diff --git a/platform/src/Button.js b/platform/src/Button.js
index 2d817ee..46e1319 100644
--- a/platform/src/Button.js
+++ b/platform/src/Button.js
@@ -32,8 +32,17 @@ class Button {
             this.action = "runAction( '" + parentPanel + "', '" + buttonConfigObject.id +"' )";
     
         } else if (buttonConfigObject["internal"] != undefined) {
-            this.action = buttonConfigObject.internal;
-            
+
+            if ((buttonConfigObject.targetPanel) && (buttonConfigObject.internal === "show" || buttonConfigObject.internal === "hide")) {
+                if (buttonConfigObject.internal === "hide") {
+                    this.action = "hidePanelById( '" + buttonConfigObject.targetPanel + "Panel' )";  
+                } else {
+                    this.action = "showPanelById( '" + buttonConfigObject.targetPanel + "Panel' )";  
+                }
+            } else {
+                this.action = buttonConfigObject.internal;
+            }
+
         } else {
             console.log( "Button '" + buttonConfigObject.id + "' with uknown key.");
         }
diff --git a/platform/src/Playground.js b/platform/src/Playground.js
index f345263..d1d7216 100644
--- a/platform/src/Playground.js
+++ b/platform/src/Playground.js
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ function createPanelForDefinitionId(panel){
             // No activity defined buttons
             newPanel.addButtons( Button.createButtons( panelDefinition.buttons, panel.id));
 
-        } else if (panel.buttons != null && panelDefinition.buttons != null) {
+        } else if (panel.buttons != null && panelDefinition.buttons == null) {
             // The activity has defined the buttons
             let resolvedButtonConfigs = panel.buttons.map(btn =>{    
                 let resolvedButton;
@@ -914,6 +914,23 @@ function runAction(source, sourceButton) {
     longNotification("Executing program");
 }
 
+
+
+function hidePanelById(elementId) {
+    const panelElement = document.getElementById(elementId);
+    if (panelElement) {
+        $("#" + panelElement.parentElement.id).hide();
+     }
+}
+
+function showPanelById(elementId) {
+    const panelElement = document.getElementById(elementId);
+    if (panelElement) {
+        $("#" + panelElement.parentElement.id).show();
+    }
+}
+
+
 function notification(title, message, cls="light"){
     const crossIcon = "<div class=\"default-icon-cross\" style=\"float:right\"></div>"
     Metro.notify.create(crossIcon + "<b>"  + title + "</b>" + "<br>" + message + "<br>", null, {keepOpen: true, cls: cls, width: 300});
@@ -1065,6 +1082,8 @@ async function checkEditorReady(statusUrl, editorInstanceUrl, editorPanelId, edi
     window.fit = fit;
     window.updateGutterVisibility = updateGutterVisibility;
     window.runAction = runAction;
+    window.hidePanelById = hidePanelById;
+    window.showPanelById = showPanelById;
     window.panels = panels;
     window.savePanelContents = savePanelContents;
     window.backend = backend;