diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index 4de1722ed8..5920e08afa 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -2880,8 +2880,7 @@ SelectionDrag::start_grab (GdkEvent* event, Gdk::Cursor*)
 		if (_editor->clicked_axisview) {
 			_editor->clicked_axisview->order_selection_trims (_item, true);
 		}
-		Drag::start_grab (event, cursor);
-		cursor = _editor->trimmer_cursor;
+		Drag::start_grab (event, _editor->trimmer_cursor);
 		start = _editor->selection->time[_editor->clicked_selection].start;
 		_pointer_frame_offset = grab_frame() - start;
 		break;
@@ -2890,8 +2889,7 @@ SelectionDrag::start_grab (GdkEvent* event, Gdk::Cursor*)
 		if (_editor->clicked_axisview) {
 			_editor->clicked_axisview->order_selection_trims (_item, false);
 		}
-		Drag::start_grab (event, cursor);
-		cursor = _editor->trimmer_cursor;
+		Drag::start_grab (event, _editor->trimmer_cursor);
 		end = _editor->selection->time[_editor->clicked_selection].end;
 		_pointer_frame_offset = grab_frame() - end;
 		break;
@@ -3554,12 +3552,26 @@ AutomationRangeDrag::start_grab (GdkEvent* event, Gdk::Cursor* cursor)
 
 		boost::shared_ptr<AutomationList> the_list = _line->the_list ();
 		for (list<AudioRange>::const_iterator j = _ranges.begin(); j != _ranges.end(); ++j) {
+
+			/* fade into and out of the region that we're dragging;
+			   64 samples length plucked out of thin air.
+			*/
+			nframes64_t const h = (j->start + j->end) / 2;
+			nframes64_t a = j->start + 64;
+			if (a > h) {
+				a = h;
+			}
+			nframes64_t b = j->end - 64;
+			if (b < h) {
+				b = h;
+			}
+			
 			the_list->add (j->start, the_list->eval (j->start));
 			_line->add_always_in_view (j->start);
-			the_list->add (j->start + 1, the_list->eval (j->start + 1));
-			_line->add_always_in_view (j->start + 1);
-			the_list->add (j->end - 1, the_list->eval (j->end - 1));
-			_line->add_always_in_view (j->end - 1);
+			the_list->add (a, the_list->eval (a));
+			_line->add_always_in_view (a);
+			the_list->add (b, the_list->eval (b));
+			_line->add_always_in_view (b);
 			the_list->add (j->end, the_list->eval (j->end));
 			_line->add_always_in_view (j->end);
 		}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
index 1b91947d40..453554f492 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_mouse.cc
@@ -612,6 +612,28 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 		break;
 	}
 
+	if (_join_object_range_state == JOIN_OBJECT_RANGE_OBJECT) {
+		/* special case: allow trim of range selections in joined object mode;
+		   in theory eff should equal MouseRange in this case, but it doesn't
+		   because entering the range selection canvas item results in entered_regionview
+		   being set to 0, so update_join_object_range_location acts as if we aren't
+		   over a region.
+		*/
+		switch (item_type) {
+		case StartSelectionTrimItem:
+			assert (_drag == 0);
+			_drag = new SelectionDrag (this, item, SelectionDrag::SelectionStartTrim);
+			_drag->start_grab (event);
+			break;
+
+		case EndSelectionTrimItem:
+			assert (_drag == 0);
+			_drag = new SelectionDrag (this, item, SelectionDrag::SelectionEndTrim);
+			_drag->start_grab (event);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
 	Editing::MouseMode eff = effective_mouse_mode ();
 
 	switch (eff) {
@@ -770,15 +792,8 @@ Editor::button_press_handler_1 (ArdourCanvas::Item* item, GdkEvent* event, ItemT
 				
 			case AutomationTrackItem:
 				assert (_drag == 0);
-				
-				if (join_object_range_button.get_active()) {
-					/* smart "join" mode: drag automation */
-					_drag = new AutomationRangeDrag (this, item, selection->time);
-				} else {
-					/* otherwise: rubberband drag to select automation points */
-					_drag = new RubberbandSelectDrag (this, item);
-				}
-				
+				/* rubberband drag to select automation points */
+				_drag = new RubberbandSelectDrag (this, item);
 				_drag->start_grab (event);
 				break;
 
@@ -2681,7 +2696,7 @@ Editor::update_join_object_range_location (double x, double y)
 		_join_object_range_state = JOIN_OBJECT_RANGE_NONE;
 		return;
 	}
-	
+
 	if (entered_regionview) {
 
 		double cx = x;