diff --git a/debug_console.cpp b/debug_console.cpp
--- a/debug_console.cpp
+++ b/debug_console.cpp
@@ -309,62 +309,29 @@
     , m_ui(new Ui::DebugConsole)
 {
     m_ui->setupUi(this);
-    m_ui->treeView->setItemDelegate(new DebugConsoleDelegate(this));
-    m_ui->treeView->setModel(new DebugConsoleModel(this));
+    m_ui->windowsView->setItemDelegate(new DebugConsoleDelegate(this));
+    m_ui->windowsView->setModel(new DebugConsoleModel(this));
+    m_ui->surfacesView->setModel(new SurfaceTreeModel(this));
     m_ui->quitButton->setIcon(QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("application-exit")));
-    m_ui->windowsButton->setIcon(QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("view-list-tree")));
-    m_ui->surfacesButton->setIcon(QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("view-list-tree")));
+    m_ui->tabWidget->setTabIcon(0, QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("view-list-tree")));
+    m_ui->tabWidget->setTabIcon(1, QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("view-list-tree")));
 
     if (kwinApp()->operationMode() == Application::OperationMode::OperationModeX11) {
-        m_ui->surfacesButton->setDisabled(true);
-        m_ui->inputEventsButton->setDisabled(true);
+        m_ui->tabWidget->setTabEnabled(1, false);
+        m_ui->tabWidget->setTabEnabled(2, false);
     }
 
     connect(m_ui->quitButton, &QAbstractButton::clicked, this, &DebugConsole::deleteLater);
-    connect(m_ui->windowsButton, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this,
-        [this] (bool toggled) {
-            if (!toggled) {
-                return;
-            }
-            m_ui->surfacesButton->setChecked(false);
-            m_ui->inputEventsButton->setChecked(false);
-            m_ui->treeView->model()->deleteLater();
-            m_ui->treeView->setModel(new DebugConsoleModel(this));
-            m_ui->treeView->setVisible(true);
-            m_ui->inputTextEdit->setVisible(false);
-        }
-    );
-    connect(m_ui->surfacesButton, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this,
-        [this] (bool toggled) {
-            if (!toggled) {
-                return;
-            }
-            m_ui->windowsButton->setChecked(false);
-            m_ui->inputEventsButton->setChecked(false);
-            m_ui->treeView->model()->deleteLater();
-            m_ui->treeView->setModel(new SurfaceTreeModel(this));
-            m_ui->treeView->setVisible(true);
-            m_ui->inputTextEdit->setVisible(false);
-        }
-    );
-    connect(m_ui->inputEventsButton, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this,
-        [this] (bool toggled) {
-            if (!toggled) {
-                return;
-            }
-            m_ui->windowsButton->setChecked(false);
-            m_ui->surfacesButton->setChecked(false);
-            m_ui->treeView->setVisible(false);
-            m_ui->inputTextEdit->setVisible(true);
-            if (m_inputFilter.isNull()) {
+    connect(m_ui->tabWidget, &QTabWidget::currentChanged, this,
+        [this] (int index) {
+            // delay creation of input event filter until the tab is selected
+            if (index == 2 && m_inputFilter.isNull()) {
                 m_inputFilter.reset(new DebugConsoleFilter(m_ui->inputTextEdit));
                 input()->prepandInputEventFilter(m_inputFilter.data());
             }
         }
     );
 
-    m_ui->inputTextEdit->setVisible(false);
-
     // for X11
     setWindowFlags(Qt::X11BypassWindowManagerHint);
 }
diff --git a/debug_console.ui b/debug_console.ui
--- a/debug_console.ui
+++ b/debug_console.ui
@@ -17,39 +17,6 @@
    <item>
     <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout">
      <item>
-      <widget class="QPushButton" name="windowsButton">
-       <property name="text">
-        <string>Windows</string>
-       </property>
-       <property name="checkable">
-        <bool>true</bool>
-       </property>
-       <property name="checked">
-        <bool>true</bool>
-       </property>
-      </widget>
-     </item>
-     <item>
-      <widget class="QPushButton" name="surfacesButton">
-       <property name="text">
-        <string>Surfaces</string>
-       </property>
-       <property name="checkable">
-        <bool>true</bool>
-       </property>
-      </widget>
-     </item>
-     <item>
-      <widget class="QPushButton" name="inputEventsButton">
-       <property name="text">
-        <string>Input Events</string>
-       </property>
-       <property name="checkable">
-        <bool>true</bool>
-       </property>
-      </widget>
-     </item>
-     <item>
       <spacer name="horizontalSpacer">
        <property name="orientation">
         <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
@@ -72,27 +39,57 @@
     </layout>
    </item>
    <item>
-    <widget class="QTreeView" name="treeView">
-     <attribute name="headerDefaultSectionSize">
-      <number>250</number>
-     </attribute>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
-   <item>
-    <widget class="QTextEdit" name="inputTextEdit">
-     <property name="enabled">
-      <bool>false</bool>
-     </property>
-     <property name="readOnly">
-      <bool>true</bool>
+    <widget class="QTabWidget" name="tabWidget">
+     <property name="currentIndex">
+      <number>0</number>
      </property>
+     <widget class="QWidget" name="windows">
+      <attribute name="title">
+       <string>Windows</string>
+      </attribute>
+      <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_2">
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QTreeView" name="windowsView">
+         <attribute name="headerDefaultSectionSize">
+          <number>250</number>
+         </attribute>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+      </layout>
+     </widget>
+     <widget class="QWidget" name="surfaces">
+      <attribute name="title">
+       <string>Surfaces</string>
+      </attribute>
+      <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_3">
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QTreeView" name="surfacesView"/>
+       </item>
+      </layout>
+     </widget>
+     <widget class="QWidget" name="input">
+      <attribute name="title">
+       <string>Input Events</string>
+      </attribute>
+      <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_4">
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QTextEdit" name="inputTextEdit">
+         <property name="enabled">
+          <bool>false</bool>
+         </property>
+         <property name="readOnly">
+          <bool>true</bool>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+      </layout>
+     </widget>
     </widget>
    </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
  <tabstops>
   <tabstop>quitButton</tabstop>
-  <tabstop>treeView</tabstop>
  </tabstops>
  <resources/>
  <connections/>