diff --git a/apps/red-ui/src/app/modules/file-preview/file-preview-screen.component.ts b/apps/red-ui/src/app/modules/file-preview/file-preview-screen.component.ts
index b3c28bfaf..ad3c9c902 100644
--- a/apps/red-ui/src/app/modules/file-preview/file-preview-screen.component.ts
+++ b/apps/red-ui/src/app/modules/file-preview/file-preview-screen.component.ts
@@ -279,10 +279,17 @@ export class FilePreviewScreenComponent extends AutoUnsubscribe implements OnIni
     }
 
     @Bind()
-    handleViewerClick() {
+    handleViewerClick(event: MouseEvent) {
         this._ngZone.run(() => {
             if (this._multiSelectService.active()) {
-                this._multiSelectService.deactivate();
+                const clickedElement = event.target as HTMLElement;
+                if (clickedElement.querySelector('#selectionrect')) {
+                    if (!this._annotationManager.selected.length) {
+                        this._multiSelectService.deactivate();
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    this._multiSelectService.deactivate();
+                }
             }
         });
     }