diff --git a/core/autoload/popups.el b/core/autoload/popups.el
index e0fd3eb60..43d38da17 100644
--- a/core/autoload/popups.el
+++ b/core/autoload/popups.el
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ possible rules."
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun doom/popup-restore ()
   "Restore the last open popups. If the buffers have been killed, and
-represented real files, they will be restored. Special buffers or buffers with
-non-nil :autokill properties will not be.
+represented real files, they will be restored. Dead special buffers or buffers
+with non-nil :autokill properties will not be.
 
 Returns t if popups were restored, nil otherwise."
   (interactive)
@@ -49,10 +49,13 @@ Returns t if popups were restored, nil otherwise."
   (let (any-p)
     (dolist (spec doom-popup-history)
       (let ((buffer (get-buffer (car spec)))
-            (path   (plist-get (cdr spec) :file))
+            (file   (plist-get (cdr spec) :file))
             (rules  (plist-get (cdr spec) :rules)))
-        (when (and (not buffer) path)
-          (setq buffer (find-file-noselect path t)))
+        (when (and (not buffer) file)
+          (setq buffer
+                (if-let (buf (get-file-buffer file))
+                    (clone-indirect-buffer (buffer-name buf) nil t)
+                  (find-file-noselect file t))))
         (when (and buffer (apply #'doom-popup-buffer buffer rules) (not any-p))
           (setq any-p t))))
     (when any-p