diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-channels.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-channels.c
index 791ad144..4bbbcbda 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-channels.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-channels.c
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@
 
 static void signal_channel_created(CHANNEL_REC *channel, void *automatic)
 {
-	window_item_create((WI_ITEM_REC *) channel,
-			   GPOINTER_TO_INT(automatic));
+	if (window_item_window(channel) == NULL) {
+		window_item_create((WI_ITEM_REC *) channel,
+				   GPOINTER_TO_INT(automatic));
+	}
 }
 
 static void signal_channel_created_curwin(CHANNEL_REC *channel)
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c
index e7b0eb7e..23606962 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c
@@ -58,9 +58,12 @@ static void signal_query_created(QUERY_REC *query, gpointer automatic)
 {
 	g_return_if_fail(IS_QUERY(query));
 
-	window_item_create((WI_ITEM_REC *) query, GPOINTER_TO_INT(automatic));
-	printformat(query->server, query->name, MSGLEVEL_CLIENTNOTICE,
-		    TXT_QUERY_STARTED, query->name);
+	if (window_item_window(query) == NULL) {
+		window_item_create((WI_ITEM_REC *) query,
+				   GPOINTER_TO_INT(automatic));
+		printformat(query->server, query->name, MSGLEVEL_CLIENTNOTICE,
+			    TXT_QUERY_STARTED, query->name);
+	}
 }
 
 static void signal_query_created_curwin(QUERY_REC *query)