diff --git a/quicktests/selection-quicktest.html b/quicktests/selection-quicktest.html
index a32845393c..92193d38bd 100644
--- a/quicktests/selection-quicktest.html
+++ b/quicktests/selection-quicktest.html
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
                       .center(renderGroup)
                       .renderTo("#xy-test");
         cb = function(xy) {console.log("XY drag area: ", xy);}
-        new Plottable.XYDragBoxInteraction(renderGroup).callback(cb).registerWithComponent();
+        window.xy = new Plottable.XYDragBoxInteraction(renderGroup).callback(cb).registerWithComponent();
       }
       function xdrag() {
         var dataseries = makeRandomData(20, 0.3);
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
                         .renderTo("#x-test");
 
         cb = function(x) {console.log("X drag area: ", x);}
-        new Plottable.XDragBoxInteraction(renderGroup).callback(cb).registerWithComponent();
+        window.x = new Plottable.XDragBoxInteraction(renderGroup).callback(cb).registerWithComponent();
       }
 
 
diff --git a/src/interactions/drag/dragBoxInteraction.ts b/src/interactions/drag/dragBoxInteraction.ts
index 3b4430a858..13dfc1eb12 100644
--- a/src/interactions/drag/dragBoxInteraction.ts
+++ b/src/interactions/drag/dragBoxInteraction.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,13 @@ module Plottable {
   export class DragBoxInteraction extends DragInteraction {
     private static CLASS_DRAG_BOX = "drag-box";
     public dragBox: D3.Selection;
+    public boxIsDrawn = false;
 
     public _dragstart() {
       super._dragstart();
+      if (this.callbackToCall != null && this.boxIsDrawn) {
+        this.callbackToCall(null);
+      }
       this.clearBox();
     }
 
@@ -17,6 +21,17 @@ module Plottable {
      */
     public clearBox() {
       this.dragBox.attr("height", 0).attr("width", 0);
+      this.boxIsDrawn = false;
+      return this;
+    }
+
+    public setBox(x0: number, x1: number, y0: number, y1: number) {
+      var w = Math.abs(x0 - x1);
+      var h = Math.abs(y0 - y1);
+      var xo = Math.min(x0, x1);
+      var yo = Math.min(y0, y1);
+      this.dragBox.attr({x: xo, y: yo, width: w, height: h});
+      this.boxIsDrawn = (w > 0 && h > 0);
       return this;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/interactions/drag/xDragBoxInteraction.ts b/src/interactions/drag/xDragBoxInteraction.ts
index 91c6618b0e..9e40cd3158 100644
--- a/src/interactions/drag/xDragBoxInteraction.ts
+++ b/src/interactions/drag/xDragBoxInteraction.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,7 @@ module Plottable {
   export class XDragBoxInteraction extends DragBoxInteraction {
     public _drag(){
       super._drag();
-      var width  = Math.abs(this.origin[0] - this.location[0]);
-      var height = this.componentToListenTo.availableHeight;
-      var x      = Math.min(this.origin[0] , this.location[0]);
-      var y      = 0
-      this.dragBox.attr({x: x, y: y, height: height, width: width});
+      this.setBox(this.origin[0], this.location[0]);
     }
 
     public _doDragend(){
@@ -20,5 +16,10 @@ module Plottable {
       var pixelArea = {xMin: xMin, xMax: xMax};
       this.callbackToCall(pixelArea);
     }
+
+    public setBox(x0: number, x1: number) {
+      super.setBox(x0, x1, 0, this.componentToListenTo.availableHeight);
+      return this;
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/interactions/drag/xyDragBoxInteraction.ts b/src/interactions/drag/xyDragBoxInteraction.ts
index f39b1d9381..14b1be4d18 100644
--- a/src/interactions/drag/xyDragBoxInteraction.ts
+++ b/src/interactions/drag/xyDragBoxInteraction.ts
@@ -4,18 +4,13 @@ module Plottable {
   export class XYDragBoxInteraction extends DragBoxInteraction {
     public _drag(){
       super._drag();
-      var width  = Math.abs(this.origin[0] - this.location[0]);
-      var height = Math.abs(this.origin[1] - this.location[1]);
-      var x      = Math.min(this.origin[0] , this.location[0]);
-      var y      = Math.min(this.origin[1] , this.location[1]);
-      this.dragBox.attr({x: x, y: y, height: height, width: width});
+      this.setBox(this.origin[0], this.location[0], this.origin[1], this.location[1]);
     }
 
     public _doDragend(){
       if (this.callbackToCall == null) {
         return;
       }
-
       var xMin = Math.min(this.origin[0], this.location[0]);
       var xMax = Math.max(this.origin[0], this.location[0]);
       var yMin = Math.min(this.origin[1], this.location[1]);