diff --git a/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.spec.ts b/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.spec.ts
index 9c5558d8..b606dea3 100644
--- a/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.spec.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,17 @@ describe('SelectionTool', () => {
       expect(svg.selectAll('.selected').size()).toEqual(1);
       expect(svg.select('.selected').datum().name).toEqual("Node 1");
     });
+
+    describe('SelectionTool can deselect after click outside', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        svg.node().dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent('mousedown', {clientX: 300, clientY: 300}));
+      });
+
+      it('should have no selection', () => {
+        expect(svg.selectAll('.selected').size()).toEqual(0);
+      });
+    });
+
   });
 
   describe('SelectionTool can handle end of selection in reverse direction', () => {
@@ -104,7 +115,6 @@ describe('SelectionTool', () => {
     });
 
     it('node should be selected', () => {
-        expect()
         expect(svg.select('.selected').datum().name).toEqual("Node 1");
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.ts b/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.ts
index a43e2f94..b898ac9e 100644
--- a/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.ts
+++ b/src/app/cartography/shared/tools/selection-tool.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ export class SelectionTool {
       const start = transformation(mouse(parent));
       self.startSelection(start);
 
+      // clear selection
+      self.selection.selectAll('.selectable').classed("selected", false);
+
       subject
         .on("mousemove.selection", function() {
           const end = transformation(mouse(parent));