diff --git a/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-root.go b/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-root.go
index 411ff08b2..0e9cd2936 100644
--- a/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-root.go
+++ b/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-root.go
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func setTermHtmlMode() {
 var oidRe = regexp.MustCompile(`^[0-9a-f]{8}$`)
 
 func validateEasyORef(oref string) error {
-	if oref == "this" {
+	if oref == "this" || oref == "tab" {
 		return nil
 	}
 	if num, err := strconv.Atoi(oref); err == nil && num >= 1 {
diff --git a/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go b/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
index c599a36b7..f51953ccd 100644
--- a/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
+++ b/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const SimpleId_This = "this"
+const SimpleId_Tab = "tab"
 
 var SimpleId_BlockNum_Regex = regexp.MustCompile(`^\d+$`)
 
@@ -160,6 +161,16 @@ func resolveSimpleId(ctx context.Context, data wshrpc.CommandResolveIdsData, sim
 		}
 		return &waveobj.ORef{OType: waveobj.OType_Block, OID: data.BlockId}, nil
 	}
+	if simpleId == SimpleId_Tab {
+		if data.BlockId == "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("no blockid in request")
+		}
+		tabId, err := wstore.DBFindTabForBlockId(ctx, data.BlockId)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error finding tab: %v", err)
+		}
+		return &waveobj.ORef{OType: waveobj.OType_Tab, OID: tabId}, nil
+	}
 	blockNum, err := strconv.Atoi(simpleId)
 	if err == nil {
 		tabId, err := wstore.DBFindTabForBlockId(ctx, data.BlockId)