diff --git a/modules/behavior/operation.js b/modules/behavior/operation.js
index a3456c674..c4aa722a0 100644
--- a/modules/behavior/operation.js
+++ b/modules/behavior/operation.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export function behaviorOperation(context) {
                 .text(_operation.annotation() || _operation.title);
 
             flash();
+            if (_operation.point) _operation.point(null);
             _operation();
         }
     }
diff --git a/modules/behavior/paste.js b/modules/behavior/paste.js
index f76cffee2..a31a43d36 100644
--- a/modules/behavior/paste.js
+++ b/modules/behavior/paste.js
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ export function behaviorPaste(context) {
         }
 
         // Put pasted objects where mouse pointer is..
-        var center = projection(extent.center());
-        var delta = geoVecSubtract(mouse, center);
+        var copyPoint = (context.copyLonLat() && projection(context.copyLonLat())) || projection(extent.center());
+        var delta = geoVecSubtract(mouse, copyPoint);
 
         context.perform(actionMove(newIDs, delta, projection));
         context.enter(modeMove(context, newIDs, baseGraph));
diff --git a/modules/core/context.js b/modules/core/context.js
index 0cba035db..13d9d6b52 100644
--- a/modules/core/context.js
+++ b/modules/core/context.js
@@ -282,6 +282,13 @@ export function coreContext() {
     return context;
   };
 
+  let _copyLonLat;
+  context.copyLonLat = function(val) {
+    if (!arguments.length) return _copyLonLat;
+    _copyLonLat = val;
+    return context;
+  };
+
 
   /* Background */
   let _background;
diff --git a/modules/operations/copy.js b/modules/operations/copy.js
index bd81c8943..a58724169 100644
--- a/modules/operations/copy.js
+++ b/modules/operations/copy.js
@@ -53,6 +53,14 @@ export function operationCopy(context, selectedIDs) {
         }
 
         context.copyIDs(canCopy);
+        if (_point &&
+            (canCopy.length !== 1 || graph.entity(canCopy[0]).type !== 'node')) {
+            // store the anchor coordinates if copying more than a single node
+            context.copyLonLat(context.projection.invert(_point));
+        } else {
+            context.copyLonLat(null);
+        }
+
     };
 
 
@@ -127,6 +135,13 @@ export function operationCopy(context, selectedIDs) {
     };
 
 
+    var _point;
+    operation.point = function(val) {
+        _point = val;
+        return operation;
+    };
+
+
     operation.id = 'copy';
     operation.keys = [uiCmd('⌘C')];
     operation.title = t('operations.copy.title');
diff --git a/modules/operations/paste.js b/modules/operations/paste.js
index 8b36b3f61..297465346 100644
--- a/modules/operations/paste.js
+++ b/modules/operations/paste.js
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ import { utilDisplayLabel } from '../util/util';
 // see also `behaviorPaste`
 export function operationPaste(context) {
 
-    var _point;
+    var _pastePoint;
 
     var operation = function() {
 
-        if (!_point) return;
+        if (!_pastePoint) return;
 
         var oldIDs = context.copyIDs();
         if (!oldIDs.length) return;
@@ -48,16 +48,19 @@ export function operationPaste(context) {
             }
         }
 
-        // Put pasted objects where mouse pointer is..
-        var center = projection(extent.center());
-        var delta = geoVecSubtract(_point, center);
+        // Use the location of the copy operation to offset the paste location,
+        // or else use the center of the pasted extent
+        var copyPoint = (context.copyLonLat() && projection(context.copyLonLat())) ||
+            projection(extent.center());
+        var delta = geoVecSubtract(_pastePoint, copyPoint);
 
+        // Move the pasted objects to be anchored at the paste location
         context.replace(actionMove(newIDs, delta, projection), operation.annotation());
         context.enter(modeSelect(context, newIDs));
     };
 
     operation.point = function(val) {
-        _point = val;
+        _pastePoint = val;
         return operation;
     };