diff --git a/src/lay/lay/layMainWindow.cc b/src/lay/lay/layMainWindow.cc
index 5054baa9e..2e8f23f11 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/layMainWindow.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/layMainWindow.cc
@@ -1850,7 +1850,7 @@ MainWindow::select_mode (int m)
     std::vector<std::string> items = menu ()->items ("@toolbar");
     for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator i = items.begin (); i != items.end (); ++i) {
       Action *a = menu ()->action (*i);
-      if (a->qaction ()->isCheckable() && a->qaction ()->data ().toInt () == m_mode) {
+      if (a->is_checkable() && a->is_for_mode (m_mode)) {
         a->set_checked (true);
         break;
       }
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h
index eed9b5728..28391099d 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layAbstractMenu.h
@@ -301,6 +301,14 @@ public:
    */
   virtual void triggered ();
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Returns true, if the action is associated with a specific mode ID
+   */
+  virtual bool is_for_mode (int /*mode_id*/) const
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /**
    *  @brief Get the underlying QAction object
    *
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc
index 922596ccc..3fc35e22e 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layPlugin.cc
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ public:
     }
   }
 
+  bool is_for_mode (int mode_id) const
+  {
+    return mode_id == m_mode;
+  }
+
 private:
   Dispatcher *mp_dispatcher;
   int m_mode;