diff --git a/src/register/table-allgui.c b/src/register/table-allgui.c
index 1952fddaf7..47b8c8d08a 100644
--- a/src/register/table-allgui.c
+++ b/src/register/table-allgui.c
@@ -542,7 +542,10 @@ xaccRefreshHeader (Table *table)
 /* ==================================================== */
 /* verifyCursorPosition checks the location of the cursor 
  * with respect to a row/column position, and repositions 
- * the cursor if necessary.
+ * the cursor if necessary.  This includes saving any uncomited
+ * data in the old cursor, and then oving the cursor and it's
+ * GUI.
+ *
  */
 
 void
diff --git a/src/register/table-gtk.c b/src/register/table-gtk.c
index e644b95796..6d51fbdac0 100644
--- a/src/register/table-gtk.c
+++ b/src/register/table-gtk.c
@@ -172,6 +172,14 @@ verify_cell_interaction_OK(Table *table, const int row, const int col)
   int rel_row, rel_col;
   int invalid = 0;
   
+  /* make sure that we've repositioned the cursor to this location,
+   * and that we've dragged along any subsidiary GUI's with us. 
+   * Do this *before* we use the value of the "current cursor"
+   */
+  xaccVerifyCursorPosition (table, row, col);
+
+  arr = table->current_cursor;
+
   /* compute the cell location */
   rel_row = table->locators[row][col]->phys_row_offset;
   rel_col = table->locators[row][col]->phys_col_offset;
diff --git a/src/register/table-motif.c b/src/register/table-motif.c
index ff616f2a36..887c23a223 100644
--- a/src/register/table-motif.c
+++ b/src/register/table-motif.c
@@ -153,12 +153,20 @@ cellCB (Widget mw, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb)
    int invalid = 0;
 
    table = (Table *) cd;
-   arr = table->current_cursor;
    cbs = (XbaeMatrixDefaultActionCallbackStruct *) cb;
 
    row = cbs->row;
    col = cbs->column;
 
+   /* if we are entering this cell, make sure that we've
+    * moved the cursor, and that any subsidiary GUI elements
+    * properly positioned.  Do this *before* we examine the 
+    * value of the "cuirrent cursor".
+    */
+   if (XbaeEnterCellReason == cbs->reason) {
+      xaccVerifyCursorPosition (table, row, col);
+   }
+
    /* can't edit outside of the physical space */
    invalid = (0 > row) || (0 > col) ;
    invalid = invalid || (row >= table->num_phys_rows);
@@ -180,6 +188,7 @@ cellCB (Widget mw, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb)
    invalid = invalid || (0 > rel_col);
 
    /* check for a cell handler, but only if cell adress is valid */
+   arr = table->current_cursor;
    if (arr && !invalid) {
       if (! (arr->cells[rel_row][rel_col])) {
          invalid = TRUE;
@@ -229,7 +238,6 @@ cellCB (Widget mw, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb)
     * this cell. Dispatch for processing. */
    switch (cbs->reason) {
       case XbaeEnterCellReason: {
-         xaccVerifyCursorPosition (table, row, col);
          enterCB (mw, cd, cb);
          break;
       }
@@ -270,7 +278,8 @@ enterCB (Widget mw, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb)
    rel_row = table->locators[row][col]->phys_row_offset;
    rel_col = table->locators[row][col]->phys_col_offset;
 
-printf ("enter %d %d \n", row, col);
+printf ("enter %d %d (rel=%d %d %p) %p\n", row, col, rel_row, rel_col,
+arr->cells[rel_row][rel_col], arr );
 
    /* since we are here, there must be a cell handler.
     * therefore, we accept entry into the cell by default,