diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index b9ebf9faba..1a99817805 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -216,7 +216,8 @@ Drag::Drag (Editor* e, ArdourCanvas::Item* i, bool trackview_only)
 	, _pointer_frame_offset (0)
 	, _trackview_only (trackview_only)
 	, _move_threshold_passed (false)
-    , _starting_point_passed (false)
+	, _starting_point_passed (false)
+	, _initially_vertical (false)
 	, _was_double_click (false)
 	, _raw_grab_frame (0)
 	, _grab_frame (0)
@@ -378,21 +379,35 @@ Drag::motion_handler (GdkEvent* event, bool from_autoscroll)
 	if (active (_editor->mouse_mode) && _move_threshold_passed) {
 
 		if (event->motion.state & Gdk::BUTTON1_MASK || event->motion.state & Gdk::BUTTON2_MASK) {
+
+			if (old_move_threshold_passed != _move_threshold_passed) {
+
+				/* just changed */
+
+				if (fabs (current_pointer_y() - _grab_y) > fabs (current_pointer_x() - _grab_x)) {
+					_initially_vertical = true;
+				} else {
+					_initially_vertical = false;
+				}
+
+				cerr << "IV = " << _initially_vertical << endl;
+			}
+			
 			if (!from_autoscroll) {
 				_editor->maybe_autoscroll (true, allow_vertical_autoscroll (), false);
 			}
-
+			
 			if (!_editor->autoscroll_active() || from_autoscroll) {
-                
-                bool first_move = (_move_threshold_passed != old_move_threshold_passed) ||
-                                   (from_autoscroll && !_starting_point_passed);
-                
+				
+				bool first_move = (_move_threshold_passed != old_move_threshold_passed) ||
+					(from_autoscroll && !_starting_point_passed);
+				
 				motion (event, first_move);
 				
-                if (first_move) {
-                    _starting_point_passed = true;
-                }
-                
+				if (first_move) {
+					_starting_point_passed = true;
+				}
+				
 				_last_pointer_x = _drags->current_pointer_x ();
 				_last_pointer_y = current_pointer_y ();
 				_last_pointer_frame = adjusted_current_frame (event);
@@ -1446,8 +1461,8 @@ RegionMotionDrag::aborted (bool)
  *  @param c true to make copies of the regions being moved, otherwise false.
  */
 RegionMoveDrag::RegionMoveDrag (Editor* e, ArdourCanvas::Item* i, RegionView* p, list<RegionView*> const & v, bool b, bool c)
-	: RegionMotionDrag (e, i, p, v, b),
-	  _copy (c)
+	: RegionMotionDrag (e, i, p, v, b)
+	, _copy (c)
 {
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Drags, "New RegionMoveDrag\n");
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
index 483bcbd95b..1f7a1e8888 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
@@ -257,8 +257,9 @@ protected:
 private:
 	bool _trackview_only; ///< true if pointer y value should always be relative to the top of the trackview group
 	bool _move_threshold_passed; ///< true if the move threshold has been passed, otherwise false
-    bool _starting_point_passed; ///< true if we called move () with first_move flag, otherwise false
-        bool _was_double_click; ///< true if drag initiated by a double click event
+	bool _starting_point_passed; ///< true if we called move () with first_move flag, otherwise false
+	bool _initially_vertical; ///< true if after move threshold is passed we appear to be moving vertically; undefined before that
+	bool _was_double_click; ///< true if drag initiated by a double click event
 	double _grab_x; ///< trackview x of the grab start position
 	double _grab_y; ///< y of the grab start position, possibly adjusted if _trackview_only is true
 	double _last_pointer_x; ///< trackview x of the pointer last time a motion occurred