diff --git a/code/Controllers/CMSMain.php b/code/Controllers/CMSMain.php
index ee05aa4a..91aa63d4 100644
--- a/code/Controllers/CMSMain.php
+++ b/code/Controllers/CMSMain.php
@@ -351,17 +351,13 @@ class CMSMain extends LeftAndMain implements CurrentPageIdentifier, PermissionPr
     }
 
     /**
-     * Decide which is the active primary tab in a CMS edit screen
+     * Return the active tab identifier for the CMS. Used by templates to decide which tab to give the active state.
+     * The default value is "edit", as the primary content tab. Child controllers will override this.
      *
      * @return string
      */
-    public function getActiveTab()
+    public function getTabIdentifier()
     {
-        if ($this instanceof CMSPageSettingsController) {
-            return 'settings';
-        } elseif ($this instanceof CMSPageHistoryController) {
-            return 'history';
-        }
         return 'edit';
     }
 
diff --git a/code/Controllers/CMSPageHistoryController.php b/code/Controllers/CMSPageHistoryController.php
index b015f4db..ed6a78d5 100644
--- a/code/Controllers/CMSPageHistoryController.php
+++ b/code/Controllers/CMSPageHistoryController.php
@@ -464,4 +464,9 @@ class CMSPageHistoryController extends CMSMain
     {
         return $this->versionID;
     }
+
+    public function getTabIdentifier()
+    {
+        return 'history';
+    }
 }
diff --git a/code/Controllers/CMSPageSettingsController.php b/code/Controllers/CMSPageSettingsController.php
index 6564c855..9621d279 100644
--- a/code/Controllers/CMSPageSettingsController.php
+++ b/code/Controllers/CMSPageSettingsController.php
@@ -26,4 +26,9 @@ class CMSPageSettingsController extends CMSMain
         $crumbs[0]->Title = _t('SilverStripe\\CMS\\Controllers\\CMSPagesController.MENUTITLE', 'Pages');
         return $crumbs;
     }
+
+    public function getTabIdentifier()
+    {
+        return 'settings';
+    }
 }
diff --git a/templates/SilverStripe/CMS/Controllers/Includes/CMSMain_Content.ss b/templates/SilverStripe/CMS/Controllers/Includes/CMSMain_Content.ss
index 78173bab..b87776f6 100644
--- a/templates/SilverStripe/CMS/Controllers/Includes/CMSMain_Content.ss
+++ b/templates/SilverStripe/CMS/Controllers/Includes/CMSMain_Content.ss
@@ -10,17 +10,17 @@
 
 					<div class="cms-content-header-tabs cms-tabset">
 						<ul class="cms-tabset-nav-primary nav nav-tabs">
-							<li class="nav-item content-treeview<% if $ActiveTab == 'edit' %> ui-tabs-active<% end_if %>">
+							<li class="nav-item content-treeview<% if $TabIdentifier == 'edit' %> ui-tabs-active<% end_if %>">
 								<a href="$LinkPageEdit" class="nav-link cms-panel-link" title="Form_EditForm" data-href="$LinkPageEdit">
 				  <% _t('SilverStripe\CMS\Controllers\CMSMain.TabContent', 'Content') %>
 								</a>
 							</li>
-							<li class="nav-item content-listview<% if $ActiveTab == 'settings' %> ui-tabs-active<% end_if %>">
+							<li class="nav-item content-listview<% if $TabIdentifier == 'settings' %> ui-tabs-active<% end_if %>">
 								<a href="$LinkPageSettings" class="nav-link cms-panel-link" title="Form_EditForm" data-href="$LinkPageSettings">
 				  <% _t('SilverStripe\CMS\Controllers\CMSMain.TabSettings', 'Settings') %>
 								</a>
 							</li>
-							<li class="nav-item content-listview<% if $ActiveTab == 'history' %> ui-tabs-active<% end_if %>">
+							<li class="nav-item content-listview<% if $TabIdentifier == 'history' %> ui-tabs-active<% end_if %>">
 								<a href="$LinkPageHistory" class="nav-link cms-panel-link" title="Form_EditForm" data-href="$LinkPageHistory">
 				  <% _t('SilverStripe\CMS\Controllers\CMSMain.TabHistory', 'History') %>
 								</a>