diff --git a/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.jsx b/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.jsx
index 45c2c9a7..fdb74aa4 100644
--- a/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.jsx
+++ b/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.jsx
@@ -3,30 +3,75 @@ import cx from 'classnames';
 import ls from './SketchObjectExplorer.less'
 
 import connect from 'ui/connect';
+import {combine} from 'lstream';
+import mapContext from '../../../../modules/ui/mapContext';
 
-@connect(streams => streams.sketcherApp.objects.map(objects => ({objects})))
+@connect(streams => combine(streams.sketcherApp.objects, streams.sketcherApp.selection)
+  .map(([objects, selection]) => ({
+    objects,
+    selection
+  })))
+@mapContext(ctx => ({
+  select:  (obj, exclusive) => {
+    let viewer = ctx.services.sketcher.inPlaceEditor.viewer;
+    viewer.select([obj], exclusive);
+    viewer.refresh();
+  },
+  deselect:  obj =>  {
+    let viewer = ctx.services.sketcher.inPlaceEditor.viewer;
+    viewer.deselect(obj);
+    viewer.refresh();
+  },
+  setRole: (obj, role) => {
+    let viewer = ctx.services.sketcher.inPlaceEditor.viewer;
+    if (obj.aux) {
+      return;
+    }
+    obj.role = role;
+    viewer.refresh();
+  }
+}))
 export class SketchObjectExplorer extends React.Component {
 
   render() {
     const {objects} = this.props;
     return <div>
-      {objects.map(o => <div className={cx(ls.objectItem, getClassName(o))}>
+      {objects.map(o => <div key={o.id} className={cx(ls.objectItem, getClassName(o))}>
         <span className={ls.objectIcon}><img width="15px" src='img/vec/pointOnArc.svg' /></span>
-        {getObjectRole(o)}
-        <span className={ls.objectTag}>{o.simpleClassName}</span>
-        <span>{o.id}</span>
-        <span className={ls.menuButton}></span>
+        {this.getObjectRole(o)}
+        <span onClick={e => this.tweakSelection(o, e.shiftKey)} className={cx(ls.objectTag, o.marked&&ls.selected)}>{o.simpleClassName} <span>{o.id}</span> </span>
+        <span className={ls.menuButton}>...</span>
       </div>)}
     </div>
   }
-}
 
-function getObjectRole(o) {
-  if (o.aux) {
-    return <span title="object is a readonly 3D feature/boundary" className={cx(ls.objectRole, ls.aux)}>B</span>
-  } else if (o.role) {
-    return <span title="object is a readonly 3D feature/boundary" className={cx(ls.objectRole, ls.aux)}>B</span>
+  tweakSelection(obj, shiftKey) {
+    if (obj.marked) {
+      this.props.deselect(obj);
+    } else {
+      this.props.select(obj, !shiftKey);
+    }
   }
+  
+  tweakRole(obj) {
+    if (obj.role === 'construction') {
+      this.props.setRole(obj, null);
+    } else if (obj.role === null) {
+      this.props.setRole(obj, 'construction');
+    }
+    this.forceUpdate();
+  }
+
+  getObjectRole(o) {
+    if (o.aux) {
+      return <span title="object is a readonly 3D feature/boundary" className={cx(ls.objectRole, ls.aux)}>B</span>
+    } else if (o.role === 'construction') {
+      return <span onClick={e => this.tweakRole(o)} title="construction object not used for 3D operations" className={cx(ls.objectRole, ls.construction)}>C</span>
+    } else {
+      return <span onClick={e => this.tweakRole(o)} title="sketch object participates in 3D operations" className={cx(ls.objectRole, ls.sketch)}>S</span>
+    }
+  }
+
 }
 
 function ObjectIcon({object}) {
diff --git a/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.less b/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.less
index 650c499f..aea4b917 100644
--- a/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.less
+++ b/web/app/sketcher/components/SketchObjectExplorer.less
@@ -1,25 +1,71 @@
+@itemRadius: 5px;
+
+.button {
+  cursor: pointer;
+  &:hover {
+    background-color: #0074D9;
+  }
+  &:active {
+    background-color: #000d7f;
+  }
+}
+
 .objectItem {
   background-color: rgba(0,0,0, 0.6);
   border: 1px solid #000;
   border-radius: 5px;
-  padding: 3px 5px;
-  margin: 2px 5px;
+  margin: 2px @itemRadius;
   pointer-events: auto;
   display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
+  align-items: stretch;
+  
   
   @alt-color: #9c9c9c;
   .objectIcon {
+    border-radius: @itemRadius 0 0 @itemRadius;
+    padding: 3px 3px;
     background-color: @alt-color;
   }
 
   .menuButton {
+    border-radius: 0 @itemRadius @itemRadius 0;
     background-color: @alt-color;
+    padding: 0 3px;
+    .button;
   }
   
   .objectTag {
-    display: inline-block;
-    padding: 0 2px;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    flex: 1;
+    padding: 0 5px;
+    .button;
+    
+    &.selected {
+      background: linear-gradient(#59acff, #0074D9);
+    }
+  }
+  
+  .objectRole {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    padding: 0 8px;
+  }
+
+  .objectRole.construction {
+    cursor: pointer;
+    background-color: #7c7c7c;
+    .button;
+  }
+  .objectRole.sketch {
+    cursor: pointer;
+    background-color: #5f5f5f;
+    .button;
+  }
+  .objectRole.aux {
+    cursor: default;
+    background-color: #FDF7E7;
+    color: #1a1a1a;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/web/app/sketcher/io.js b/web/app/sketcher/io.js
index e23e6599..142c4d52 100644
--- a/web/app/sketcher/io.js
+++ b/web/app/sketcher/io.js
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ IO.prototype._loadSketch = function(sketch) {
         var role = obj['role'];
         
         //support legacy format
-        if (!role && layerName === '_construction_') {
-          role = 'construction';
+        if (!role) {
+          role = layerName === '_construction_' ? 'construction' : null;
         }
         
         if (boundaryProcessing) {
diff --git a/web/app/sketcher/sketcherStreams.js b/web/app/sketcher/sketcherStreams.js
index dca57ecd..c4a78e65 100644
--- a/web/app/sketcher/sketcherStreams.js
+++ b/web/app/sketcher/sketcherStreams.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ export default function(viewer) {
   }).remember([]);
 
   streams.addingRoleMode = state(null);
+  streams.selection = state([]);
+  streams.objectUpdate = stream();
   
   return streams;
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/web/app/sketcher/viewer2d.js b/web/app/sketcher/viewer2d.js
index 51e64d34..b6d2ba51 100644
--- a/web/app/sketcher/viewer2d.js
+++ b/web/app/sketcher/viewer2d.js
@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@ class Viewer {
 
     if (this.selected.indexOf(obj) == -1) {
       this.selected.push(obj);
+      this.streams.selection.next(this.selected);
     }
   };
 
@@ -426,6 +427,7 @@ class Viewer {
         break;
       }
     }
+    this.streams.selection.next(this.selected);
   };
 
   deselectAll() {
@@ -433,6 +435,7 @@ class Viewer {
       this.selected[i].marked = null;
     }
     while (this.selected.length > 0) this.selected.pop();
+    this.streams.selection.next(this.selected);
   };
 
   equalizeLinkedEndpoints() {