diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 3ed67675..187d8007 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ http://visjs.org
 - Fixed #654: removed unnecessary minimum height for groups, takes the
   height of the group label as minimum height now.
 - Fixed #708: detecting wrong group when page is scrolled.
+- Fixed #733: background items being selected on shift+click.
 
 
 ## 2015-03-05, version 3.11.0
diff --git a/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js b/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
index 5e5aa61b..46c8f9d9 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/component/ItemSet.js
@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDragStart = function (event) {
     if (dragLeftItem) {
       props = {
         item: dragLeftItem,
-        initialX: event.gesture.center.pageX
+        initialX: event.gesture.center.clientX
       };
 
       if (me.options.editable.updateTime) {
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDragStart = function (event) {
     else if (dragRightItem) {
       props = {
         item: dragRightItem,
-        initialX: event.gesture.center.pageX
+        initialX: event.gesture.center.clientX
       };
 
       if (me.options.editable.updateTime) {
@@ -1147,7 +1147,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDragStart = function (event) {
         var item = me.items[id];
         var props = {
           item: item,
-          initialX: event.gesture.center.pageX
+          initialX: event.gesture.center.clientX
         };
 
         if (me.options.editable.updateTime) {
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDragStartAddItem = function (event) {
   var props = {
     item: newItem,
     end: end.valueOf(),
-    initialX: event.gesture.center.pageX
+    initialX: event.gesture.center.clientX
   };
   this.touchParams.itemProps = [props];
 
@@ -1241,7 +1241,7 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onDrag = function (event) {
     // move
     this.touchParams.itemProps.forEach(function (props) {
       var newProps = {};
-      var current = me.body.util.toTime(event.gesture.center.pageX - xOffset);
+      var current = me.body.util.toTime(event.gesture.center.clientX - xOffset);
       var initial = me.body.util.toTime(props.initialX - xOffset);
       var offset = current - initial;
 
@@ -1522,7 +1522,9 @@ ItemSet.prototype._onMultiSelectItem = function (event) {
           var start = _item.data.start;
           var end = (_item.data.end !== undefined) ? _item.data.end : start;
 
-          if (start >= range.min && end <= range.max) {
+          if (start >= range.min &&
+              end <= range.max &&
+              !(_item instanceof BackgroundItem)) {
             selection.push(_item.id); // do not use id but item.id, id itself is stringified
           }
         }
@@ -1607,23 +1609,23 @@ ItemSet.prototype.itemFromTarget = function(event) {
  * @return {Group | null} group
  */
 ItemSet.prototype.groupFromTarget = function(event) {
-  var pageY = event.gesture ? event.gesture.center.pageY : event.pageY;
+  var clientY = event.gesture ? event.gesture.center.clientY : event.clientY;
   for (var i = 0; i < this.groupIds.length; i++) {
     var groupId = this.groupIds[i];
     var group = this.groups[groupId];
     var foreground = group.dom.foreground;
     var top = util.getAbsoluteTop(foreground);
-    if (pageY > top && pageY < top + foreground.offsetHeight) {
+    if (clientY > top && clientY < top + foreground.offsetHeight) {
       return group;
     }
 
     if (this.options.orientation === 'top') {
-      if (i === this.groupIds.length - 1 && pageY > top) {
+      if (i === this.groupIds.length - 1 && clientY > top) {
         return group;
       }
     }
     else {
-      if (i === 0 && pageY < top + foreground.offset) {
+      if (i === 0 && clientY < top + foreground.offset) {
         return group;
       }
     }