diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/admin/UserAdminMainController.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/admin/UserAdminMainController.java
index ebd8cc8c8d1b9ebb91228280562b4e07514aa990..8905bb3ff92f827e797ddc9247d62061362db755 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/admin/UserAdminMainController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/admin/UserAdminMainController.java
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ public class UserAdminMainController extends MainLayoutBasicController implement
 		TreeNode firstNode = (TreeNode)tm.getRootNode().getChildAt(0);
 		olatMenuTree.setSelectedNodeId(firstNode.getIdent());
 		olatMenuTree.addListener(this);
+		// allow closing of active menu tree element
+		olatMenuTree.setExpandSelectedNode(false);
+
 
 		// we always start with a search controller
 		//fxdiff BAKS-7 Resume function
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/control/generic/layout/GenericMainController.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/control/generic/layout/GenericMainController.java
index fd4e716279235d29dd93c9fac6e2e26b397daf0b..b5a16900ffba3e1d084e179905b6d0596036bab1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/control/generic/layout/GenericMainController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/control/generic/layout/GenericMainController.java
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ public abstract class GenericMainController extends MainLayoutBasicController im
 
 		olatMenuTree.setSelectedNodeId(nodeToSelect.getIdent());
 		olatMenuTree.addListener(this);
+		
+		// default is to not display the root element and to let user open/close sub elements
+		olatMenuTree.setRootVisible(false);
+		olatMenuTree.setExpandSelectedNode(false);
+
 
 		Object uobject = nodeToSelect.getUserObject();
 		contentCtr = getContentCtr(uobject, ureq);