diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageConstants.h b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageConstants.h
index a9462d9cda..3aaeff1669 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageConstants.h
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageConstants.h
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ const uint32 MSG_OUTPUT_TYPE		= 'BTMN';
 const uint32 MSG_SAVE_PANEL			= 'mFSP';
 const uint32 MSG_CLEAR_SELECT		= 'mCSL';
 const uint32 MSG_SELECT_ALL			= 'mSAL';
-const uint32 MSG_SELECT_NONE        = 'mSNO';
 const uint32 MSG_DITHER_IMAGE		= 'mDIM';
 const uint32 MSG_UPDATE_STATUS		= 'mUPS';
+const uint32 MSG_SELECTION			= 'mSEL';
 const uint32 MSG_PAGE_FIRST			= 'mPGF';
 const uint32 MSG_PAGE_LAST			= 'mPGL';
 const uint32 MSG_PAGE_NEXT			= 'mPGN';
diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp
index 1a7f74241f..fe3b80667b 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.cpp
@@ -625,30 +625,10 @@ ShowImageView::Draw(BRect updateRect)
 			
 			if (HasSelection()) {
 				if (fSelBitmap) {
-					BRect clippedRect, bounds;
-					clippedRect = fSelectionRect;
-					ConstrainToImage(clippedRect);
-					clippedRect = ImageToView(clippedRect);
-					
-					bounds = fSelectionRect;
-					if (bounds.left < 0)
-						bounds.left = -(bounds.left);
-					else
-						bounds.left = 0;
-					if (bounds.top < 0)
-						bounds.top = -(bounds.top);
-					else
-						bounds.top = 0;
-					if (bounds.right > fBitmap->Bounds().right)
-						bounds.right = bounds.left + clippedRect.Width();
-					else
-						bounds.right = fSelBitmap->Bounds().right;
-					if (bounds.bottom > fBitmap->Bounds().bottom)
-						bounds.bottom = bounds.top + clippedRect.Height();
-					else
-						bounds.bottom = fSelBitmap->Bounds().bottom;
-					
-					DrawBitmap(fSelBitmap, bounds, clippedRect);
+					BRect srcBits, destRect;
+					GetSelMergeRects(srcBits, destRect);
+					destRect = ImageToView(destRect);
+					DrawBitmap(fSelBitmap, srcBits, destRect);
 				}
 				DrawSelectionBox(fSelectionRect);
 			}
@@ -924,6 +904,61 @@ ShowImageView::GetMouseButtons()
 	return buttons;
 }
 
+void
+ShowImageView::GetSelMergeRects(BRect &srcBits, BRect &destRect)
+{
+	destRect = fSelectionRect;
+	ConstrainToImage(destRect);
+	
+	srcBits = fSelectionRect;
+	if (srcBits.left < 0)
+		srcBits.left = -(srcBits.left);
+	else
+		srcBits.left = 0;
+	if (srcBits.top < 0)
+		srcBits.top = -(srcBits.top);
+	else
+		srcBits.top = 0;
+	if (srcBits.right > fBitmap->Bounds().right)
+		srcBits.right = srcBits.left + destRect.Width();
+	else
+		srcBits.right = fSelBitmap->Bounds().right;
+	if (srcBits.bottom > fBitmap->Bounds().bottom)
+		srcBits.bottom = srcBits.top + destRect.Height();
+	else
+		srcBits.bottom = fSelBitmap->Bounds().bottom;
+}
+
+void
+ShowImageView::MergeSelection()
+{
+	if (!HasSelection() || !fSelBitmap)
+		return;
+
+	// Merge selection with background
+	BView view(fBitmap->Bounds(), NULL, B_FOLLOW_NONE, B_WILL_DRAW);
+	BBitmap *bitmap = new BBitmap(fBitmap->Bounds(), fBitmap->ColorSpace(), true);
+	if (bitmap == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	if (bitmap->Lock()) {
+		bitmap->AddChild(&view);
+		view.DrawBitmap(fBitmap, fBitmap->Bounds());
+		
+		BRect srcBits, destRect;
+		GetSelMergeRects(srcBits, destRect);
+		view.DrawBitmap(fSelBitmap, srcBits, destRect);
+		
+		view.Sync();
+		bitmap->RemoveChild(&view);
+		bitmap->Unlock();
+		
+		DeleteBitmap();
+		fBitmap = bitmap;
+	} else
+		delete bitmap;
+}
+
 void
 ShowImageView::MouseDown(BPoint position)
 {
@@ -971,6 +1006,11 @@ ShowImageView::MouseDown(BPoint position)
 		AnimateSelection(true);
 		
 	} else if (buttons == B_PRIMARY_MOUSE_BUTTON) {
+		if (HasSelection())
+			// If there is an existing selection, 
+			// Make it part of the background image
+			MergeSelection();
+	
 		// begin new selection
 		SetHasSelection(true);
 		fMakesSelection = true;
@@ -1271,7 +1311,7 @@ ShowImageView::SelectAll()
 }
 
 void
-ShowImageView::Unselect()
+ShowImageView::ClearSelection()
 {
 	if (HasSelection()) {
 		SetHasSelection(false);
@@ -1284,6 +1324,11 @@ ShowImageView::SetHasSelection(bool bHasSelection)
 {
 	DeleteSelBitmap();
 	fbHasSelection = bHasSelection;
+	
+	BMessage msg(MSG_SELECTION);
+	msg.AddBool("has_selection", fbHasSelection);
+	BMessenger msgr(Window());
+	msgr.SendMessage(&msg);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h
index 2029fed3c8..dfee3ed558 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageView.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public:
 	int32 PageCount();
 	
 	void SelectAll();
-	void Unselect();
+	void ClearSelection();
 	
 	void CopySelectionToClipboard();
 	
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ private:
 	void AnimateSelection(bool a);
 	void Notify(const char* status);
 	void AddToRecentDocuments();
+	void GetSelMergeRects(BRect &srcBits, BRect &destRect);
+	void MergeSelection();
 	void DeleteScaler();
 	void DeleteBitmap();
 	void DeleteSelBitmap();
diff --git a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp
index b6a5654ae2..f72ffad26a 100644
--- a/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/showimage/ShowImageWindow.cpp
@@ -258,12 +258,11 @@ ShowImageWindow::LoadMenus(BMenuBar *pbar)
 	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Undo", B_UNDO, 'Z', 0, 'W', false);
 	pmenu->AddSeparatorItem();
 	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Cut", B_CUT, 'X', 0, 'W', false);
-	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Copy", B_COPY, 'C', 0, 'W', true);
+	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Copy", B_COPY, 'C', 0, 'W', false);
 	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Paste", B_PASTE, 'V', 0, 'W', false);
 	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Clear", MSG_CLEAR_SELECT, 0, 0, 'W', false);
 	pmenu->AddSeparatorItem();
 	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Select All", MSG_SELECT_ALL, 'A', 0, 'W', true);
-	AddItemMenu(pmenu, "Select None", MSG_SELECT_NONE, 0, 0, 'W', true);
 	pbar->AddItem(pmenu);
 
 	pmenu = fpBrowseMenu = new BMenu("Browse");
@@ -500,6 +499,20 @@ ShowImageWindow::MessageReceived(BMessage *pmsg)
 			UpdateTitle();
 			break;
 		}
+		
+		case MSG_SELECTION:
+		{
+			// The view sends this message when a selection is
+			// made or the selection is cleared so that the window
+			// can update the state of the appropriate menu items
+			bool benable;
+			if (pmsg->FindBool("has_selection", &benable) == B_OK) {
+				EnableMenuItem(fpBar, B_CUT, benable);
+				EnableMenuItem(fpBar, B_COPY, benable);
+				EnableMenuItem(fpBar, MSG_CLEAR_SELECT, benable);
+			}
+			break;
+		}
 
 		case B_UNDO:
 			break;
@@ -511,13 +524,11 @@ ShowImageWindow::MessageReceived(BMessage *pmsg)
 		case B_PASTE:
 			break;
 		case MSG_CLEAR_SELECT:
+			fpImageView->ClearSelection();
 			break;
 		case MSG_SELECT_ALL:
 			fpImageView->SelectAll();
 			break;
-		case MSG_SELECT_NONE:
-			fpImageView->Unselect();
-			break;
 			
 		case MSG_PAGE_FIRST:
 			fpImageView->FirstPage();