diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
index d486e5b9f0..0d640c1f9d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
@@ -744,6 +744,11 @@ class Editor : public PublicEditor, public PBD::ScopedConnectionList, public ARD
 	/* The group containing all trackviews. */
 	ArdourCanvas::Group* _trackview_group;
 
+	/* The group holding things (mostly regions) while dragging so they
+	 * are on top of everything else
+	 */
+	ArdourCanvas::Group* _drag_motion_group;
+
         /* a rect that sits at the bottom of all tracks to act as a drag-no-drop/clickable
 	 * target area.
 	 */
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
index 6374481464..c1302aa785 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ Editor::initialize_canvas ()
 	_trackview_group = new ArdourCanvas::Group (hv_scroll_group);
 	CANVAS_DEBUG_NAME (_trackview_group, "Canvas TrackViews");
 	
+	/* a group to hold stuff while it gets dragged around. Must be the
+	 * uppermost (last) group with hv_scroll_group as a parent
+	 */
+	_drag_motion_group = new ArdourCanvas::Group (hv_scroll_group);                                                                                                                                     
+        CANVAS_DEBUG_NAME (_drag_motion_group, "Canvas Drag Motion");
+
 	/* TIME BAR CANVAS */
 	
 	_time_markers_group = new ArdourCanvas::Group (h_scroll_group);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index 7004f9b419..2cea513c1a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -704,7 +704,16 @@ RegionMotionDrag::motion (GdkEvent* event, bool first_move)
 		if (first_move) {
 			rv->drag_start (); 
 			rv->fake_set_opaque (true);
-			rv->raise_to_top ();
+
+			/* reparent the regionview into a group above all
+			 * others
+			 */
+
+			ArdourCanvas::Group* rvg = rv->get_canvas_group();                                                                                                                                     
+                        Duple rv_canvas_offset = rvg->parent()->item_to_canvas (Duple (0,0));
+                        Duple dmg_canvas_offset = _editor->_drag_motion_group->item_to_canvas (Duple (0,0));
+                        rv->get_canvas_group()->reparent (_editor->_drag_motion_group);
+			rvg->move (rv_canvas_offset - dmg_canvas_offset);
 		}
 
 		/* If we have moved tracks, we'll fudge the layer delta so that the
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc
index 0ae4ec72f2..81d944dcf9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc
@@ -1044,3 +1044,9 @@ TimeAxisViewItem::parameter_changed (string p)
 		set_frame_gradient ();
 	}
 }
+
+void
+TimeAxisViewItem::visual_raise_to_top ()
+{
+	group->raise_to_top ();
+}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.h b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.h
index faa6ba5d06..cd813e17c9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ class TimeAxisViewItem : public Selectable, public PBD::ScopedConnectionList
 	void set_name_text_color ();
 
         uint32_t get_fill_color () const;
+	void visual_raise_to_top ();
 
 	ArdourCanvas::Item* get_canvas_frame();
 	ArdourCanvas::Group* get_canvas_group();