diff --git a/ui/experiments/panels.html b/ui/experiments/panels.html
index 68467819..e1668684 100755
--- a/ui/experiments/panels.html
+++ b/ui/experiments/panels.html
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ function toggleAutoHide(){
 
 $(function(){
 
-	var panel = makePanel('Test Panel A', true)
+	PANEL_ROOT = 'body'
+
+	makeSidePanel('left')
+	makeSidePanel('right')
+
+	var panel = makePanel('Test Panel A')
 		.css({
 			top: 50,
 			left: 50,
@@ -70,12 +75,7 @@ $(function(){
 
 	makeSnapshotsPanel(panel, '.moo')
 
-
-	$('body')
-		.append(panel)	
-		.append(makeSidePanel('left'))
-		.append(makeSidePanel('right'))
-			
+	makeSubPanel('Test Sub Panel D', $('<h2>Panel D</h2>'))
 
 })
 
diff --git a/ui/lib/panels.js b/ui/lib/panels.js
index c034694f..b4fb6a5a 100755
--- a/ui/lib/panels.js
+++ b/ui/lib/panels.js
@@ -120,9 +120,10 @@ function closePanel(panel, skip_sub_panel_events){
 // 			either revert or create a new panel
 // 		does:
 // 			drops to last placeholder
-function makePanel(title, open, keep_empty, close_button){
+function makePanel(title, parent, open, keep_empty, close_button){
 	title = title == null || title.trim() == '' ? '&nbsp;' : title
 	close_button = close_button == null ? true : false
+	parent = parent == null ? $(PANEL_ROOT) : parent
 
 	// the outer panel...
 	var panel = $('<details/>')
@@ -210,6 +211,10 @@ function makePanel(title, open, keep_empty, close_button){
 		})
 		.appendTo(panel)
 
+	if(parent != false){
+		panel.appendTo(parent)
+	}
+
 	return panel
 }
 
@@ -218,8 +223,9 @@ function makePanel(title, open, keep_empty, close_button){
 // 	- left
 // 	- right
 // XXX in part this is exactly the same as makePanel
-function makeSidePanel(side, autohide){
+function makeSidePanel(side, parent, autohide){
 	autohide = autohide == null ? 'on' : 'off'
+	parent = parent == null ? $(PANEL_ROOT) : parent
 	var panel = $('.side-panel.'+side)
 	// only one panel from each side can exist...
 	if(panel.length != 0){
@@ -273,6 +279,10 @@ function makeSidePanel(side, autohide){
 			},
 		})
 
+	if(parent != false){
+		panel.appendTo(parent)
+	}
+
 	return panel
 }