diff --git a/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-editor.go b/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-editor.go
index 0a32af9fd..16a346591 100644
--- a/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-editor.go
+++ b/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-editor.go
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ func editorRun(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		return
 	}
 	doneCh := make(chan bool)
-	RpcClient.EventListener.On("blockclose", func(event *wps.WaveEvent) {
+	RpcClient.EventListener.On(wps.Event_BlockClose, func(event *wps.WaveEvent) {
 		if event.HasScope(blockRef.String()) {
 			close(doneCh)
 		}
 	})
-	wshclient.EventSubCommand(RpcClient, wps.SubscriptionRequest{Event: "blockclose", Scopes: []string{blockRef.String()}}, nil)
+	wshclient.EventSubCommand(RpcClient, wps.SubscriptionRequest{Event: wps.Event_BlockClose, Scopes: []string{blockRef.String()}}, nil)
 	<-doneCh
 }
diff --git a/db/migrations-wstore/000005_blockparent.up.sql b/db/migrations-wstore/000005_blockparent.up.sql
index 940d62b32..a75ca157f 100644
--- a/db/migrations-wstore/000005_blockparent.up.sql
+++ b/db/migrations-wstore/000005_blockparent.up.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 UPDATE db_block
-SET data = json_set(data, '$.parentoref', db_tab.oid)
+SET data = json_set(data, '$.parentoref', 'tab:' || db_tab.oid)
 FROM db_tab
 WHERE db_block.oid IN (SELECT value FROM json_each(db_tab.data, '$.blockids'));
diff --git a/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go b/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go
index 2584d142d..08338da1f 100644
--- a/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go
+++ b/pkg/service/objectservice/objectservice.go
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func (svc *ObjectService) DeleteBlock(uiContext waveobj.UIContext, blockId strin
 	ctx, cancelFn := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), DefaultTimeout)
 	defer cancelFn()
 	ctx = waveobj.ContextWithUpdates(ctx)
-	err := wcore.DeleteBlock(ctx, uiContext.ActiveTabId, blockId)
+	err := wcore.DeleteBlock(ctx, blockId)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error deleting block: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/vdom/vdomclient/vdomclient.go b/pkg/vdom/vdomclient/vdomclient.go
index 740802c1d..1d950d244 100644
--- a/pkg/vdom/vdomclient/vdomclient.go
+++ b/pkg/vdom/vdomclient/vdomclient.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func (c *Client) CreateVDomContext() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	wshclient.EventSubCommand(c.RpcClient, wps.SubscriptionRequest{Event: "blockclose", Scopes: []string{
+	wshclient.EventSubCommand(c.RpcClient, wps.SubscriptionRequest{Event: wps.Event_BlockClose, Scopes: []string{
 		waveobj.MakeORef("block", c.RpcContext.BlockId).String(),
 	}}, nil)
 	c.RpcClient.EventListener.On("blockclose", func(event *wps.WaveEvent) {
diff --git a/pkg/waveobj/waveobj.go b/pkg/waveobj/waveobj.go
index ba5931316..13111b54a 100644
--- a/pkg/waveobj/waveobj.go
+++ b/pkg/waveobj/waveobj.go
@@ -94,6 +94,14 @@ func ParseORef(orefStr string) (ORef, error) {
 	return ORef{OType: otype, OID: oid}, nil
 }
 
+func ParseORefNoErr(orefStr string) *ORef {
+	oref, err := ParseORef(orefStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return &oref
+}
+
 type WaveObj interface {
 	GetOType() string // should not depend on object state (should work with nil value)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/wcore/wcore.go b/pkg/wcore/wcore.go
index 3e9e1bb4a..784a735d8 100644
--- a/pkg/wcore/wcore.go
+++ b/pkg/wcore/wcore.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 const DefaultTimeout = 2 * time.Second
 const DefaultActivateBlockTimeout = 60 * time.Second
 
-func DeleteBlock(ctx context.Context, tabId string, blockId string) error {
+func DeleteBlock(ctx context.Context, blockId string) error {
 	block, err := wstore.DBMustGet[*waveobj.Block](ctx, blockId)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error getting block: %w", err)
@@ -36,33 +36,28 @@ func DeleteBlock(ctx context.Context, tabId string, blockId string) error {
 	}
 	if len(block.SubBlockIds) > 0 {
 		for _, subBlockId := range block.SubBlockIds {
-			err := DeleteSubBlock(ctx, blockId, subBlockId)
+			err := DeleteBlock(ctx, subBlockId)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("error deleting subblock %s: %w", subBlockId, err)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	err = wstore.DeleteBlock(ctx, tabId, blockId)
+	err = wstore.DeleteBlock(ctx, blockId)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting block: %w", err)
 	}
 	go blockcontroller.StopBlockController(blockId)
-	sendBlockCloseEvent(tabId, blockId)
+	sendBlockCloseEvent(blockId)
 	return nil
 }
 
-// tabid is optional
-func sendBlockCloseEvent(tabId string, blockId string) {
-	scopes := []string{
-		waveobj.MakeORef(waveobj.OType_Block, blockId).String(),
-	}
-	if tabId != "" {
-		scopes = append(scopes, waveobj.MakeORef(waveobj.OType_Tab, tabId).String())
-	}
+func sendBlockCloseEvent(blockId string) {
 	waveEvent := wps.WaveEvent{
-		Event:  wps.Event_BlockClose,
-		Scopes: scopes,
-		Data:   blockId,
+		Event: wps.Event_BlockClose,
+		Scopes: []string{
+			waveobj.MakeORef(waveobj.OType_Block, blockId).String(),
+		},
+		Data: blockId,
 	}
 	wps.Broker.Publish(waveEvent)
 }
@@ -77,7 +72,7 @@ func DeleteTab(ctx context.Context, workspaceId string, tabId string) error {
 	}
 	// close blocks (sends events + stops block controllers)
 	for _, blockId := range tabData.BlockIds {
-		err := DeleteBlock(ctx, tabId, blockId)
+		err := DeleteBlock(ctx, blockId)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error deleting block %s: %w", blockId, err)
 		}
@@ -224,32 +219,6 @@ func CreateClient(ctx context.Context) (*waveobj.Client, error) {
 	return client, nil
 }
 
-func DeleteSubBlock(ctx context.Context, parentBlockId string, blockId string) error {
-	block, err := wstore.DBMustGet[*waveobj.Block](ctx, blockId)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error getting block: %w", err)
-	}
-	if block == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if len(block.SubBlockIds) > 0 {
-		// recursively delete sub-blocks
-		for _, subBlockId := range block.SubBlockIds {
-			err := DeleteSubBlock(ctx, blockId, subBlockId)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("error deleting subblock %s: %w", subBlockId, err)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	err = wstore.DeleteSubBlock(ctx, parentBlockId, blockId)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting block: %w", err)
-	}
-	go blockcontroller.StopBlockController(blockId)
-	sendBlockCloseEvent("", blockId)
-	return nil
-}
-
 func CreateSubBlock(ctx context.Context, blockId string, blockDef *waveobj.BlockDef) (*waveobj.Block, error) {
 	if blockDef == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("blockDef is nil")
diff --git a/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go b/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
index d9afe7889..094b07eed 100644
--- a/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
+++ b/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ func (ws *WshServer) DeleteBlockCommand(ctx context.Context, data wshrpc.Command
 	if windowId == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("no window found for tab")
 	}
-	err = wcore.DeleteBlock(ctx, tabId, data.BlockId)
+	err = wcore.DeleteBlock(ctx, data.BlockId)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error deleting block: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/wstore/wstore.go b/pkg/wstore/wstore.go
index 450e7d587..0872ec45b 100644
--- a/pkg/wstore/wstore.go
+++ b/pkg/wstore/wstore.go
@@ -146,31 +146,33 @@ func findStringInSlice(slice []string, val string) int {
 	return -1
 }
 
-func DeleteSubBlock(ctx context.Context, parentBlockId string, blockId string) error {
+func DeleteBlock(ctx context.Context, blockId string) error {
 	return WithTx(ctx, func(tx *TxWrap) error {
-		parentBlock, _ := DBGet[*waveobj.Block](tx.Context(), parentBlockId)
-		if parentBlock != nil {
-			parentBlock.SubBlockIds = utilfn.RemoveElemFromSlice(parentBlock.SubBlockIds, blockId)
-			DBUpdate(tx.Context(), parentBlock)
+		block, err := DBGet[*waveobj.Block](tx.Context(), blockId)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error getting block: %w", err)
 		}
-		DBDelete(tx.Context(), waveobj.OType_Block, blockId)
-		return nil
-	})
-}
-
-func DeleteBlock(ctx context.Context, tabId string, blockId string) error {
-	return WithTx(ctx, func(tx *TxWrap) error {
-		block, _ := DBGet[*waveobj.Block](tx.Context(), blockId)
 		if block == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 		if len(block.SubBlockIds) > 0 {
 			return fmt.Errorf("block has subblocks, must delete subblocks first")
 		}
-		tab, _ := DBGet[*waveobj.Tab](tx.Context(), tabId)
-		if tab != nil {
-			tab.BlockIds = utilfn.RemoveElemFromSlice(tab.BlockIds, blockId)
-			DBUpdate(tx.Context(), tab)
+		parentORef := waveobj.ParseORefNoErr(block.ParentORef)
+		if parentORef != nil {
+			if parentORef.OType == waveobj.OType_Tab {
+				tab, _ := DBGet[*waveobj.Tab](tx.Context(), parentORef.OID)
+				if tab != nil {
+					tab.BlockIds = utilfn.RemoveElemFromSlice(tab.BlockIds, blockId)
+					DBUpdate(tx.Context(), tab)
+				}
+			} else if parentORef.OType == waveobj.OType_Block {
+				parentBlock, _ := DBGet[*waveobj.Block](tx.Context(), parentORef.OID)
+				if parentBlock != nil {
+					parentBlock.SubBlockIds = utilfn.RemoveElemFromSlice(parentBlock.SubBlockIds, blockId)
+					DBUpdate(tx.Context(), parentBlock)
+				}
+			}
 		}
 		DBDelete(tx.Context(), waveobj.OType_Block, blockId)
 		return nil