diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
index ba62c2bd76..8879a7ba5f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
@@ -816,16 +816,16 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 
 	case TempoBarItem:
 	case TempoCurveItem:
-		if (Keyboard::modifier_state_equals (event->button.state, Keyboard::PrimaryModifier)) {
+		if (!Keyboard::modifier_state_equals (event->button.state, Keyboard::PrimaryModifier)
+		    && !ArdourKeyboard::indicates_constraint (event->button.state)) {
+			_drags->set (new CursorDrag (this, *_playhead_cursor, false), event);
+		} else if (Keyboard::modifier_state_equals (event->button.state, Keyboard::PrimaryModifier)) {
 			_drags->set (new TempoCurveDrag (this, item), event);
 			return true;
 		}
-		/* fallthru */
-	case MarkerBarItem:
+		return true;
+
 	case MeterBarItem:
-	case TimecodeRulerItem:
-	case SamplesRulerItem:
-	case MinsecRulerItem:
 		if (!Keyboard::modifier_state_equals (event->button.state, Keyboard::PrimaryModifier)
 		    && !ArdourKeyboard::indicates_constraint (event->button.state)) {
 			_drags->set (new CursorDrag (this, *_playhead_cursor, false), event);
@@ -834,7 +834,6 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 			_drags->set (new TempoTwistDrag (this, item), event);
 		}
 		return true;
-		break;
 
 	case BBTRulerItem:
 		if (!Keyboard::modifier_state_equals (event->button.state, Keyboard::PrimaryModifier)
@@ -845,6 +844,16 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 		}
 		return true;
 
+	case TimecodeRulerItem:
+	case SamplesRulerItem:
+	case MinsecRulerItem:
+	case MarkerBarItem:
+		if (!Keyboard::modifier_state_equals (event->button.state, Keyboard::PrimaryModifier)
+		    && !ArdourKeyboard::indicates_constraint (event->button.state)) {
+			_drags->set (new CursorDrag (this, *_playhead_cursor, false), event);
+		}
+		return true;
+
 	case RangeMarkerBarItem:
 		if (Keyboard::modifier_state_contains (event->button.state, Keyboard::TertiaryModifier)) {
 			_drags->set (new RangeMarkerBarDrag (this, item, RangeMarkerBarDrag::CreateSkipMarker), event);