diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.cc
index 0a3a226db..27ffa530b 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.cc
@@ -5308,7 +5308,7 @@ LayoutViewBase::paste ()
 }
 
 void
-LayoutViewBase::paste_interactive ()
+LayoutViewBase::paste_interactive (bool transient_mode)
 {
   clear_selection ();
 
@@ -5320,7 +5320,7 @@ LayoutViewBase::paste_interactive ()
   //  operations.
   trans->close ();
 
-  if (mp_move_service->begin_move (trans.release (), false)) {
+  if (mp_move_service->begin_move (trans.release (), transient_mode)) {
     switch_mode (-1);  //  move mode
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.h
index c86d7c771..5faf144a8 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.h
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ public:
   /**
    *  @brief Pastes from clipboard and initiates a move
    */
-  void paste_interactive ();
+  void paste_interactive (bool transient_mode = false);
 
   /**
    *  @brief Copies to clipboard
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.cc
index c80dbb0e0..fb8dd5e9b 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.cc
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ MoveService::mouse_press_event (const db::DPoint &p, unsigned int buttons, bool
 }
 
 bool
-MoveService::begin_move (db::Transaction *transaction, bool selected_after_move)
+MoveService::begin_move (db::Transaction *transaction, bool transient_selection)
 {
   if (m_dragging) {
     return false;
@@ -248,16 +248,28 @@ MoveService::begin_move (db::Transaction *transaction, bool selected_after_move)
 
   std::unique_ptr<db::Transaction> trans_holder (transaction);
 
-  bool drag_transient = ! selected_after_move;
-  if (! mp_editables->has_selection ()) {
-    //  try to use the transient selection for the real one
-    mp_editables->transient_to_selection ();
-    drag_transient = true;
-  }
+  bool drag_transient = false;
+
+  if (! transaction) {
+
+    //  unless in "continue with move" use case try to establish a selection
+
+    if (! mp_editables->has_selection ()) {
+      //  try to use the transient selection for the real one
+      mp_editables->transient_to_selection ();
+      drag_transient = true;
+    }
+
+    if (! mp_editables->has_selection ()) {
+      //  still nothing selected
+      return false;
+    }
+
+  } else {
+
+    //  inherit transient selection mode from previous operation
+    drag_transient = transient_selection;
 
-  if (! mp_editables->has_selection ()) {
-    //  still nothing selected
-    return false;
   }
 
   db::DBox bbox = mp_editables->selection_bbox ();
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.h
index 1aa8bd52c..a51884d6c 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layMove.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public:
   ~MoveService ();
 
   virtual bool configure (const std::string &name, const std::string &value);
-  bool begin_move (db::Transaction *transaction = 0, bool selected_after_move = true);
+  bool begin_move (db::Transaction *transaction = 0, bool transient_selection = false);
 
 private:
   virtual bool mouse_press_event (const db::DPoint &p, unsigned int buttons, bool prio);
diff --git a/src/layui/layui/layLayoutViewFunctions.cc b/src/layui/layui/layLayoutViewFunctions.cc
index e2c917a89..ac988ae0e 100644
--- a/src/layui/layui/layLayoutViewFunctions.cc
+++ b/src/layui/layui/layLayoutViewFunctions.cc
@@ -1177,11 +1177,12 @@ LayoutViewFunctions::do_cm_duplicate (bool interactive)
   db::Clipboard::instance ().swap (saved_clipboard);
 
   try {
+    bool transient_mode = ! view ()->has_selection ();
     view ()->copy_view_objects ();
     view ()->clear_selection ();
     view ()->cancel ();
     if (interactive) {
-      view ()->paste_interactive ();
+      view ()->paste_interactive (transient_mode);
     } else {
       view ()->paste ();
     }