diff --git a/src/gui/drop_down_list.cpp b/src/gui/drop_down_list.cpp
index 68c7e799..b4148d91 100644
--- a/src/gui/drop_down_list.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/drop_down_list.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ class DropDownHider : public wxEvtHandler {
 			list.hide(false);
 			if (nh) nh->ProcessEvent(ev);
 			return false;
+		} else if (t == wxEVT_MOTION) {
+			// send along all motion events
+			list.ProcessEvent(ev);
+			return wxEvtHandler::ProcessEvent(ev);
 		} else {
 //			if (t !=10093 && t !=10098 && t !=10097 && t !=10099 && t !=10004 && t !=10062
 //			 && t !=10025 && t !=10035 && t !=10034 && t !=10036 && t !=10042 && t !=10119)
@@ -64,7 +68,8 @@ DropDownList::DropDownList(Window* parent, bool is_submenu, ValueViewer* viewer)
 	, open_sub_menu(nullptr)
 	, parent_menu(nullptr)
 	, viewer(viewer)
-	, hider(is_submenu ? nullptr : new DropDownHider(*this))
+	, hider (is_submenu ? nullptr : new DropDownHider(*this))
+	, hider2(is_submenu ? nullptr : new DropDownHider(*this))
 {
 	if (is_submenu) {
 		parent_menu = &dynamic_cast<DropDownList&>(*GetParent());
@@ -80,6 +85,7 @@ DropDownList::DropDownList(Window* parent, bool is_submenu, ValueViewer* viewer)
 DropDownList::~DropDownList() {
 	realHide(); // restore event handler before deleting it
 	delete hider;
+	delete hider2;
 }
 
 void DropDownList::show(bool in_place, wxPoint pos) {
@@ -128,8 +134,9 @@ void DropDownList::show(bool in_place, wxPoint pos) {
 	Position(pos, wxSize(0, parent_height));
 	// set event handler
 	if (hider) {
-		Window* parent = wxGetTopLevelParent(GetParent());
-		parent->PushEventHandler(hider);
+		assert(hider2);
+		wxGetTopLevelParent(GetParent())->PushEventHandler(hider);
+		GetParent()                     ->PushEventHandler(hider2);
 	}
 	// show
 	if (selected_item == NO_SELECTION && itemCount() > 0) selected_item = 0; // select first item by default
@@ -139,15 +146,21 @@ void DropDownList::show(bool in_place, wxPoint pos) {
 	redrawArrowOnParent();
 }
 
-void DropDownList::hide(bool event) {
+void DropDownList::hide(bool event, bool allow_veto) {
+	// send event
+	if (event && selected_item != NO_SELECTION && itemEnabled(selected_item)) {
+		bool close = select(selected_item);
+		if (allow_veto && !close) {
+			Refresh(false);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
 	// hide root
 	DropDownList* root = this;
 	while (root->parent_menu) {
 		root = root->parent_menu;
 	}
 	root->realHide();
-	// send event
-	if (event && selected_item != NO_SELECTION && itemEnabled(selected_item)) select(selected_item);
 }
 
 void DropDownList::realHide() {
@@ -160,8 +173,8 @@ void DropDownList::realHide() {
 	} else {
 		redrawArrowOnParent();
 		// disconnect event handler
-		Window* parent = wxGetTopLevelParent(GetParent());
-		parent->RemoveEventHandler(hider);
+		GetParent()                     ->RemoveEventHandler(hider2);
+		wxGetTopLevelParent(GetParent())->RemoveEventHandler(hider);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -348,6 +361,11 @@ bool DropDownList::onCharInParent(wxKeyEvent& ev) {
 					}
 					break;
 				case WXK_RETURN:
+					if (!showSubMenu() && (selected_item == NO_SELECTION || itemEnabled(selected_item))) {
+						hide(true, false); // don't veto; always close
+					}
+					break;
+				case WXK_SPACE:
 					if (!showSubMenu() && (selected_item == NO_SELECTION || itemEnabled(selected_item))) {
 						hide(true);
 					}
diff --git a/src/gui/drop_down_list.hpp b/src/gui/drop_down_list.hpp
index 60a2ec7f..67fdba09 100644
--- a/src/gui/drop_down_list.hpp
+++ b/src/gui/drop_down_list.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class DropDownList : public wxPopupWindow {
 	/** if in_place, then shows the list at the position pos */
 	void show(bool in_place, wxPoint pos);
 	/// Close the list, optionally send an onSelect event
-	void hide(bool event);
+	void hide(bool event, bool allow_veto = true);
 	
 	// --------------------------------------------------- : Parent control
 	/// Takes all keyboard events from a FieldEditor
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ class DropDownList : public wxPopupWindow {
 	static const size_t NO_SELECTION = (size_t)-1;
 	
 	/// Signal that the list is closed and something is selected
-	virtual void select(size_t selection) = 0;
+	/** Returns true if the event was handled and the list should be hidden,
+	 *  false keeps the list open. */
+	virtual bool select(size_t selection) = 0;
 	/// When the list is being opened, what should be selected?
 	virtual size_t selection() const = 0;
 	
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ class DropDownList : public wxPopupWindow {
 	DropDownList* open_sub_menu;	///< The sub menu that is currently shown, if any
 	DropDownList* parent_menu;		///< The parent menu, only applies to sub menus
 	ValueViewer*  viewer;			///< The parent viewer object (optional)
-	DropDownHider* hider;			///< Class to hide this window when we lose focus
+	DropDownHider* hider, *hider2;	///< Class to hide this window when we lose focus
 		
 	// --------------------------------------------------- : Events
 	DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE();
@@ -94,7 +96,9 @@ class DropDownList : public wxPopupWindow {
 	void onPaint(wxPaintEvent&);
 	void onLeftDown(wxMouseEvent&);
 	void onLeftUp  (wxMouseEvent&);
-	void onMotion  (wxMouseEvent&);
+  protected:
+	virtual void onMotion(wxMouseEvent&); // allow override
+  private:
 	
 	// --------------------------------------------------- : Privates
 	
diff --git a/src/gui/value/choice.cpp b/src/gui/value/choice.cpp
index 0f03abc9..7c3f4601 100644
--- a/src/gui/value/choice.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/value/choice.cpp
@@ -227,13 +227,14 @@ void DropDownChoiceList::onShow() {
 	generateThumbnailImages();
 }
 
-void DropDownChoiceList::select(size_t item) {
+bool DropDownChoiceList::select(size_t item) {
 	if (isFieldDefault(item)) {
 		dynamic_cast<ChoiceValueEditor&>(cve).change( Defaultable<String>() );
 	} else {
 		ChoiceField::ChoiceP choice = getChoice(item);
 		dynamic_cast<ChoiceValueEditor&>(cve).change( field().choices->choiceName(choice->first_id) );
 	}
+	return true;
 }
 
 size_t DropDownChoiceList::selection() const {
@@ -278,8 +279,6 @@ ChoiceValueEditor::~ChoiceValueEditor() {
 }
 
 bool ChoiceValueEditor::onLeftDown(const RealPoint& pos, wxMouseEvent& ev) {
-	//HACK TODO REMOVEME
-	//thumbnail_thread.abortAll();
 	return drop_down->onMouseInParent(ev, style().popup_style == POPUP_DROPDOWN_IN_PLACE && !nativeLook());
 }
 bool ChoiceValueEditor::onChar(wxKeyEvent& ev) {
diff --git a/src/gui/value/choice.hpp b/src/gui/value/choice.hpp
index 29a00ca5..1818adee 100644
--- a/src/gui/value/choice.hpp
+++ b/src/gui/value/choice.hpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class DropDownChoiceList : public DropDownChoiceListBase {
 	
   protected:
 	virtual void   onShow();
-	virtual void   select(size_t item);
+	virtual bool   select(size_t item);
 	virtual size_t selection() const;
 	virtual DropDownList* createSubMenu(ChoiceField::ChoiceP group) const;
 };
diff --git a/src/gui/value/color.cpp b/src/gui/value/color.cpp
index 28d409cb..e95a1159 100644
--- a/src/gui/value/color.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/value/color.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class DropDownColorList : public DropDownList {
 	virtual String itemText(size_t item) const;
 	virtual void   drawIcon(DC& dc, int x, int y, size_t item, bool selected) const;
 	
-	virtual void   select(size_t item);
+	virtual bool   select(size_t item);
 	virtual size_t selection() const;
 	
   private:
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ size_t DropDownColorList::selection() const {
 	}
 	return selection;
 }
-void DropDownColorList::select(size_t item) {
+bool DropDownColorList::select(size_t item) {
 	if (isDefault(item)) {
 		cve.change( Defaultable<Color>());
 	} else if (isCustom(item)) {
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ void DropDownColorList::select(size_t item) {
 	} else {
 		cve.change(field().choices[item - hasDefault()]->color);
 	}
+	return true;
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ColorValueEditor
diff --git a/src/gui/value/multiple_choice.cpp b/src/gui/value/multiple_choice.cpp
index 4d893528..d1c02cbc 100644
--- a/src/gui/value/multiple_choice.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/value/multiple_choice.cpp
@@ -19,20 +19,26 @@ class DropDownMultipleChoiceList : public DropDownChoiceListBase {
 	DropDownMultipleChoiceList(Window* parent, bool is_submenu, ValueViewer& cve, ChoiceField::ChoiceP group);
 	
   protected:
-	virtual void   select(size_t item);
+	virtual void   onShow();
+	virtual bool   select(size_t item);
 	virtual size_t selection() const;
 	virtual DropDownList* createSubMenu(ChoiceField::ChoiceP group) const;
 	virtual void drawIcon(DC& dc, int x, int y, size_t item, bool selected) const;
+	
+	virtual void onMotion(wxMouseEvent&);
+  private:
+	bool kept_open; ///< Was the list kept open after selecting a choice, if so, be eager to close it
 };
 
 DropDownMultipleChoiceList::DropDownMultipleChoiceList
 		(Window* parent, bool is_submenu, ValueViewer& cve, ChoiceField::ChoiceP group)
 	: DropDownChoiceListBase(parent, is_submenu, cve, group)
+	, kept_open(false)
 {
 	icon_size.width += 16;
 }
 
-void DropDownMultipleChoiceList::select(size_t item) {
+bool DropDownMultipleChoiceList::select(size_t item) {
 	MultipleChoiceValueEditor& mcve = dynamic_cast<MultipleChoiceValueEditor&>(cve);
 	if (isFieldDefault(item)) {
 		mcve.toggleDefault();
@@ -40,6 +46,10 @@ void DropDownMultipleChoiceList::select(size_t item) {
 		ChoiceField::ChoiceP choice = getChoice(item);
 		mcve.toggle(choice->first_id);
 	}
+	// keep the box open
+	DropDownChoiceListBase::onShow(); // update 'enabled'
+	kept_open = true;
+	return false;
 }
 
 void DropDownMultipleChoiceList::drawIcon(DC& dc, int x, int y, size_t item, bool selected) const {
@@ -67,17 +77,31 @@ void DropDownMultipleChoiceList::drawIcon(DC& dc, int x, int y, size_t item, boo
 	DropDownChoiceListBase::drawIcon(dc, x + 16, y, item, selected);
 }
 
-size_t DropDownMultipleChoiceList::selection() const {
+void DropDownMultipleChoiceList::onShow() {
+	DropDownChoiceListBase::onShow();
 	// we need thumbnail images soon
 	const_cast<DropDownMultipleChoiceList*>(this)->generateThumbnailImages();
-	// we don't know the selection
-	return NO_SELECTION;
+	kept_open = false;
+}
+
+size_t DropDownMultipleChoiceList::selection() const {
+	return NO_SELECTION; // we don't know the selection
 }
 
 DropDownList* DropDownMultipleChoiceList::createSubMenu(ChoiceField::ChoiceP group) const {
 	return new DropDownMultipleChoiceList(const_cast<DropDownMultipleChoiceList*>(this), true, cve, group);
 }
 
+void DropDownMultipleChoiceList::onMotion(wxMouseEvent& ev) {
+	if (kept_open) {
+		wxSize cs = GetClientSize();
+		if (ev.GetX() < 0 || ev.GetY() < 0 || ev.GetX() >= cs.x || ev.GetY() >= cs.y) {
+			hide(false); // outside box; hide it
+		}
+	}
+	DropDownChoiceListBase::onMotion(ev);
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : MultipleChoiceValueEditor
 
 IMPLEMENT_VALUE_EDITOR(MultipleChoice) {}