diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java
index 19d88d75b2..6ff8031b70 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/ActivityView.java
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ public class ActivityView extends ActivityBilling implements FragmentManager.OnB
                 " portrait rows=" + portrait2 + " cols=" + portrait2c + " min=" + portrait_min_size +
                 " landscape cols=" + landscape + " min=" + landscape);
         boolean duo = Helper.isSurfaceDuo();
+        boolean close_pane = prefs.getBoolean("close_pane", !duo);
+        boolean open_pane = (!close_pane && prefs.getBoolean("open_pane", false));
         boolean nav_categories = prefs.getBoolean("nav_categories", false);
 
         // 1=small, 2=normal, 3=large, 4=xlarge
@@ -708,8 +710,8 @@ public class ActivityView extends ActivityBilling implements FragmentManager.OnB
         // Initialize
 
         if (content_pane != null) {
-            content_separator.setVisibility(duo ? View.INVISIBLE : View.GONE);
-            content_pane.setVisibility(duo ? View.INVISIBLE : View.GONE);
+            content_separator.setVisibility(duo || open_pane ? View.INVISIBLE : View.GONE);
+            content_pane.setVisibility(duo || open_pane ? View.INVISIBLE : View.GONE);
         }
 
         if (getSupportFragmentManager().getFragments().size() == 0 &&
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
index 9467e2d288..d09bd6a288 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private SwitchCompat swLandscape;
     private Spinner spLandscapeMinSize;
     private SwitchCompat swClosePane;
+    private SwitchCompat swOpenPane;
     private TextView tvColumnWidth;
     private SeekBar sbColumnWidth;
     private SwitchCompat swHideToolbar;
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             "theme", "startup",
             "date", "date_week", "date_fixed", "date_bold", "group_category",
             "cards", "beige", "tabular_card_bg", "shadow_unread", "shadow_border", "shadow_highlight", "dividers",
-            "portrait2", "portrait2c", "landscape", "close_pane", "column_width",
+            "portrait2", "portrait2c", "landscape", "close_pane", "open_pane", "column_width",
             "hide_toolbar", "nav_options", "nav_categories", "nav_last_sync", "nav_count", "nav_unseen_drafts", "nav_count_pinned", "navbar_colorize",
             "threading", "threading_unread", "indentation", "seekbar", "actionbar", "actionbar_swap", "actionbar_color",
             "highlight_unread", "highlight_color", "color_stripe", "color_stripe_wide",
@@ -252,6 +253,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         swLandscape = view.findViewById(R.id.swLandscape);
         spLandscapeMinSize = view.findViewById(R.id.spLandscapeMinSize);
         swClosePane = view.findViewById(R.id.swClosePane);
+        swOpenPane = view.findViewById(R.id.swOpenPane);
         tvColumnWidth = view.findViewById(R.id.tvColumnWidth);
         sbColumnWidth = view.findViewById(R.id.sbColumnWidth);
         swHideToolbar = view.findViewById(R.id.swHideToolbar);
@@ -565,6 +567,14 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             @Override
             public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
                 prefs.edit().putBoolean("close_pane", checked).apply();
+                swOpenPane.setEnabled(!checked);
+            }
+        });
+
+        swOpenPane.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
+                prefs.edit().putBoolean("open_pane", checked).apply();
             }
         });
 
@@ -1435,6 +1445,8 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             swLandscape.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("landscape", true));
             spLandscapeMinSize.setSelection(prefs.getInt("landscape_min_size", 0));
             swClosePane.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("close_pane", !Helper.isSurfaceDuo()));
+            swOpenPane.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("open_pane", false));
+            swOpenPane.setEnabled(!swClosePane.isChecked());
 
             int column_width = prefs.getInt("column_width", 67);
             tvColumnWidth.setText(getString(R.string.title_advanced_column_width, NF.format(column_width)));
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
index 98ff6f8318..6e5ae8a3a7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
@@ -494,6 +494,19 @@
                     app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/tvLandscapeSplitMinHint"
                     app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
+                <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
+                    android:id="@+id/swOpenPane"
+                    android:layout_width="0dp"
+                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                    android:layout_marginStart="12dp"
+                    android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
+                    android:checked="true"
+                    android:text="@string/title_advanced_open_pane"
+                    app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+                    app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swClosePane"
+                    app:switchPadding="12dp" />
+
                 <TextView
                     android:id="@+id/tvColumnWidth"
                     android:layout_width="0dp"
@@ -504,7 +517,7 @@
                     android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Small"
                     app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
                     app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swClosePane" />
+                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swOpenPane" />
 
                 <SeekBar
                     android:id="@+id/sbColumnWidth"
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index adfc2d71ea..2526e176ae 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -525,6 +525,7 @@
     <string name="title_advanced_two_col">Use two columns</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_min_screen_size">Minimum screen size for splitting the screen</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_close_pane">Collapse row or column when closing a conversation</string>
+    <string name="title_advanced_open_pane">Start with two rows or two columns</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_column_width">Message column width / row height: %1$s %%</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_hide_toolbar">Hide top toolbar when scrolling messages</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_nav_options">Show navigation menu options</string>