diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index f3faa14..e669dcf 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ void save_config_file(void)
 }
 
 gint jump_linenum = 0;
+GtkClipboard *selection_primary = NULL;
 
 static void parse_args(gint argc, gchar **argv, FileInfo *fi)
 {
@@ -207,6 +208,8 @@ gint main(gint argc, gchar **argv)
 	gtk_init(&argc, &argv);
 	g_set_application_name(PACKAGE_NAME);
 
+	selection_primary = gtk_clipboard_get(GDK_SELECTION_PRIMARY);
+
 	pub->mw = create_main_window();
 
 	conf = g_malloc(sizeof(Conf));
diff --git a/src/view.c b/src/view.c
index f6c7a4e..00f91c3 100644
--- a/src/view.c
+++ b/src/view.c
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 static gint keyval;
 static gboolean view_scroll_flag = FALSE;
 
+extern GtkClipboard *selection_primary;
+gchar *selection_primary_str = NULL;
+
 gint get_current_keyval(void)
 {
 	return keyval;
@@ -216,6 +219,16 @@ static gboolean cb_button_press_event(GtkWidget *view, GdkEventButton *event)
 			gtk_text_buffer_place_cursor(buffer, &iter);
 	}
 
+	// backup and restore the clipboard
+	gchar *current_clipboard_str = gtk_clipboard_wait_for_text(selection_primary);
+	if ((current_clipboard_str == NULL) || (current_clipboard_str[0]=='\0')) {
+		gtk_clipboard_set_text(selection_primary, selection_primary_str, -1);
+	}
+	else {
+		g_free(selection_primary_str);
+		selection_primary_str = g_strdup(current_clipboard_str);
+	}
+
 	return FALSE;
 }