diff --git a/sources/editor/elementscene.cpp b/sources/editor/elementscene.cpp
index 1ae830123..d5f0c6fa2 100644
--- a/sources/editor/elementscene.cpp
+++ b/sources/editor/elementscene.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ ElementScene::~ElementScene()
 	disconnect(&m_undo_stack, &QUndoStack::indexChanged, this, &ElementScene::managePrimitivesGroups);
 	delete m_decorator_lock;
 
+		//Deleting the event interface resets the behavior; the editor
+		//is already being destroyed, so it must not hear about it.
+	blockSignals(true);
 	if (m_event_interface)
 		delete m_event_interface;
 
@@ -417,7 +420,10 @@ void ElementScene::clearEventInterface()
 */
 void ElementScene::setBehavior(ElementScene::Behavior b)
 {
+	if (b == m_behavior)
+		return;
 	m_behavior = b;
+	emit behaviorChanged();
 }
 
 ElementScene::Behavior ElementScene::behavior() const
diff --git a/sources/editor/elementscene.h b/sources/editor/elementscene.h
index e4f086078..ee275703f 100644
--- a/sources/editor/elementscene.h
+++ b/sources/editor/elementscene.h
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ class ElementScene : public QGraphicsScene
 		void elementTypeChanged();
 		/// Signal emitted with the current cursor position (scene coordinates) on every mouse move
 		void mouseMoved(const QPointF &pos);
+		/// Signal emitted when the behavior changes, e.g. a part starts or stops being added
+		void behaviorChanged();
 };
 
 Q_DECLARE_OPERATORS_FOR_FLAGS(ElementScene::ItemOptions)
diff --git a/sources/editor/esevent/eseventinterface.cpp b/sources/editor/esevent/eseventinterface.cpp
index 6463d5e7b..b3a4aea55 100644
--- a/sources/editor/esevent/eseventinterface.cpp
+++ b/sources/editor/esevent/eseventinterface.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ void ESEventInterface::init()
 {
 	m_scene->setBehavior(ElementScene::Behavior::AddPart);
 	m_editor->elementView()->setDragMode(QGraphicsView::NoDrag);
+		//Keys such as Space must reach the part being added, even when
+		//the focus was left in the parts list (#1177)
+	m_editor->elementView()->setFocus();
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/sources/editor/ui/qetelementeditor.cpp b/sources/editor/ui/qetelementeditor.cpp
index d6346d3f7..dfb81b1ec 100644
--- a/sources/editor/ui/qetelementeditor.cpp
+++ b/sources/editor/ui/qetelementeditor.cpp
@@ -1253,7 +1253,8 @@ void QETElementEditor::updateAction()
 	ui->m_select_all_act->setEnabled(true);
 	ui->m_revert_selection_action->setEnabled(true);
 
-		//Action enabled if a primitive is selected
+		//Action enabled if a primitive is selected, and no part is being
+		//added: Space rotates the part being added, not the selection (#1177)
 	auto select_list = m_depth_action_group->actions();
 	select_list << ui->m_cut_action
 				<< ui->m_delete_action
@@ -1262,7 +1263,8 @@ void QETElementEditor::updateAction()
 				<< ui->m_flip_action
 				<< ui->m_mirror_action;
 	const bool has_selection = m_elmt_scene->selectedItems().count() > 0;
-	auto items_selected = !m_read_only && has_selection;
+	const bool adding_part = m_elmt_scene->behavior() == ElementScene::AddPart;
+	auto items_selected = !m_read_only && has_selection && !adding_part;
 	for (auto action : std::as_const(select_list)) {
 		action->setEnabled(items_selected);
 	}
@@ -1297,6 +1299,7 @@ void QETElementEditor::setupConnection()
 	connect(m_elmt_scene, &ElementScene::partsZValueChanged,  this, &QETElementEditor::fillPartsList);
 	connect(m_parts_list, &QListWidget::itemSelectionChanged, this, &QETElementEditor::updateSelectionFromPartsList);
 	connect(QApplication::clipboard(),  &QClipboard::dataChanged, this, &QETElementEditor::updateAction);
+	connect(m_elmt_scene, &ElementScene::behaviorChanged,     this, &QETElementEditor::updateAction);
 
 	connect(m_elmt_scene, &ElementScene::selectionChanged, [this]() {
 		this->updateInformations();