diff -u b/core/misc/vertical-tabs.js b/core/misc/vertical-tabs.js
--- b/core/misc/vertical-tabs.js
+++ b/core/misc/vertical-tabs.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
         var $this = $(this).addClass('vertical-tabs__panes');
         var focusID = $this.find(':hidden.vertical-tabs__active-tab').val();
         var tab_focus;
-        var tab_pane_set = $(this);
+        var $tabPaneSet = $(this);
 
         // Check if there are some details that can be converted to
         // vertical-tabs.
@@ -55,18 +55,18 @@
         // Create the tab column.
         var tab_list = $('<ul class="vertical-tabs__menu"></ul>');
-        tab_pane_set
+        $tabPaneSet
           .wrap('<div class="vertical-tabs clearfix"></div>')
           .before(tab_list)
-          // If there are no visible tabs panes, hide the whole vertical-tabs area.
-          .bind('updateTabPaneSet', function() {
-            var tab_set = tab_pane_set.parent();
+          // If there are no visible tab panes, hide the whole vertical-tabs
+          // area.
+          .on('updateTabPaneSet', function() {
+            var tab_set = $tabPaneSet.parent();
             tab_set.show();
-            var $fieldsets = $('> fieldset:visible', this);
-            if ($fieldsets.length == 0) {
+            var $panes = $('> details:visible', this);
+            if ($panes.length == 0) {
               tab_set.hide();
             }
         });
 
-
         // Transform each details into a tab.
         $details.each(function () {
@@ -83,22 +83,27 @@
             .attr('open', true)
             .addClass('vertical-tabs__pane')
             // Override the default state:visible handler.
-            .bind('state:visible', function(e) {
+            .on('state:visible.verticalTabs', function (e) {
               if (e.target == this && e.trigger) {
-                // Get the id of the fieldset.
+                // Get the id of the vertical tab.
                 var id = $(e.target).closest('.form-item, .form-submit, .form-wrapper').attr('id');
                 if (id) {
-                  // Hide or show that instead of the fieldset.
                   if (!e.value) {
-                    vertical_tab.tabHide().updateSummary();
+                    if ($(vertical_tab.details.context).is(':visible')) {
+                      vertical_tab.tabHide().updateSummary();
+                    }
+                    else {
+                      vertical_tab.item.hide();
+                      vertical_tab.updateSummary();
+                    }
                   }
                   else if(e.value) {
                     vertical_tab.item.show();
                     vertical_tab.updateSummary();
                   }
-                  tab_pane_set.trigger('updateTabPaneSet');
+                  $tabPaneSet.trigger('updateTabPaneSet');
                   // Don't bubble this up to the default handler.
-                  e.preventDefault();
+                  e.stopPropagation();
                 }
               }
             })