diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index f08fdb3d50..7026755bb3 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -7242,28 +7242,50 @@ LollipopDrag::setup_pointer_offset ()
 	_pointer_offset = _region->parent_rv.region()->source_beats_to_absolute_time (note->note()->time ()).distance (raw_grab_time ());
 }
 
-AutomationDrawDrag::AutomationDrawDrag (Editor* editor, ArdourCanvas::Item* i, Temporal::TimeDomain time_domain)
-	: Drag (editor, i, time_domain)
+AutomationDrawDrag::AutomationDrawDrag (Editor* editor, ArdourCanvas::Rectangle& r, Temporal::TimeDomain time_domain)
+	: Drag (editor, &r, time_domain)
+	, base_rect (r)
+	, dragging_line (nullptr)
 {
+	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Drags, "New AutomationDrawDrag\n");
 }
 
 AutomationDrawDrag::~AutomationDrawDrag ()
 {
+	delete dragging_line;
 }
 
 void
-AutomationDrawDrag::start_grab (GdkEvent*, Gdk::Cursor* c)
+AutomationDrawDrag::start_grab (GdkEvent* ev, Gdk::Cursor* c)
 {
+	Drag::start_grab (ev, c);
 }
 
 void
-AutomationDrawDrag::motion (GdkEvent*, bool)
+AutomationDrawDrag::motion (GdkEvent* ev, bool first_move)
 {
+	if (first_move) {
+		dragging_line = new ArdourCanvas::PolyLine (item());
+		dragging_line->set_ignore_events (true);
+		dragging_line->set_outline_color (UIConfiguration::instance().color ("midi note selected outline"));
+	}
+
+	ArdourCanvas::Rect r = base_rect.item_to_canvas (base_rect.get());
+
+	dragging_line->add_point (ArdourCanvas::Duple (ev->motion.x - r.x0, ev->motion.y - r.y0));
 }
 
 void
-AutomationDrawDrag::finished (GdkEvent*, bool)
+AutomationDrawDrag::finished (GdkEvent* event, bool motion_occured)
 {
+	std::cerr << "ADD finished, mo " << motion_occured << std::endl;
+
+	if (!motion_occured) {
+		/* DragManager will tell editor that no motion happened, and
+		   Editor::button_release_handler() will do the right thing.
+		*/
+		return;
+	}
 }
 
 void
@@ -7272,8 +7294,3 @@ AutomationDrawDrag::aborted (bool)
 }
 
 
-void
-AutomationDrawDrag::setup_pointer_sample_offset ()
-{
-}
-
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
index 53098e27ab..969b3ba405 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
@@ -1582,7 +1582,7 @@ class LollipopDrag : public Drag
 class AutomationDrawDrag : public Drag
 {
   public:
-	AutomationDrawDrag (Editor*, ArdourCanvas::Item*, Temporal::TimeDomain);
+	AutomationDrawDrag (Editor*, ArdourCanvas::Rectangle&, Temporal::TimeDomain);
 	~AutomationDrawDrag ();
 
 	void start_grab (GdkEvent *, Gdk::Cursor* c = 0);
@@ -1590,7 +1590,9 @@ class AutomationDrawDrag : public Drag
 	void finished (GdkEvent*, bool);
 	void aborted (bool);
 
-	void setup_pointer_sample_offset ();
+private:
+	ArdourCanvas::Rectangle& base_rect; /* we do not own this */
+	ArdourCanvas::PolyLine* dragging_line;
 };
 
 #endif /* __gtk2_ardour_editor_drag_h_ */
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
index e7d0ae4c80..e331f54120 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
@@ -1324,6 +1324,15 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 				break;
 			}
 
+		case AutomationTrackItem:
+			{
+				AutomationTimeAxisView* atv = static_cast<AutomationTimeAxisView*> (item->get_data ("trackview"));
+				if (atv) {
+					_drags->set (new AutomationDrawDrag (this, atv->base_item(), Temporal::AudioTime), event);
+				}
+			}
+			break;
+
 		case AutomationLineItem:
 			_drags->set (new LineDrag (this, item), event);
 			break;