diff --git a/conf/okular.kcfg b/conf/okular.kcfg
--- a/conf/okular.kcfg
+++ b/conf/okular.kcfg
@@ -204,6 +204,9 @@
   <entry key="ShowLeftPanel" type="Bool" >
    <default>true</default>
   </entry>
+  <entry key="HideSideContainer" type="Bool" >
+   <default>true</default>
+  </entry>
   <entry key="SplitterSizes" type="IntList" />
   <entry key="ShowBottomBar" type="Bool" >
    <default>true</default>
diff --git a/part.cpp b/part.cpp
--- a/part.cpp
+++ b/part.cpp
@@ -435,8 +435,10 @@
     //	ThumbnailController * m_tc = new ThumbnailController( thumbsBox, m_thumbnailList );
     connect( m_thumbnailList.data(), &ThumbnailList::rightClick, this, &Part::slotShowMenu );
     m_sidebar->addItem( thumbsBox, QIcon::fromTheme( QStringLiteral("view-preview") ), i18n("Thumbnails") );
-
-    m_sidebar->setCurrentItem( thumbsBox );
+    
+    // Setting current item as thumbsBox if the side navigation panel is visible 
+    if ( !Okular::Settings::hideSideContainer() )
+        m_sidebar->setCurrentItem( thumbsBox );
 
     // [left toolbox: Reviews] | []
     m_reviewsWidget = new Reviews( nullptr, m_document );
@@ -838,6 +840,8 @@
     ac->setDefaultShortcut(m_showLeftPanel, QKeySequence(Qt::Key_F7));
     m_showLeftPanel->setChecked( Okular::Settings::showLeftPanel() );
     slotShowLeftPanel();
+    // Displaying the side navigation panel based on the last state 
+    m_sidebar->setCollapsed( Okular::Settings::hideSideContainer() );
 
     m_showBottomBar = ac->add<KToggleAction>(QStringLiteral("show_bottombar"));
     m_showBottomBar->setText(i18n( "Show &Page Bar"));
@@ -915,6 +919,9 @@
 
 Part::~Part()
 {
+    Okular::Settings::setHideSideContainer( m_sidebar->isCollapsed() );
+    Okular::Settings::self()->save();
+
     QDBusConnection::sessionBus().unregisterObject(m_registerDbusName);
 
     GuiUtils::removeIconLoader( iconLoader() );
@@ -2150,8 +2157,8 @@
 {
     m_sidebar->setItemEnabled(m_toc, enable);
 
-    // If present, show the TOC when a document is opened
-    if ( enable && m_sidebar->currentItem() != m_toc )
+    // If present, show the TOC when a document is opened and side navigation panel is visible
+    if ( enable && m_sidebar->currentItem() != m_toc && !Okular::Settings::hideSideContainer() )
     {
         m_sidebar->setCurrentItem( m_toc, Sidebar::DoNotUncollapseIfCollapsed );
     }