diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py b/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py
index e882227c..dd7f8308 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/coreclient.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ from core.gui.dialogs.emaneinstall import EmaneInstallDialog
 from core.gui.dialogs.error import ErrorDialog
 from core.gui.dialogs.mobilityplayer import MobilityPlayer
 from core.gui.dialogs.sessions import SessionsDialog
-from core.gui.graph import tags
 from core.gui.graph.edges import CanvasEdge
 from core.gui.graph.node import CanvasNode
 from core.gui.graph.shape import AnnotationData, Shape
@@ -389,9 +388,7 @@ class CoreClient:
                     self.app.canvas.shapes[shape.id] = shape
                 except ValueError:
                     logging.exception("unknown shape: %s", shape_type)
-
-        for tag in tags.ABOVE_WALLPAPER_TAGS:
-            self.app.canvas.tag_raise(tag)
+        self.app.canvas.organize()
 
     def create_new_session(self):
         """
diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/graph/edges.py b/daemon/core/gui/graph/edges.py
index 68c3823b..00268c88 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/graph/edges.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/graph/edges.py
@@ -331,8 +331,6 @@ class CanvasEdge(Edge):
         dst_pos = self.canvas.coords(self.dst)
         self.move_dst(dst_pos)
         self.check_wireless()
-        self.canvas.tag_raise(self.src)
-        self.canvas.tag_raise(self.dst)
         logging.debug("Draw wired link from node %s to node %s", self.src, dst)
 
     def is_wireless(self) -> bool:
diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/graph/graph.py b/daemon/core/gui/graph/graph.py
index 74ca3bc2..eacbf1f4 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/graph/graph.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/graph/graph.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class CanvasGraph(tk.Canvas):
         self.show_ip6s.set(True)
 
         # delete any existing drawn items
-        for tag in tags.COMPONENT_TAGS:
+        for tag in tags.RESET_TAGS:
             self.delete(tag)
 
         # set the private variables to default value
@@ -591,6 +591,7 @@ class CanvasGraph(tk.Canvas):
         if self.mode == GraphMode.EDGE and is_node:
             pos = self.coords(selected)
             self.drawing_edge = CanvasEdge(self, selected, pos, pos)
+            self.organize()
 
         if self.mode == GraphMode.ANNOTATION:
             if is_marker(self.annotation_type):
@@ -866,10 +867,11 @@ class CanvasGraph(tk.Canvas):
                 self.wallpaper_scaled()
             elif option == ScaleOption.TILED:
                 logging.warning("tiled background not implemented yet")
+        self.organize()
 
-        # raise items above wallpaper
-        for component in tags.ABOVE_WALLPAPER_TAGS:
-            self.tag_raise(component)
+    def organize(self) -> None:
+        for tag in tags.ORGANIZE_TAGS:
+            self.tag_raise(tag)
 
     def set_wallpaper(self, filename: str):
         logging.debug("setting wallpaper: %s", filename)
diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/graph/shape.py b/daemon/core/gui/graph/shape.py
index eeda09fd..9dd01772 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/graph/shape.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/graph/shape.py
@@ -146,8 +146,7 @@ class Shape:
         self.canvas.coords(self.id, self.x1, self.y1, x1, y1)
 
     def shape_complete(self, x: float, y: float):
-        for component in tags.ABOVE_SHAPE:
-            self.canvas.tag_raise(component)
+        self.canvas.organize()
         s = ShapeDialog(self.app, self)
         s.show()
 
diff --git a/daemon/core/gui/graph/tags.py b/daemon/core/gui/graph/tags.py
index 8ac6476b..c0721193 100644
--- a/daemon/core/gui/graph/tags.py
+++ b/daemon/core/gui/graph/tags.py
@@ -11,19 +11,21 @@ NODE = "node"
 WALLPAPER = "wallpaper"
 SELECTION = "selectednodes"
 MARKER = "marker"
-ABOVE_WALLPAPER_TAGS = [
+ORGANIZE_TAGS = [
+    WALLPAPER,
     GRIDLINE,
     SHAPE,
     SHAPE_TEXT,
     EDGE,
-    LINK_LABEL,
     WIRELESS_EDGE,
+    LINK_LABEL,
     ANTENNA,
     NODE,
     NODE_LABEL,
+    SELECTION,
+    MARKER,
 ]
-ABOVE_SHAPE = [GRIDLINE, EDGE, LINK_LABEL, WIRELESS_EDGE, ANTENNA, NODE, NODE_LABEL]
-COMPONENT_TAGS = [
+RESET_TAGS = [
     EDGE,
     NODE,
     NODE_LABEL,