diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
index 9fcf988353..b7357cd53a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
@@ -890,9 +890,11 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 
 	case MouseTimeFX:
 		if (internal_editing() && item_type == NoteItem) {
+			/* drag notes if we're in internal edit mode */
 			_drags->set (new NoteResizeDrag (this, item), event);
 			return true;
-		} else if (!internal_editing() && item_type == RegionItem) {
+		} else if (!internal_editing() || dynamic_cast<AudioRegionView*> (clicked_regionview)) {
+			/* do time-FX if we're not in internal edit mode, or we are but we clicked on an audio region */
 			_drags->set (new TimeFXDrag (this, item, clicked_regionview, selection->regions.by_layer()), event);
 			return true;
 		}