diff --git a/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesController.ts b/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesController.ts
index 40d344f3e3a..e7691080b89 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesController.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesController.ts
@@ -105,9 +105,14 @@ export abstract class ReferencesController implements IEditorContribution {
 			modelPromise.cancel();
 			if (this._widget) {
 				this._storageService.store(storageKey, JSON.stringify(this._widget.layoutData), StorageScope.PROFILE, StorageTarget.MACHINE);
+				if (!this._widget.isClosing) {
+					// to prevent calling this too many times, check whether it was already closing.
+					this.closeWidget();
+				}
 				this._widget = undefined;
+			} else {
+				this.closeWidget();
 			}
-			this.closeWidget();
 		}));
 
 		this._disposables.add(this._widget.onDidSelectReference(event => {
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesWidget.ts b/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesWidget.ts
index 6503b7df220..977e68ec231 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/contrib/gotoSymbol/browser/peek/referencesWidget.ts
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ export class ReferenceWidget extends peekView.PeekViewWidget {
 	private _previewContainer!: HTMLElement;
 	private _messageContainer!: HTMLElement;
 	private _dim = new dom.Dimension(0, 0);
+	private _isClosing = false; // whether or not a dispose is already in progress
 
 	constructor(
 		editor: ICodeEditor,
@@ -231,7 +232,12 @@ export class ReferenceWidget extends peekView.PeekViewWidget {
 		this.create();
 	}
 
+	get isClosing() {
+		return this._isClosing;
+	}
+
 	override dispose(): void {
+		this._isClosing = true;
 		this.setModel(undefined);
 		this._callOnDispose.dispose();
 		this._disposeOnNewModel.dispose();