diff --git a/src/actions.js b/src/actions.js
index cc3813f..be419a4 100644
--- a/src/actions.js
+++ b/src/actions.js
@@ -92,17 +92,18 @@ export function changeType (data, path, type) {
  * and object property
  *
  * @param {ESON} data
- * @param {ESONSelection} selection
+ * @param {Selection} selection
  * @return {Array}
  */
 export function duplicate (data, selection) {
   // console.log('duplicate', path)
+  if (!selection.start || !selection.end) {
+    return []
+  }
 
   const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const start = selection.start.path[rootPath.length]
-  const end = selection.end.path[rootPath.length]
   const root = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, rootPath))
-  const { maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, start, end)
+  const { maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
   const paths = pathsFromSelection(data, selection)
 
   if (root.type === 'Array') {
@@ -113,7 +114,6 @@ export function duplicate (data, selection) {
     }))
   }
   else { // object.type === 'Object'
-    const { maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, start, end)
     const nextProp = root.props && root.props[maxIndex]
     const before = nextProp ? nextProp.name : null
 
@@ -133,53 +133,6 @@ export function duplicate (data, selection) {
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * Create a JSONPatch for an insert action.
- *
- * This function needs the current data in order to be able to determine
- * a unique property name for the inserted node in case of duplicating
- * and object property
- *
- * @param {ESON} data
- * @param {Path} path
- * @param {ESONType} type
- * @return {Array}
- */
-export function insert (data, path, type) {
-  // console.log('insert', path, type)
-
-  const parentPath = path.slice(0, path.length - 1)
-  const esonPath = toEsonPath(data, parentPath)
-  const parent = getIn(data, esonPath)
-  const value = createEntry(type)
-
-  if (parent.type === 'Array') {
-    const index = parseInt(path[path.length - 1]) + 1
-    return [{
-      op: 'add',
-      path: compileJSONPointer(parentPath.concat(index)),
-      value,
-      jsoneditor: {
-        type
-      }
-    }]
-  }
-  else { // object.type === 'Object'
-    const prop = path[path.length - 1]
-    const newProp = findUniqueName('', parent.props.map(p => p.name))
-
-    return [{
-      op: 'add',
-      path: compileJSONPointer(parentPath.concat(newProp)),
-      value,
-      jsoneditor: {
-        type,
-        before: findNextProp(parent, prop)
-      }
-    }]
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Create a JSONPatch for an insert action.
  *
@@ -233,17 +186,14 @@ export function insertBefore (data, path, values) {  // TODO: find a better name
  * and object property
  *
  * @param {ESON} data
- * @param {ESONSelection} selection
+ * @param {Selection} selection
  * @param {Array.<{name?: string, value: JSONType, type?: ESONType}>} values
  * @return {Array}
  */
 export function replace (data, selection, values) {  // TODO: find a better name and define datastructure for values
-
   const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const start = selection.start.path[rootPath.length]
-  const end = selection.end.path[rootPath.length]
   const root = getIn(data, toEsonPath(data, rootPath))
-  const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, start, end)
+  const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
 
   if (root.type === 'Array') {
     const removeActions = removeAll(pathsFromSelection(data, selection))
diff --git a/src/components/JSONNode.js b/src/components/JSONNode.js
index a825ba3..c2389fb 100644
--- a/src/components/JSONNode.js
+++ b/src/components/JSONNode.js
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ import type { ESONObjectProperty, ESON, SearchResultStatus, Path } from '../type
 const SELECTED_CLASS_NAMES = {
   [SELECTED]: ' jsoneditor-selected',
   [SELECTED_END]: ' jsoneditor-selected jsoneditor-selected-end',
-  [SELECTED_AFTER]: ' jsoneditor-selected jsoneditor-selected-after',
-  [SELECTED_BEFORE]: ' jsoneditor-selected jsoneditor-selected-before',
+  [SELECTED_AFTER]: ' jsoneditor-selected jsoneditor-selected-insert-area',
+  [SELECTED_BEFORE]: ' jsoneditor-selected jsoneditor-selected-insert-area',
 }
 
 const HOVERED_CLASS_NAMES = {
   [SELECTED]: ' jsoneditor-hover',
   [SELECTED_END]: ' jsoneditor-hover jsoneditor-hover-end',
-  [SELECTED_AFTER]: ' jsoneditor-hover jsoneditor-hover-after',
-  [SELECTED_BEFORE]: ' jsoneditor-hover jsoneditor-hover-before',
+  [SELECTED_AFTER]: ' jsoneditor-hover jsoneditor-hover-insert-area',
+  [SELECTED_BEFORE]: ' jsoneditor-hover jsoneditor-hover-insert-area',
 }
 
 export default class JSONNode extends PureComponent {
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export default class JSONNode extends PureComponent {
           ])
         : null
 
-    const insertArea = this.renderInsertArea()
+    const insertArea = this.renderInsertBeforeArea()
 
     return h('div', {
       'data-path': compileJSONPointer(this.props.path),
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ export default class JSONNode extends PureComponent {
     }, [node, floatingMenu, insertArea])
   }
 
-  renderInsertArea () {
-    const floatingMenu = (this.props.data.selected === SELECTED_AFTER)
+  renderInsertBeforeArea () {
+    const floatingMenu = (this.props.data.selected === SELECTED_BEFORE)
         ? this.renderFloatingMenu([
             {type: 'insertStructure'},
             {type: 'insertValue'},
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ export default class JSONNode extends PureComponent {
     return h('div', {
       key: 'menu',
       className: 'jsoneditor-insert-area',
-      'data-area': 'after'
+      'data-area': 'before'
     }, [floatingMenu])
   }
 
diff --git a/src/components/TreeMode.js b/src/components/TreeMode.js
index 3e2ee21..1170428 100644
--- a/src/components/TreeMode.js
+++ b/src/components/TreeMode.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import {
 import { createFindKeyBinding } from '../utils/keyBindings'
 import { KEY_BINDINGS } from '../constants'
 
-import type { ESON, ESONPatch, JSONPath, ESONSelection, ESONPointer } from '../types'
+import type { ESON, ESONPatch, JSONPath, Selection, ESONPointer } from '../types'
 
 const AJV_OPTIONS = {
   allErrors: true,
@@ -348,17 +348,21 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
   }
 
   handleInsert = (path, type) => {
-    this.handlePatch(insert(this.state.data, path, createEntry(type), type))
+    this.handlePatch(insertBefore(this.state.data, path, [{
+      type,
+      name: '',
+      value: createEntry(type)
+    }]))
 
     this.setState({ selection : null }) // TODO: select the inserted entry
 
     // apply focus to new node
-    this.focusToNext(path)
+    this.focusToPrevious(path)
   }
 
   handleInsertStructure = (path) => {
     // TODO: implement handleInsertStructure
-    console.log('handleInsertStructure', path)
+    console.log('TODO: handleInsertStructure', path)
     alert('not yet implemented...')
 
   }
@@ -456,7 +460,7 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
   handleKeyDownDuplicate = (event) => {
     const path = this.findDataPathFromElement(event.target)
     if (path) {
-      const selection = { start: {path}, end: {path} }
+      const selection = { start: path, end: path }
       this.handlePatch(duplicate(this.state.data, selection))
 
       // apply focus to the duplicated node
@@ -510,11 +514,10 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Move focus to the next search result
+   * Move focus to the next node
    * @param {Path} path
    */
   focusToNext (path) {
-    // apply focus to new element
     setTimeout(() => {
       const element = findNode(this.refs.contents, path)
       if (element) {
@@ -523,12 +526,24 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
     })
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Move focus to the previous node
+   * @param {Path} path
+   */
+  focusToPrevious (path) {
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      const element = findNode(this.refs.contents, path)
+      if (element) {
+        moveUp(element, 'property')
+      }
+    })
+  }
+
   handleSort = (path, order = null) => {
     this.handlePatch(sort(this.state.data, path, order))
   }
 
-  handleSelect = (selection: ESONSelection) => {
-    console.log('handleSelect', selection)
+  handleSelect = (selection: Selection) => {
     this.setState({ selection })
   }
 
@@ -664,7 +679,7 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
         (event.target.contentEditable !== 'true')
 
     if (clickedOnEmptySpace && pointer) {
-      this.setState({ selection: {start: pointer, end: pointer}})
+      this.setState({ selection: this.selectionFromESONPointer(pointer)})
     }
     else {
       this.setState({ selection: null })
@@ -672,12 +687,13 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
   }
 
   handlePan = (event) => {
+    const selection = this.state.selection
     const path = this.findDataPathFromElement(event.target.firstChild)
-    if (path && this.state.selection && !isEqual(path, this.state.selection.end.path)) {
+    if (path && selection && !isEqual(path, selection.end)) {
       this.setState({
         selection: {
-          start: this.state.selection.start,
-          end: {path}
+          start: selection.start || selection.before || selection.after,
+          end: path
         }
       })
     }
@@ -711,6 +727,18 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
     return path ? { path, area } : null
   }
 
+  selectionFromESONPointer (pointer: ESONPointer) : Selection {
+    if (pointer.area === 'after') {
+      return {after: pointer.path}
+    }
+    else if (pointer.area === 'before') {
+      return {before: pointer.path}
+    }
+    else {
+      return {start: pointer.path, end: pointer.path}
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Scroll the window vertically to the node with given path
    * @param {Path} path
@@ -770,7 +798,6 @@ export default class TreeMode extends Component {
   }
 
   undo = () => {
-    console.log('undo')
     if (this.canUndo()) {
       const history = this.state.history
       const historyIndex = this.state.historyIndex
diff --git a/src/develop.html b/src/develop.html
index 8f1abbc..dc3a1da 100644
--- a/src/develop.html
+++ b/src/develop.html
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
   <script src="./resources/largeJson.js"></script>
 
   <style>
+    body, input, select {
+      font-family: sans-serif;
+      font-size: 11pt;
+    }
     #container {
       height: 400px;
       width: 100%;
@@ -35,6 +39,10 @@
       <option value="view">view</option>
     </select>
   </label>
+
+  <label>
+    <input type="checkbox" id="logEvents" > Log events
+  </label>
 </p>
 <div id="container"></div>
 
@@ -57,22 +65,22 @@
   const options = {
     name: 'myObject',
     onPatch: function (patch, revert) {
-      console.log('onPatch patch=', patch, ', revert=', revert)
+      log('onPatch patch=', patch, ', revert=', revert)
       window.patch = patch
       window.revert = revert
     },
     onPatchText: function (patch, revert) {
       // FIXME: implement onPatchText
-      console.log('onPatchText patch=', patch, ', revert=', revert)
+      log('onPatchText patch=', patch, ', revert=', revert)
     },
     onChange: function (json) {
-      console.log('onChange json=', json)
+      log('onChange json=', json)
     },
     onChangeText: function (text) {
-      console.log('onChangeText', text)
+      log('onChangeText', text)
     },
     onChangeMode: function (mode, prevMode) {
-      console.log('switched mode from', prevMode, 'to', mode)
+      log('switched mode from', prevMode, 'to', mode)
       document.getElementById('mode').value = mode
     },
     onError: function (err) {
@@ -159,6 +167,12 @@
     editor.setMode(mode)
   }
 
+  function log (...args) {
+    if (document.getElementById('logEvents').checked) {
+      console.log(...args)
+    }
+  }
+
 </script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/src/eson.js b/src/eson.js
index 6de8695..3121d2a 100644
--- a/src/eson.js
+++ b/src/eson.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import initial from 'lodash/initial'
 import last from 'lodash/last'
 
 import type {
-  ESON, ESONObject, ESONArrayItem, ESONPointer, ESONSelection, ESONType, ESONPath,
+  ESON, ESONObject, ESONArrayItem, ESONPointer, Selection, ESONType, ESONPath,
   Path,
   JSONPath, JSONType
 } from './types'
@@ -357,29 +357,36 @@ export function applySearchResults (eson: ESON, searchResults: ESONPointer[], ac
 /**
  * Merge searchResults into the eson object
  */
-export function applySelection (eson: ESON, selection: ESONSelection) {
+export function applySelection (eson: ESON, selection: Selection) {
   if (!selection) {
     return eson
   }
 
-  // find the parent node shared by both start and end of the selection
-  const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const rootEsonPath = toEsonPath(eson, rootPath)
+  if (selection.before) {
+    const esonPath = toEsonPath(eson, selection.before)
+    return setIn(eson, esonPath.concat('selected'), SELECTED_BEFORE)
+  }
+  else if (selection.after) {
+    const esonPath = toEsonPath(eson, selection.after)
+    return setIn(eson, esonPath.concat('selected'), SELECTED_AFTER)
+  }
+  else { // selection.start and selection.end
+    // find the parent node shared by both start and end of the selection
+    const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
 
-  return updateIn(eson, rootEsonPath, (root) => {
-    const start = selection.start.path[rootPath.length]
-    const end = selection.end.path[rootPath.length]
-    const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, start, end)
+    return updateIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, rootPath), (root) => {
+      const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
 
-    const childsKey = (root.type === 'Object') ? 'props' : 'items' // property name of the array with props/items
-    const childsBefore = root[childsKey].slice(0, minIndex)
-    const childsUpdated = root[childsKey].slice(minIndex, maxIndex)
-        .map((child, index) => setIn(child, ['value', 'selected'], index === 0 ? SELECTED_END : SELECTED))
-    const childsAfter = root[childsKey].slice(maxIndex)
-    // FIXME: actually mark the end index as SELECTED_END, currently we select the first index
+      const childsKey = (root.type === 'Object') ? 'props' : 'items' // property name of the array with props/items
+      const childsBefore = root[childsKey].slice(0, minIndex)
+      const childsUpdated = root[childsKey].slice(minIndex, maxIndex)
+          .map((child, index) => setIn(child, ['value', 'selected'], index === 0 ? SELECTED_END : SELECTED))
+      const childsAfter = root[childsKey].slice(maxIndex)
+      // FIXME: actually mark the end index as SELECTED_END, currently we select the first index
 
-    return setIn(root, [childsKey], childsBefore.concat(childsUpdated, childsAfter))
-  })
+      return setIn(root, [childsKey], childsBefore.concat(childsUpdated, childsAfter))
+    })
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -387,13 +394,17 @@ export function applySelection (eson: ESON, selection: ESONSelection) {
  * Start and end can be a property name in case of an Object,
  * or a matrix index (string with a number) in case of an Array.
  */
-export function findSelectionIndices (root: ESON, start: string, end: string) : { minIndex: number, maxIndex: number } {
+export function findSelectionIndices (root: ESON, rootPath: JSONPath, selection: Selection) : { minIndex: number, maxIndex: number } {
+  const start = (selection.after || selection.before || selection.start)[rootPath.length]
+  const end = (selection.after || selection.before || selection.end)[rootPath.length]
+
   // if no object we assume it's an Array
   const startIndex = root.type === 'Object' ? findPropertyIndex(root, start) : parseInt(start)
   const endIndex   = root.type === 'Object' ? findPropertyIndex(root, end)   : parseInt(end)
 
   const minIndex = Math.min(startIndex, endIndex)
-  const maxIndex = Math.max(startIndex, endIndex) + 1 // include max index itself
+  const maxIndex = Math.max(startIndex, endIndex) +
+      ((selection.after || selection.before) ? 0 : 1) // include max index itself
 
   return { minIndex, maxIndex }
 }
@@ -401,15 +412,12 @@ export function findSelectionIndices (root: ESON, start: string, end: string) :
 /**
  * Get the JSON paths from a selection, sorted from first to last
  */
-export function pathsFromSelection (eson: ESON, selection: ESONSelection): JSONPath[] {
+export function pathsFromSelection (eson: ESON, selection: Selection): JSONPath[] {
   // find the parent node shared by both start and end of the selection
   const rootPath = findRootPath(selection)
-  const rootEsonPath = toEsonPath(eson, rootPath)
+  const root = getIn(eson, toEsonPath(eson, rootPath))
 
-  const root = getIn(eson, rootEsonPath)
-  const start = selection.start.path[rootPath.length]
-  const end = selection.end.path[rootPath.length]
-  const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, start, end)
+  const { minIndex, maxIndex } = findSelectionIndices(root, rootPath, selection)
 
   if (root.type === 'Object') {
     return times(maxIndex - minIndex, i => rootPath.concat(root.props[i + minIndex].name))
@@ -443,15 +451,23 @@ export function contentsFromPaths (data: ESON, paths: JSONPath[]) {
  * @return {JSONPath}
  */
 export function findRootPath(selection) {
-  const sharedPath = findSharedPath(selection.start.path, selection.end.path)
-
-  if (sharedPath.length === selection.start.path.length &&
-      sharedPath.length === selection.end.path.length) {
-    // there is just one node selected, return it's parent
-    return initial(sharedPath)
+  if (selection.before) {
+    return initial(selection.before)
   }
-  else {
-    return sharedPath
+  else if (selection.after) {
+    return initial(selection.after)
+  }
+  else { // .start and .end
+    const sharedPath = findSharedPath(selection.start, selection.end)
+
+    if (sharedPath.length === selection.start.length &&
+        sharedPath.length === selection.end.length) {
+      // there is just one node selected, return it's parent
+      return initial(sharedPath)
+    }
+    else {
+      return sharedPath
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/jsoneditor.less b/src/jsoneditor.less
index 0fe6f36..af7fc02 100644
--- a/src/jsoneditor.less
+++ b/src/jsoneditor.less
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ div.jsoneditor-node-container {
     &.jsoneditor-hover {
       background-color: @hoverAndSelectedColor;
 
-      &.jsoneditor-hover-after {
+      &.jsoneditor-hover-insert-area {
         background-color: @selectedColor;
 
         div.jsoneditor-insert-area {
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ div.jsoneditor-node-container {
           background-color: @hoverColor;
         }
 
-        &.jsoneditor-selected-after {
+        &.jsoneditor-selected-insert-area {
           div.jsoneditor-insert-area {
             border: 1px dashed #f4af41;
             background-color: @hoverAndSelectedColor;
@@ -590,13 +590,13 @@ div.jsoneditor-node-container {
       }
     }
 
-    &.jsoneditor-selected-after {
+    &.jsoneditor-selected-insert-area {
       background-color: inherit;
 
       &.jsoneditor-hover {
         background-color: @hoverColor;
 
-        &.jsoneditor-hover-after {
+        &.jsoneditor-hover-insert-area {
           background-color: inherit;
         }
       }
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ div.jsoneditor-node-container {
     .jsoneditor-hover {
       background-color: @hoverAndSelectedColor;
 
-      &.jsoneditor-hover-after {
+      &.jsoneditor-hover-insert-area {
         background-color: inherit;
 
         div.jsoneditor-insert-area {
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ div.jsoneditor-node-container {
   &.jsoneditor-hover {
     background-color: @hoverColor;
 
-    &.jsoneditor-hover-after {
+    &.jsoneditor-hover-insert-area {
       background-color: inherit;
 
       div.jsoneditor-insert-area {
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ div.jsoneditor-node-container {
     width: 100%;
     height: @height;
     left: 0;
-    bottom: -@height/2;
+    top: -@height/2;
     border: 1px transparent;
     box-sizing: border-box;
     z-index: 1; // must be on top of next node, it overlaps a bit
diff --git a/src/types.js b/src/types.js
index 4e05318..2ae7b25 100644
--- a/src/types.js
+++ b/src/types.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export type JSONArrayType = JSONType[]
 /********************** TYPES FOR THE ESON OBJECT MODEL *************************/
 
 export type SearchResultStatus = 'normal' | 'active'
-export type ESONPointerArea = 'value' | 'property' | 'before' | 'after'
+export type ESONPointerArea = 'value' | 'property'
 
 export type ESONObjectProperty = {
   id: number,
@@ -81,9 +81,11 @@ export type ESONPointer = {
   area?: ESONPointerArea
 }
 
-export type ESONSelection = {
-  start: ESONPointer,
-  end: ESONPointer
+export type Selection = {
+  start?: JSONPath,
+  end?: JSONPath,
+  before?: JSONPath,
+  after?: JSONPath
 }
 
 // TODO: ESONPointer.path is an array, JSONSchemaError.path is a string -> make this consistent