diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js
index 4e4a7216e..230c92675 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/base.js
@@ -186,9 +186,30 @@ function(widget_manager, underscore, backbone){
             // if the view name is not given, it defaults to the model's default view attribute
             var child_model = this.comm_manager.comms[comm_id].model;
             var child_view = this.widget_manager.create_view(child_model, view_name, this.cell);
-            this.child_views.push(child_view);
+            this.child_views[comm_id] = child_view;
             return child_view;
         },
+        
+        update_child_views: function(old_list, new_list) {
+            // this function takes an old list and new list of comm ids
+            // views in child_views that correspond to deleted ids are deleted
+            // views corresponding to added ids are added child_views
+        
+            // delete old views
+            _.each(_.difference(old_list, new_list), function(element, index, list) {
+                var view = this.child_views[element];
+                delete this.child_views[element];
+                view.remove();
+            }, this);
+            
+            // add new views
+            _.each(_.difference(new_list, old_list), function(element, index, list) {
+                // this function adds the view to the child_views dictionary
+                this.child_view(element);
+            }, this);
+        },
+
+        
 
         render: function(){
             // render the view.  By default, this is only called the first time the view is created
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/container.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/container.js
index 85cd444d8..4df9799f4 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/container.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/container.js
@@ -52,12 +52,20 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager) {
         render: function(){
             this.$el
                 .addClass('widget-container');
-	    var children = this.model.get('children');
-	    for(var i in children) {
-		var view = this.child_view(children[i]);
-		this.$el.append(view.$el);
-	    }
-	    this.update()
+            this.children={};
+            this.update_children([], this.model.get('children'));
+            this.model.on('change:children', function(model, value, options) {
+                this.update_children(model.previous('children'), value);
+            }, this);
+            this.update()
+        },
+        
+        update_children: function(old_list, new_list) {
+            this.$el.empty();
+            this.update_child_views(old_list, new_list);
+            _.each(new_list, function(element, index, list) {
+                this.$el.append(this.child_views[element].$el);
+            }, this)
         },
         
         update: function(){
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js
index c9f8c51c9..a1fdb08b4 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/multicontainer.js
@@ -26,11 +26,24 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/base"], function(widget_manager){
                 .attr('id', guid)
                 .addClass('accordion');
             this.containers = [];
-	    for (var i in children) {
-		this.add_child_view(this.child_view(children[i]))
-	    }
-
+            this.update_children([], this.model.get('children'));
+            this.model.on('change:children', function(model, value, options) {
+                    this.update_children(model.previous('children'), value);
+                }, this);
         },
+        
+        update_children: function(old_list, new_list) {
+            _.each(this.containers, function(element, index, list) {
+                element.remove();
+            }, this);
+            this.containers = [];
+            this.update_child_views(old_list, new_list);
+            _.each(new_list, function(element, index, list) {
+                this.add_child_view(this.child_views[element]);
+            }, this)
+        },
+        
+
         update: function() {
             // Set tab titles
             var titles = this.model.get('_titles');