ([old-closed-tabs (preferences:get 'drracket:recently-closed-tabs)]
+                 [max-list-len (preferences:get 'drracket:recently-closed-tabs-max-count)]
+                 [defs (send tab get-defs)]
+                 [start-pos (send defs get-start-position)]
+                 [end-pos (send defs get-end-position)]
+                 [new-ent (list tab-filename start-pos end-pos)])            
+            (define new-closed-tabs (cons new-ent 
+                                        (remove* (list new-ent)
+                                                 old-closed-tabs                                            
+                                                 (λ (l1 l2) 
+                                                   (pathname-equal? (car l1) (car l2))))))
+            (set! new-closed-tabs (truncate-list new-closed-tabs max-list-len))
+            (preferences:set 'drracket:recently-closed-tabs new-closed-tabs))))
+      
       (define/private (update-close-tab-menu-item-shortcut item)
         (define just-one? (and (pair? tabs) (null? (cdr tabs))))
         (send item set-label (if just-one? 
@@ -3932,6 +3982,14 @@
                           (let-values ([(base name dir?) (split-path editing-path)])
                             base))))
                   (when pth (handler:edit-file pth)))])
+          (new menu:can-restore-menu-item%
+            (label (string-constant reopen-closed-tab))
+            (shortcut #\t)
+            (shortcut-prefix (cons 'shift (get-default-shortcut-prefix)))
+            (parent file-menu)
+            (callback
+            (λ (x y)
+              (reopen-closed-tab))))
           (super file-menu:between-open-and-revert file-menu)
           (make-object separator-menu-item% file-menu))]
       (define close-tab-menu-item #f)
@@ -4055,7 +4113,7 @@
         (mk-menu-item (λ (ed) (send ed get-spell-check-text)) 
                       (λ (ed new-val) (send ed set-spell-check-text new-val))
                       'framework:spell-check-text?
-                      #\t
+                      #f
                       (string-constant spell-check-scribble-text))
         
         (new menu:can-restore-menu-item%
diff --git a/drracket/scribblings/drracket/menus.scrbl b/drracket/scribblings/drracket/menus.scrbl
index 61abaa694..262080996 100644
--- a/drracket/scribblings/drracket/menus.scrbl
+++ b/drracket/scribblings/drracket/menus.scrbl
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
         or @litchar{"x.rkt"})
         and edit the corresponding files in the @tech{definitions window}.}
 
+ @item{@defmenuitem{Reopen Closed Tab} Opens previously closed tabs. 
+        If no tabs were closed in current session, files from 
+        previous sessions are opened.}
+
  @item{@defmenuitem{Install PLT File...} Opens a dialog asking for the
    location of the @filepath{.plt} file (either on the local disk or
    on the web) and installs the contents of the file.}
diff --git a/drracket/scribblings/tools/unit.scrbl b/drracket/scribblings/tools/unit.scrbl
index 38c123876..ca92fb741 100644
--- a/drracket/scribblings/tools/unit.scrbl
+++ b/drracket/scribblings/tools/unit.scrbl
@@ -619,15 +619,23 @@ Returns the currently active tab.
   Returns the number of open tabs in the frame.
 }
 
-@defmethod[(open-in-new-tab [filename (or/c path-string? #f)]) void?]{
+@defmethod[(open-in-new-tab [filename (or/c path-string? #f)]
+                            [#:start-pos start-pos exact-nonnegative-integer? 0]
+                            [#:end-pos end-pos (or/c exact-nonnegative-integer? 'same) 'same]) 
+                            void?]{
   Opens a new tab in this frame. If @racket[filename] is a @racket[path-string?],
-  It loads that file in the definitions window of the new tab.
+  It loads that file in the definitions window of the new tab. If @racket[start-pos] and 
+  @racket[end-pos] are provided, it updates the tab's corresponding insertion positions. 
 }
 
 @defmethod[(create-new-tab) void?]{
   Creates a new tab.
 }
 
+@defmethod[(reopen-closed-tab) void?]{
+  Opens the most recently closed tabs. 
+}
+
 @defmethod[(next-tab) void?]{
   Switches to the next tab.
 }