diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorActions.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorActions.ts
index cffa6892a99b8f171fcc08335a798ca67c0d8efe..5b97aceda66eef668225b9b060b009cc79662e2c 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorActions.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorActions.ts
@@ -161,9 +161,14 @@ export class JoinTwoGroupsAction extends Action {
 			sourceGroup = this.editorGroupService.activeGroup;
 		}
 
-		const targetGroup = this.editorGroupService.findGroup({ direction: GroupDirection.RIGHT }, sourceGroup) || this.editorGroupService.findGroup({ direction: GroupDirection.DOWN }, sourceGroup);
-		if (targetGroup && sourceGroup !== targetGroup) {
-			this.editorGroupService.mergeGroup(sourceGroup, targetGroup);
+		const targetGroupDirections = [GroupDirection.RIGHT, GroupDirection.DOWN, GroupDirection.LEFT, GroupDirection.UP];
+		for (let i = 0; i < targetGroupDirections.length; i++) {
+			const targetGroup = this.editorGroupService.findGroup({ direction: targetGroupDirections[i] }, sourceGroup);
+			if (targetGroup && sourceGroup !== targetGroup) {
+				this.editorGroupService.mergeGroup(sourceGroup, targetGroup);
+
+				return TPromise.as(true);
+			}
 		}
 
 		return TPromise.as(true);
@@ -663,7 +668,7 @@ export class CloseEditorsInOtherGroupsAction extends Action {
 
 	public run(context?: IEditorIdentifier): TPromise<any> {
 		const groupToSkip = context ? this.editorGroupService.getGroup(context.groupId) : this.editorGroupService.activeGroup;
-		return TPromise.join(this.editorGroupService.groups.map(g => {
+		return TPromise.join(this.editorGroupService.getGroups(GroupsOrder.MOST_RECENTLY_ACTIVE).map(g => {
 			if (g.id === groupToSkip.id) {
 				return TPromise.as(null);
 			}
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
index f002199999abb0bbc80117206e4dbfd625fd4556..ad822f8944138fc7010f9f35c4fb173737c3a88b 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorCommands.ts
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ function registerEditorGroupsLayoutCommand(): void {
 
 export function mergeAllGroups(editorGroupService: IEditorGroupsService): void {
 	const target = editorGroupService.activeGroup;
-	editorGroupService.groups.forEach(group => {
+	editorGroupService.getGroups(GroupsOrder.MOST_RECENTLY_ACTIVE).forEach(group => {
 		if (group === target) {
 			return; // keep target
 		}
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorPicker.ts b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorPicker.ts
index 13c879b8f6c46fc1a068b42c36272cf2548c45a6..a1b7a48374de82148688f2fc9b336b40dd0d055e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorPicker.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/editor/editorPicker.ts
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ export class AllEditorsPicker extends BaseEditorPicker {
 	protected getEditorEntries(): EditorPickerEntry[] {
 		const entries: EditorPickerEntry[] = [];
 
-		this.editorGroupService.groups.forEach(group => {
+		this.editorGroupService.getGroups(GroupsOrder.CREATION_TIME).forEach(group => {
 			group.editors.forEach(editor => {
 				entries.push(this.instantiationService.createInstance(EditorPickerEntry, editor, group));
 			});