diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bce49494..c10c01d9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@
 ### Deprecated
 ### Removed
 ### Fixed
+
+* Do not stop an ongoing selection when `shift` is released. When the
+  client application is capturing mouse events, one must hold down
+  `shift` to start a selection. This selection is now finalized only
+  when the mouse button is released - not as soon as `shift` is
+  released.
+
+
 ### Security
 
 
diff --git a/input.c b/input.c
index f7d14f0f..b4816f86 100644
--- a/input.c
+++ b/input.c
@@ -1176,26 +1176,29 @@ wl_pointer_button(void *data, struct wl_pointer *wl_pointer,
             if (button == BTN_LEFT && wayl->mouse.count <= 3) {
                 selection_cancel(term);
 
-                switch (wayl->mouse.count) {
-                case 1:
-                    selection_start(
-                        term, wayl->mouse.col, wayl->mouse.row,
-                        wayl->kbd.ctrl ? SELECTION_BLOCK : SELECTION_NORMAL);
-                    break;
+                if (selection_enabled(term)) {
+                    switch (wayl->mouse.count) {
+                    case 1:
+                        selection_start(
+                            term, wayl->mouse.col, wayl->mouse.row,
+                            wayl->kbd.ctrl ? SELECTION_BLOCK : SELECTION_NORMAL);
+                        break;
 
-                case 2:
-                    selection_mark_word(term, wayl->mouse.col, wayl->mouse.row,
-                                        wayl->kbd.ctrl, serial);
-                    break;
+                    case 2:
+                        selection_mark_word(term, wayl->mouse.col, wayl->mouse.row,
+                                            wayl->kbd.ctrl, serial);
+                        break;
 
-                case 3:
-                    selection_mark_row(term, wayl->mouse.row, serial);
-                    break;
+                    case 3:
+                        selection_mark_row(term, wayl->mouse.row, serial);
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
             else if (button == BTN_RIGHT && wayl->mouse.count == 1) {
-                selection_extend(term, wayl->mouse.col, wayl->mouse.row, serial);
+                if (selection_enabled(term))
+                    selection_extend(term, wayl->mouse.col, wayl->mouse.row, serial);
             }
 
             else {
diff --git a/selection.c b/selection.c
index 26c17b87..811b71a5 100644
--- a/selection.c
+++ b/selection.c
@@ -314,9 +314,6 @@ void
 selection_start(struct terminal *term, int col, int row,
                 enum selection_kind kind)
 {
-    if (!selection_enabled(term))
-        return;
-
     selection_cancel(term);
 
     LOG_DBG("%s selection started at %d,%d",
@@ -367,7 +364,6 @@ mark_selected(struct terminal *term, struct row *row, struct cell *cell,
 static void
 selection_modify(struct terminal *term, struct coord start, struct coord end)
 {
-    assert(selection_enabled(term));
     assert(term->selection.start.row != -1);
     assert(start.row != -1 && start.col != -1);
     assert(end.row != -1 && end.col != -1);
@@ -393,7 +389,6 @@ selection_modify(struct terminal *term, struct coord start, struct coord end)
 void
 selection_update(struct terminal *term, int col, int row)
 {
-    if (!selection_enabled(term))
         return;
 
     LOG_DBG("selection updated: start = %d,%d, end = %d,%d -> %d, %d",
@@ -401,7 +396,6 @@ selection_update(struct terminal *term, int col, int row)
             term->selection.end.row, term->selection.end.col,
             row, col);
 
-    assert(term->selection.start.row != -1);
     assert(term->grid->view + row != -1);
 
     struct coord new_end = {col, term->grid->view + row};
@@ -526,9 +520,6 @@ selection_extend_block(struct terminal *term, int col, int row, uint32_t serial)
 void
 selection_extend(struct terminal *term, int col, int row, uint32_t serial)
 {
-    if (!selection_enabled(term))
-        return;
-
     if (term->selection.start.row == -1 || term->selection.end.row == -1) {
         /* No existing selection */
         return;
@@ -587,9 +578,6 @@ selection_finalize(struct terminal *term, uint32_t serial)
 void
 selection_cancel(struct terminal *term)
 {
-    if (!selection_enabled(term))
-        return;
-
     LOG_DBG("selection cancelled: start = %d,%d end = %d,%d",
             term->selection.start.row, term->selection.start.col,
             term->selection.end.row, term->selection.end.col);
@@ -610,9 +598,6 @@ void
 selection_mark_word(struct terminal *term, int col, int row, bool spaces_only,
                     uint32_t serial)
 {
-    if (!selection_enabled(term))
-        return;
-
     selection_cancel(term);
 
     struct coord start = {col, row};