diff --git a/src/core/Global.ttslua b/src/core/Global.ttslua
index 03a775f9..404dad01 100644
--- a/src/core/Global.ttslua
+++ b/src/core/Global.ttslua
@@ -1103,12 +1103,31 @@ function updateDownloadItemList()
   end
 
   contentList.attributes.height = #contentList.children * 27
-  UI.setXmlTable(globalXml)
+  updateGlobalXml(globalXml)
 
   -- select the first item
   Wait.time(onClick_select, 0.2)
 end
 
+-- this helper function updates the global XML while preserving the visibility of windows
+function updateGlobalXml(newXml)
+  -- preserve visibility settings for these elements
+  local windowIdList = {
+    "playAreaGallery",
+    "downloadWindow",
+    "optionPanel"
+  }
+
+  -- get current state and update newXml
+  for _, windowId in ipairs(windowIdList) do
+    local element = getXmlTableElementById(newXml, windowId)
+    element.attributes.active = UI.getAttribute(windowId, "active")
+    element.attributes.visibility = UI.getAttribute(windowId, "visibility")
+  end
+
+  UI.setXmlTable(newXml)
+end
+
 -- called after the webrequest of downloading an item
 -- deletes the placeholder and spawns the downloaded item
 function contentDownloadCallback(request, params)
diff --git a/src/core/PlayAreaSelector.ttslua b/src/core/PlayAreaSelector.ttslua
index 4b5afc81..8a77b9b0 100644
--- a/src/core/PlayAreaSelector.ttslua
+++ b/src/core/PlayAreaSelector.ttslua
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function updatePlayAreaGallery()
   end
 
   playareaList.attributes.height = round(#playareaList.children / 2, 0) * 380
-  UI.setXmlTable(globalXml)
+  Global.call("updateGlobalXml", globalXml)
   Wait.time(highlightTabAndItem, 0.1)
 end