diff --git a/packages/completer-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/completer-extension/src/index.ts
index 42597a392135..daf5645ccfe3 100644
--- a/packages/completer-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/completer-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -135,12 +135,12 @@ const consoles: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
     consoles: IConsoleTracker
   ): void => {
     // Create a handler for each console that is created.
-    consoles.widgetAdded.connect((sender, panel) => {
-      const anchor = panel.console;
+    consoles.widgetAdded.connect((sender, widget) => {
+      const anchor = widget.content.console;
       const cell = anchor.promptCell;
       const editor = cell && cell.editor;
       const session = anchor.session;
-      const parent = panel;
+      const parent = widget;
       const connector = new CompletionConnector({ session, editor });
       const handler = manager.register({ connector, editor, parent });
 
diff --git a/packages/console-extension/src/foreign.ts b/packages/console-extension/src/foreign.ts
index c3ec306d66dd..546fce70f498 100644
--- a/packages/console-extension/src/foreign.ts
+++ b/packages/console-extension/src/foreign.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ function activateForeign(
   palette: ICommandPalette | null
 ) {
   const { shell } = app;
-  tracker.widgetAdded.connect((sender, panel) => {
-    const console = panel.console;
+  tracker.widgetAdded.connect((sender, widget) => {
+    const console = widget.content.console;
 
     const handler = new ForeignHandler({
       session: console.session,
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function activateForeign(
     if (activate && widget) {
       shell.activateById(widget.id);
     }
-    return widget;
+    return widget.content;
   }
 
   commands.addCommand(toggleShowAllActivity, {
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ function activateForeign(
     },
     isToggled: () =>
       tracker.currentWidget !== null &&
-      Private.foreignHandlerProperty.get(tracker.currentWidget.console).enabled,
+      Private.foreignHandlerProperty.get(tracker.currentWidget.content.console)
+        .enabled,
     isEnabled: () =>
       tracker.currentWidget !== null &&
       tracker.currentWidget === shell.currentWidget
diff --git a/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
index 424325156d66..f678a26098a8 100644
--- a/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/console-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   Dialog,
   IClientSession,
   ICommandPalette,
+  MainAreaWidget,
   showDialog,
   WidgetTracker
 } from '@jupyterlab/apputils';
@@ -142,20 +143,22 @@ async function activateConsole(
   const category = 'Console';
 
   // Create a widget tracker for all console panels.
-  const tracker = new WidgetTracker<ConsolePanel>({ namespace: 'console' });
+  const tracker = new WidgetTracker<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>>({
+    namespace: 'console'
+  });
 
   // Handle state restoration.
   void restorer.restore(tracker, {
     command: CommandIDs.create,
-    args: panel => ({
-      path: panel.console.session.path,
-      name: panel.console.session.name,
+    args: widget => ({
+      path: widget.content.console.session.path,
+      name: widget.content.console.session.name,
       kernelPreference: {
-        name: panel.console.session.kernelPreference.name,
-        language: panel.console.session.kernelPreference.language
+        name: widget.content.console.session.kernelPreference.name,
+        language: widget.content.console.session.kernelPreference.language
       }
     }),
-    name: panel => panel.console.session.path,
+    name: widget => widget.content.console.session.path,
     when: manager.ready
   });
 
@@ -236,6 +239,7 @@ async function activateConsole(
       setBusy: status && (() => status.setBusy()),
       ...(options as Partial<ConsolePanel.IOptions>)
     });
+    const widget = new MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>({ content: panel });
 
     const interactionMode: string = (
       await settingRegistry.get(
@@ -247,8 +251,8 @@ async function activateConsole(
 
     // Add the console panel to the tracker. We want the panel to show up before
     // any kernel selection dialog, so we do not await panel.session.ready;
-    await tracker.add(panel);
-    panel.session.propertyChanged.connect(() => tracker.save(panel));
+    await tracker.add(widget);
+    panel.session.propertyChanged.connect(() => tracker.save(widget));
 
     shell.add(panel, 'main', {
       ref: options.ref,
@@ -263,8 +267,8 @@ async function activateConsole(
   async function updateSettings() {
     interactionMode = (await settingRegistry.get(pluginId, 'interactionMode'))
       .composite as string;
-    tracker.forEach(panel => {
-      panel.console.node.dataset.jpInteractionMode = interactionMode;
+    tracker.forEach(widget => {
+      widget.content.console.node.dataset.jpInteractionMode = interactionMode;
     });
   }
   settingRegistry.pluginChanged.connect((sender, plugin) => {
@@ -280,7 +284,7 @@ async function activateConsole(
   function isEnabled(): boolean {
     return (
       tracker.currentWidget !== null &&
-      tracker.currentWidget === shell.currentWidget
+      tracker.currentWidget.content === shell.currentWidget
     );
   }
 
@@ -299,7 +303,7 @@ async function activateConsole(
     execute: (args: IOpenOptions) => {
       let path = args['path'];
       let widget = tracker.find(value => {
-        return value.console.session.path === path;
+        return value.content.console.session.path === path;
       });
       if (widget) {
         if (args['activate'] !== false) {
@@ -350,7 +354,7 @@ async function activateConsole(
     if (activate && widget) {
       shell.activateById(widget.id);
     }
-    return widget;
+    return widget.content;
   }
 
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.clear, {
@@ -457,11 +461,11 @@ async function activateConsole(
     execute: args => {
       let path = args['path'];
       tracker.find(widget => {
-        if (widget.console.session.path === path) {
+        if (widget.content.console.session.path === path) {
           if (args['activate'] !== false) {
             shell.activateById(widget.id);
           }
-          void widget.console.inject(
+          void widget.content.console.inject(
             args['code'] as string,
             args['metadata'] as JSONObject
           );
@@ -508,14 +512,14 @@ async function activateConsole(
     tracker,
     action: 'Shutdown',
     name: 'Console',
-    closeAndCleanup: (current: ConsolePanel) => {
+    closeAndCleanup: (current: MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>) => {
       return showDialog({
         title: 'Shut down the console?',
         body: `Are you sure you want to close "${current.title.label}"?`,
         buttons: [Dialog.cancelButton(), Dialog.warnButton()]
       }).then(result => {
         if (result.button.accept) {
-          return current.console.session.shutdown().then(() => {
+          return current.content.console.session.shutdown().then(() => {
             current.dispose();
           });
         } else {
@@ -523,48 +527,48 @@ async function activateConsole(
         }
       });
     }
-  } as IFileMenu.ICloseAndCleaner<ConsolePanel>);
+  } as IFileMenu.ICloseAndCleaner<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>>);
 
   // Add a kernel user to the Kernel menu
   mainMenu.kernelMenu.kernelUsers.add({
     tracker,
     interruptKernel: current => {
-      let kernel = current.console.session.kernel;
+      let kernel = current.content.console.session.kernel;
       if (kernel) {
         return kernel.interrupt();
       }
       return Promise.resolve(void 0);
     },
     noun: 'Console',
-    restartKernel: current => current.console.session.restart(),
+    restartKernel: current => current.content.console.session.restart(),
     restartKernelAndClear: current => {
-      return current.console.session.restart().then(restarted => {
+      return current.content.console.session.restart().then(restarted => {
         if (restarted) {
-          current.console.clear();
+          current.content.console.clear();
         }
         return restarted;
       });
     },
-    changeKernel: current => current.console.session.selectKernel(),
-    shutdownKernel: current => current.console.session.shutdown()
-  } as IKernelMenu.IKernelUser<ConsolePanel>);
+    changeKernel: current => current.content.console.session.selectKernel(),
+    shutdownKernel: current => current.content.console.session.shutdown()
+  } as IKernelMenu.IKernelUser<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>>);
 
   // Add a code runner to the Run menu.
   mainMenu.runMenu.codeRunners.add({
     tracker,
     noun: 'Cell',
     pluralNoun: 'Cells',
-    run: current => current.console.execute(true)
-  } as IRunMenu.ICodeRunner<ConsolePanel>);
+    run: current => current.content.console.execute(true)
+  } as IRunMenu.ICodeRunner<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>>);
 
   // Add a clearer to the edit menu
   mainMenu.editMenu.clearers.add({
     tracker,
     noun: 'Console Cells',
-    clearCurrent: (current: ConsolePanel) => {
-      return current.console.clear();
+    clearCurrent: (current: MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>) => {
+      return current.content.console.clear();
     }
-  } as IEditMenu.IClearer<ConsolePanel>);
+  } as IEditMenu.IClearer<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>>);
 
   // For backwards compatibility and clarity, we explicitly label the run
   // keystroke with the actual effected change, rather than the generic
@@ -617,8 +621,8 @@ async function activateConsole(
   // Add kernel information to the application help menu.
   mainMenu.helpMenu.kernelUsers.add({
     tracker,
-    getKernel: current => current.session.kernel
-  } as IHelpMenu.IKernelUser<ConsolePanel>);
+    getKernel: current => current.content.session.kernel
+  } as IHelpMenu.IKernelUser<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>>);
 
   app.contextMenu.addItem({
     command: CommandIDs.clear,
diff --git a/packages/console/src/tokens.ts b/packages/console/src/tokens.ts
index c5089716e6ca..d13e511577cd 100644
--- a/packages/console/src/tokens.ts
+++ b/packages/console/src/tokens.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
 // Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 
-import { IWidgetTracker } from '@jupyterlab/apputils';
+import { IWidgetTracker, MainAreaWidget } from '@jupyterlab/apputils';
 
 import { Token } from '@lumino/coreutils';
 
@@ -19,4 +19,5 @@ export const IConsoleTracker = new Token<IConsoleTracker>(
 /**
  * A class that tracks console widgets.
  */
-export interface IConsoleTracker extends IWidgetTracker<ConsolePanel> {}
+export interface IConsoleTracker
+  extends IWidgetTracker<MainAreaWidget<ConsolePanel>> {}
diff --git a/packages/fileeditor-extension/src/commands.ts b/packages/fileeditor-extension/src/commands.ts
index d3f8e2d7c1d8..80524f822e73 100644
--- a/packages/fileeditor-extension/src/commands.ts
+++ b/packages/fileeditor-extension/src/commands.ts
@@ -865,15 +865,17 @@ export namespace Commands {
       tracker,
       noun: 'Code',
       isEnabled: current =>
-        !!consoleTracker.find(c => c.session.path === current.context.path),
+        !!consoleTracker.find(
+          widget => widget.content.session.path === current.context.path
+        ),
       run: () => commands.execute(CommandIDs.runCode),
       runAll: () => commands.execute(CommandIDs.runAllCode),
       restartAndRunAll: current => {
-        const console = consoleTracker.find(
-          console => console.session.path === current.context.path
+        const widget = consoleTracker.find(
+          widget => widget.content.session.path === current.context.path
         );
-        if (console) {
-          return console.session.restart().then(restarted => {
+        if (widget) {
+          return widget.content.session.restart().then(restarted => {
             if (restarted) {
               void commands.execute(CommandIDs.runAllCode);
             }
diff --git a/packages/inspector-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/inspector-extension/src/index.ts
index 678dbd3bb61c..80e2bff00ccf 100644
--- a/packages/inspector-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/inspector-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -135,8 +135,9 @@ const consoles: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
 
     // Create a handler for each console that is created.
     consoles.widgetAdded.connect((sender, parent) => {
-      const session = parent.console.session;
-      const rendermime = parent.console.rendermime;
+      const content = parent.content;
+      const session = content.console.session;
+      const rendermime = content.console.rendermime;
       const connector = new KernelConnector({ session });
       const handler = new InspectionHandler({ connector, rendermime });
 
@@ -144,11 +145,11 @@ const consoles: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
       handlers[parent.id] = handler;
 
       // Set the initial editor.
-      let cell = parent.console.promptCell;
+      let cell = content.console.promptCell;
       handler.editor = cell && cell.editor;
 
       // Listen for prompt creation.
-      parent.console.promptCellCreated.connect((sender, cell) => {
+      content.console.promptCellCreated.connect((sender, cell) => {
         handler.editor = cell && cell.editor;
       });
 
diff --git a/packages/tooltip-extension/src/index.ts b/packages/tooltip-extension/src/index.ts
index 8f52052b5120..71fe91e58629 100644
--- a/packages/tooltip-extension/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/tooltip-extension/src/index.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ const consoles: JupyterFrontEndPlugin<void> = {
           return;
         }
 
-        const anchor = parent.console;
+        const anchor = parent.content.console;
         const editor = anchor.promptCell.editor;
         const kernel = anchor.session.kernel;
         const rendermime = anchor.rendermime;