diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index ed50bf158f..0068a812c4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -4364,7 +4364,7 @@ SelectionDrag::finished (GdkEvent* event, bool movement_occurred)
 
 		/* XXX what if its a music time selection? */
 		if (s) {
-			if ( s->get_play_range() && s->transport_rolling() ) {
+			if (s->get_play_range() && s->transport_rolling()) {
 				s->request_play_range (&_editor->selection->time, true);
 			} else {
 				if (Config->get_follow_edits() && !s->transport_rolling()) {
@@ -4374,8 +4374,14 @@ SelectionDrag::finished (GdkEvent* event, bool movement_occurred)
 						s->request_locate (_editor->get_selection().time.start());
 				}
 			}
-		}
 
+			if (_editor->get_selection().time.length() != 0) {
+				s->set_range_selection (_editor->get_selection().time.start(), _editor->get_selection().time.end_frame());
+			} else {
+				s->clear_range_selection ();
+			}
+		}
+		
 	} else {
 		/* just a click, no pointer movement.
 		 */
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_selection.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_selection.cc
index b7cd131a3b..ebbc49e524 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_selection.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_selection.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 #include "control_protocol/control_protocol.h"
 
+#include "editor_drag.h"
 #include "editor.h"
 #include "actions.h"
 #include "audio_time_axis.h"
@@ -1153,9 +1154,12 @@ Editor::time_selection_changed ()
 		ActionManager::set_sensitive (ActionManager::time_selection_sensitive_actions, true);
 	}
 
-	/* propagate into backend */
+	/* propagate into backend, but only when there is no drag or we are at
+	 * the end of a drag, otherwise this is too expensive (could case a
+	 * locate per mouse motion event.
+	 */
 
-	if (_session) {
+	if (_session && !_drags->active()) {
 		if (selection->time.length() != 0) {
 			_session->set_range_selection (selection->time.start(), selection->time.end_frame());
 		} else {