diff --git a/pkg/gui/commit_files_panel.go b/pkg/gui/commit_files_panel.go
index 149114d5b..e70092891 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/commit_files_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/commit_files_panel.go
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCommitFileSelect() error {
 	})
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) handleSwitchToCommitsPanel(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
-	return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Context)
-}
-
 func (gui *Gui) handleCheckoutCommitFile(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	file := gui.State.CommitFiles[gui.State.Panels.CommitFiles.SelectedLineIdx]
 
@@ -84,18 +80,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) refreshCommitFilesView() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	commit := gui.getSelectedCommit()
-	if commit == nil {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	files, err := gui.GitCommand.GetCommitFiles(commit.Sha, gui.GitCommand.PatchManager)
+	files, err := gui.GitCommand.GetCommitFiles(gui.State.Panels.CommitFiles.refName, gui.GitCommand.PatchManager)
 	if err != nil {
 		return gui.surfaceError(err)
 	}
 	gui.State.CommitFiles = files
 
-	return gui.postRefreshUpdate(gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Files.Context)
+	return gui.postRefreshUpdate(gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) handleOpenOldCommitFile(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
@@ -213,7 +204,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) enterCommitFile(selectedLineIdx int) error {
 				return enterTheFile(selectedLineIdx)
 			},
 			handleClose: func() error {
-				return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Files.Context)
+				return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context)
 			},
 		})
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/commits_panel.go b/pkg/gui/commits_panel.go
index 66600f3ec..148a0e460 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/commits_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/commits_panel.go
@@ -499,12 +499,20 @@ func (gui *Gui) HandlePasteCommits(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 	})
 }
 
-func (gui *Gui) handleSwitchToCommitFilesPanel() error {
+func (gui *Gui) handleViewCommitFiles() error {
+	commit := gui.getSelectedCommit()
+	if commit == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	gui.State.Panels.CommitFiles.refName = commit.Sha
+	gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context.SetParentContext(gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Context)
+
 	if err := gui.refreshCommitFilesView(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Files.Context)
+	return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) hasCommit(commits []*commands.Commit, target string) (int, bool) {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/context.go b/pkg/gui/context.go
index 9cbd22276..9fa166571 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/context.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/context.go
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ type Context interface {
 	GetViewName() string
 	GetKey() string
 	GetSelectedItemId() string
+	SetParentContext(Context)
+	GetParentContext() Context
 }
 
 type BasicContext struct {
@@ -54,6 +56,14 @@ type BasicContext struct {
 	ViewName    string
 }
 
+func (c BasicContext) SetParentContext(Context) {
+	panic("can't set parent context on basic context")
+}
+
+func (c BasicContext) GetParentContext() Context {
+	panic("can't get parent context on basic context")
+}
+
 // TODO: think about whether we need this on the Context interface or if it should just be on the ListContext struct
 func (c BasicContext) GetSelectedItemId() string {
 	return ""
@@ -98,11 +108,6 @@ type RemotesContextNode struct {
 	Branches SimpleContextNode
 }
 
-type CommitsContextNode struct {
-	Context Context
-	Files   SimpleContextNode
-}
-
 type ContextTree struct {
 	Status        SimpleContextNode
 	Files         SimpleContextNode
@@ -110,7 +115,8 @@ type ContextTree struct {
 	Branches      SimpleContextNode
 	Remotes       RemotesContextNode
 	Tags          SimpleContextNode
-	BranchCommits CommitsContextNode
+	BranchCommits SimpleContextNode
+	CommitFiles   SimpleContextNode
 	ReflogCommits SimpleContextNode
 	Stash         SimpleContextNode
 	Normal        SimpleContextNode
@@ -132,7 +138,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) allContexts() []Context {
 		gui.Contexts.Remotes.Branches.Context,
 		gui.Contexts.Tags.Context,
 		gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Context,
-		gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Files.Context,
+		gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context,
 		gui.Contexts.ReflogCommits.Context,
 		gui.Contexts.Stash.Context,
 		gui.Contexts.Menu.Context,
@@ -168,11 +174,11 @@ func (gui *Gui) contextTree() ContextTree {
 				Context: gui.remoteBranchesListContext(),
 			},
 		},
-		BranchCommits: CommitsContextNode{
+		BranchCommits: SimpleContextNode{
 			Context: gui.branchCommitsListContext(),
-			Files: SimpleContextNode{
-				Context: gui.commitFilesListContext(),
-			},
+		},
+		CommitFiles: SimpleContextNode{
+			Context: gui.commitFilesListContext(),
 		},
 		ReflogCommits: SimpleContextNode{
 			Context: gui.reflogCommitsListContext(),
@@ -271,7 +277,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) initialViewContextMap() map[string]Context {
 		"files":         gui.Contexts.Files.Context,
 		"branches":      gui.Contexts.Branches.Context,
 		"commits":       gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Context,
-		"commitFiles":   gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Files.Context,
+		"commitFiles":   gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context,
 		"stash":         gui.Contexts.Stash.Context,
 		"menu":          gui.Contexts.Menu.Context,
 		"confirmation":  gui.Contexts.Confirmation.Context,
@@ -474,12 +480,22 @@ func (gui *Gui) renderContextStack() string {
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) currentContextKey() string {
-	// on startup the stack can be empty so we'll return an empty string in that case
-	if len(gui.State.ContextStack) == 0 {
+	currentContext := gui.currentContext()
+
+	if currentContext == nil {
 		return ""
 	}
 
-	return gui.State.ContextStack[len(gui.State.ContextStack)-1].GetKey()
+	return currentContext.GetKey()
+}
+
+func (gui *Gui) currentContext() Context {
+	// on startup the stack can be empty so we'll return an empty string in that case
+	if len(gui.State.ContextStack) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return gui.State.ContextStack[len(gui.State.ContextStack)-1]
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) setInitialViewContexts() {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/gui.go b/pkg/gui/gui.go
index 4a0e1097e..e0ab0c724 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/gui.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/gui.go
@@ -184,6 +184,10 @@ type menuPanelState struct {
 
 type commitFilesPanelState struct {
 	listPanelState
+
+	// this is the SHA of the commit or the stash index of the stash.
+	// Not sure if ref is actually the right word here
+	refName string
 }
 
 type panelStates struct {
@@ -291,7 +295,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) resetState() {
 			Tags:           &tagsPanelState{listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: -1}},
 			Commits:        &commitPanelState{listPanelState: listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: -1}, LimitCommits: true},
 			ReflogCommits:  &reflogCommitPanelState{listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: 0}}, // TODO: might need to make -1
-			CommitFiles:    &commitFilesPanelState{listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: -1}},
+			CommitFiles:    &commitFilesPanelState{listPanelState: listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: -1}, refName: ""},
 			Stash:          &stashPanelState{listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: -1}},
 			Menu:           &menuPanelState{listPanelState: listPanelState{SelectedLineIdx: 0}, OnPress: nil},
 			Merging: &mergingPanelState{
diff --git a/pkg/gui/keybindings.go b/pkg/gui/keybindings.go
index e5df56c42..3ce94c631 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/keybindings.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/keybindings.go
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetInitialKeybindings() []*Binding {
 			ViewName:    "commits",
 			Contexts:    []string{BRANCH_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY},
 			Key:         gui.getKey("universal.goInto"),
-			Handler:     gui.wrappedHandler(gui.handleSwitchToCommitFilesPanel),
+			Handler:     gui.wrappedHandler(gui.handleViewCommitFiles),
 			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("viewCommitFiles"),
 		},
 		{
@@ -797,6 +797,13 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetInitialKeybindings() []*Binding {
 			Handler:     gui.handleResetCherryPick,
 			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("resetCherryPick"),
 		},
+		{
+			ViewName:    "commits",
+			Contexts:    []string{REFLOG_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY},
+			Key:         gui.getKey("universal.goInto"),
+			Handler:     gui.wrappedHandler(gui.handleViewReflogCommitFiles),
+			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("viewCommitFiles"),
+		},
 		{
 			ViewName:    "commits",
 			Contexts:    []string{REFLOG_COMMITS_CONTEXT_KEY},
@@ -865,12 +872,6 @@ func (gui *Gui) GetInitialKeybindings() []*Binding {
 			Modifier: gocui.ModNone,
 			Handler:  gui.handleInfoClick,
 		},
-		{
-			ViewName:    "commitFiles",
-			Key:         gui.getKey("universal.return"),
-			Handler:     gui.handleSwitchToCommitsPanel,
-			Description: gui.Tr.SLocalize("goBack"),
-		},
 		{
 			ViewName:    "commitFiles",
 			Key:         gui.getKey("commitFiles.checkoutCommitFile"),
diff --git a/pkg/gui/list_context.go b/pkg/gui/list_context.go
index 5e37e6c86..f70c202b7 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/list_context.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/list_context.go
@@ -19,12 +19,21 @@ type ListContext struct {
 	Gui               *Gui
 	RendersToMainView bool
 	Kind              int
+	ParentContext     Context
 }
 
 type ListItem interface {
 	ID() string
 }
 
+func (lc *ListContext) SetParentContext(c Context) {
+	lc.ParentContext = c
+}
+
+func (lc *ListContext) GetParentContext() Context {
+	return lc.ParentContext
+}
+
 func (lc *ListContext) GetSelectedItem() ListItem {
 	items := lc.GetItems()
 
@@ -317,7 +326,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) branchCommitsListContext() *ListContext {
 		GetItemsLength:      func() int { return len(gui.State.Commits) },
 		GetPanelState:       func() IListPanelState { return gui.State.Panels.Commits },
 		OnFocus:             gui.handleCommitSelect,
-		OnClickSelectedItem: gui.handleSwitchToCommitFilesPanel,
+		OnClickSelectedItem: gui.handleViewCommitFiles,
 		Gui:                 gui,
 		RendersToMainView:   true,
 		Kind:                SIDE_CONTEXT,
diff --git a/pkg/gui/patch_building_panel.go b/pkg/gui/patch_building_panel.go
index a2b872f36..0df46fe8f 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/patch_building_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/patch_building_panel.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleEscapePatchBuildingPanel() error {
 		gui.GitCommand.PatchManager.Reset()
 	}
 
-	return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.BranchCommits.Files.Context)
+	return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context)
 }
 
 func (gui *Gui) refreshSecondaryPatchPanel() error {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/quitting.go b/pkg/gui/quitting.go
index b39f3bcb8..107538a39 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/quitting.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/quitting.go
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleTopLevelReturn(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 		return gui.exitFilterMode()
 	}
 
+	currentContext := gui.currentContext()
+	if currentContext != nil && currentContext.GetParentContext() != nil {
+		// TODO: think about whether this should be marked as a return rather than adding to the stack
+		gui.switchContext(currentContext.GetParentContext())
+	}
+
 	if gui.Config.GetUserConfig().GetBool("quitOnTopLevelReturn") {
 		return gui.handleQuit()
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/reflog_panel.go b/pkg/gui/reflog_panel.go
index 1ccb8e4ac..d14557599 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/reflog_panel.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/reflog_panel.go
@@ -112,3 +112,19 @@ func (gui *Gui) handleCreateReflogResetMenu(g *gocui.Gui, v *gocui.View) error {
 
 	return gui.createResetMenu(commit.Sha)
 }
+
+func (gui *Gui) handleViewReflogCommitFiles() error {
+	commit := gui.getSelectedReflogCommit()
+	if commit == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	gui.State.Panels.CommitFiles.refName = commit.Sha
+	gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context.SetParentContext(gui.Contexts.ReflogCommits.Context)
+
+	if err := gui.refreshCommitFilesView(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return gui.switchContext(gui.Contexts.CommitFiles.Context)
+}