diff --git a/static/js/editPanel.js b/static/js/editPanel.js
index 32b27dc63..79017e3c3 100644
--- a/static/js/editPanel.js
+++ b/static/js/editPanel.js
@@ -215,8 +215,9 @@ pandora.ui.editPanel = function(isEmbed) {
                 });
             },
             join: function(data) {
-                var clips = [serializeClips(data.ids), serializeClips(data.join)];
-                pandora.doHistory('join', clips, ui.edit, function(result) {
+                var clips = [serializeClips(data.ids), serializeClips(data.join)],
+                    index = pandora.$ui.editPanel.getPasteIndex() - 1;
+                pandora.doHistory('join', clips, ui.edit, index, function(result) {
                     edit.clips = edit.clips.filter(function(clip) {
                         return !Ox.contains(data.ids, clip.id);
                     }).concat(result.data.clips);
@@ -314,11 +315,25 @@ pandora.ui.editPanel = function(isEmbed) {
                 sortClips(updateClips);
             },
             split: function(data) {
-                var clips = [serializeClips(data.ids), serializeClips(data.split)];
-                pandora.doHistory('split', clips, ui.edit, function(result) {
+                var clips = [serializeClips(data.ids), serializeClips(data.split)],
+                    index = pandora.$ui.editPanel.getPasteIndex() - 1;
+                pandora.doHistory('split', clips, ui.edit, index, function(result) {
                     updateClips(edit.clips.filter(function(clip) {
                         return !Ox.contains(data.ids, clip.id);
+                    }).map(function(clip) {
+                        if (clip.index >= result.data.clips[0].index) {
+                            clip.index += result.data.clips.length
+                        }
+                        return clip;
                     }).concat(result.data.clips));
+                    //fixme: what resets the position here?
+                    var position = that.options('position');
+                    that.options({
+                        selected: result.data.clips.map(function(clip) { return clip.id}),
+                    });
+                    setTimeout(function() {
+                        that.options('position', position);
+                    }, 500);
                 });
             },
             subtitles: function(data) {
diff --git a/static/js/utils.js b/static/js/utils.js
index 73b582176..4387cab40 100644
--- a/static/js/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/utils.js
@@ -353,9 +353,10 @@ pandora.createLinks = function($element) {
 
 (function() {
 
-    pandora.doHistory = function(action, items, targets, callback) {
+    pandora.doHistory = function(action, items, targets, index, callback) {
         items = Ox.makeArray(items);
         targets = Ox.makeArray(targets);
+        callback = Ox.last(arguments);
         if (action == 'copy' || action == 'paste') {
             addItems(items, targets[0], addToHistory);
         } else if (action == 'cut' || action == 'delete') {
@@ -364,7 +365,7 @@ pandora.createLinks = function($element) {
             editItem(items[1], addToHistory);
         } else if (action == 'join' || action == 'split') {
             removeItems(items[0], targets[0], function() {
-                addItems(items[1], targets[0], addToHistory);
+                addItems(items[1], targets[0], index, addToHistory);
             });
         } else if (action == 'move') {
             removeItems(items, targets[0], function() {
@@ -456,8 +457,14 @@ pandora.createLinks = function($element) {
         }
     };
 
-    function addItems(items, target, callback) {
+    function addItems(items, target, index, callback) {
         var clips, type = getType(items);
+        if (Ox.isUndefined(callback)) {
+            callback = index;
+            index = pandora.$ui.editPanel
+                    ? pandora.$ui.editPanel.getPasteIndex()
+                    : void 0;
+        }
         if (type == 'item') {
             pandora.api.find({
                 query: {
@@ -485,9 +492,7 @@ pandora.createLinks = function($element) {
             pandora.api.addClips({
                 clips: pandora.getClipData(items),
                 edit: target,
-                index: pandora.$ui.editPanel
-                    ? pandora.$ui.editPanel.getPasteIndex()
-                    : void 0
+                index: index
             }, function(result) {
                 // adding clips creates new ids, so mutate items in history
                 items.splice.apply(items, [0, items.length].concat(