diff --git a/rtgui/toolbar.cc b/rtgui/toolbar.cc
index 9bed78768..f0a08b263 100644
--- a/rtgui/toolbar.cc
+++ b/rtgui/toolbar.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void ToolBar::setTool (ToolMode tool)
     ConnectionBlocker cropBlocker(cropConn);
     ConnectionBlocker wbWasBlocked(wbTool, wbConn), cpWasBlocked(colPickerTool, cpConn);
 
-    stopEdit = tool == TMHand && handTool->get_active() && editingMode;
+    stopEdit = tool == TMHand && handTool->get_active() && editingMode && !blockEdit;
 
     handTool->set_active (false);
 
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ void ToolBar::hand_pressed ()
     ConnectionBlocker cropBlocker(cropConn);
     ConnectionBlocker wbWasBlocked(wbTool, wbConn), cpWasBlocked(colPickerTool, cpConn);
 
-    if (editingMode) {
+    if (editingMode && !blockEdit) {
         stopEditMode();
         if (listener) {
             listener->editModeSwitchedOff ();
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ void ToolBar::colPicker_pressed (GdkEventButton* event)
 
         if (current != TMColorPicker) {
             // Disabling all other tools, enabling the Picker tool and entering the "visible pickers" mode
-            if (editingMode) {
+            if (editingMode && !blockEdit) {
                 stopEditMode();
                 if (listener) {
                     listener->editModeSwitchedOff ();
diff --git a/rtgui/toolbar.h b/rtgui/toolbar.h
index 2d859eac7..b86aff6ca 100644
--- a/rtgui/toolbar.h
+++ b/rtgui/toolbar.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ protected:
     ToolMode current;
     bool allowNoTool;
     bool editingMode;  // true if the cursor is being used to remotely edit tool's values
+    bool blockEdit; // true if edit tool shoudn't be disabled when pressing hand button or h/H key
     sigc::connection  handConn;
     sigc::connection  wbConn;
     sigc::connection  cpConn;
@@ -98,6 +99,11 @@ public:
 
     bool handleShortcutKey (GdkEventKey* event);
     void setBatchMode();
+
+    void blockEditDeactivation(bool cond = true)
+    {
+        blockEdit = cond;
+    }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/rtgui/toolpanelcoord.cc b/rtgui/toolpanelcoord.cc
index 1f8988c03..b3072326e 100644
--- a/rtgui/toolpanelcoord.cc
+++ b/rtgui/toolpanelcoord.cc
@@ -281,8 +281,10 @@ void ToolPanelCoordinator::notebookPageChanged(Gtk::Widget* page, guint page_num
     // segfault) and locallab panel is active
     if (photoLoadedOnce) {
         if (page == locallabPanelSW) {
+            toolBar->blockEditDeactivation(); // Avoid edit tool deactivation when Locallab page is active (except if pressing other tools button)
             locallab->subscribe();
         } else {
+            toolBar->blockEditDeactivation(false);
             locallab->unsubscribe();
         }
     }