diff --git a/packages/web/src/settings/SettingsModal.svelte b/packages/web/src/settings/SettingsModal.svelte
index 41772d672..cc4706c37 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/settings/SettingsModal.svelte
+++ b/packages/web/src/settings/SettingsModal.svelte
@@ -367,6 +367,13 @@ ORDER BY
             })}
             defaultValue={false}
           />
+
+          <FormCheckboxField
+            name="sqlEditor.hideColumnsPanel"
+            label={_t('settings.sqlEditor.hideColumnsPanel', { defaultMessage: 'Hide Columns/Filters panel by default' })}
+            defaultValue={false}
+          />
+
         </svelte:fragment>
         <svelte:fragment slot="2">
           <div class="heading">{_t('settings.connection', { defaultMessage: 'Connection' })}</div>
diff --git a/packages/web/src/tabs/QueryTab.svelte b/packages/web/src/tabs/QueryTab.svelte
index 7f1963bc8..1ee85dce6 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/tabs/QueryTab.svelte
+++ b/packages/web/src/tabs/QueryTab.svelte
@@ -124,8 +124,9 @@
 </script>
 
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { getContext, onDestroy, onMount, tick } from 'svelte';
+  import { getContext, onDestroy, onMount, setContext, tick } from 'svelte';
   import sqlFormatter from 'sql-formatter';
+  import { writable } from 'svelte/store';
 
   import VerticalSplitter from '../elements/VerticalSplitter.svelte';
   import SqlEditor from '../query/SqlEditor.svelte';
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@
   import FontIcon from '../icons/FontIcon.svelte';
   import hasPermission from '../utility/hasPermission';
   import QueryAiAssistant from '../ai/QueryAiAssistant.svelte';
+  import { getCurrentSettings } from '../stores';
 
   export let tabid;
   export let conid;
@@ -176,6 +178,9 @@
 
   export const activator = createActivator('QueryTab', false);
 
+  const collapsedLeftColumnStore = writable(getCurrentSettings()['sqlEditor.hideColumnsPanel'] ?? false);
+  setContext('collapsedLeftColumnStore', collapsedLeftColumnStore);
+
   const QUERY_PARAMETER_STYLES = [
     {
       value: '',