diff --git a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py
index e26a33dbb..f25c05749 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftGui.py
@@ -327,7 +327,6 @@ class DraftToolBar:
         self.SStringValue.setText("")
         self.labelFFile = self._label("labelFFile", self.layout)
         self.FFileValue = self._lineedit("FFileValue", self.layout)
-        defFile = Draft.getParam("FontFile","")
         self.chooserButton = self._pushbutton("chooserButton", self.layout, width=26)
         self.chooserButton.setText("...")
  
@@ -515,7 +514,7 @@ class DraftToolBar:
         self.labelSSize.setText(translate("draft", "Height"))
         self.STrackValue.setToolTip(translate("draft", "Intercharacter spacing"))
         self.labelSTrack.setText(translate("draft", "Tracking"))
-        self.labelFFile.setText(translate("draft", "Pick a font file"))
+        self.labelFFile.setText(translate("draft", "Full path to font file:"))
         self.chooserButton.setToolTip(translate("draft", "Open a FileChooser for font file"))
         
         if (not self.taskmode) or self.tray:
@@ -746,6 +745,8 @@ class DraftToolBar:
         ''' set up UI for ShapeString font file selection '''
         self.labelSTrack.hide()
         self.STrackValue.hide()
+        if not self.FFileValue.text():
+            self.FFileValue.setText(Draft.getParam("FontFile",""))
         self.labelFFile.show()
         self.FFileValue.show()
         self.chooserButton.show()
@@ -1040,6 +1041,7 @@ class DraftToolBar:
                     print e.args
                 else:
                     if fname:
+                        self.FFileValue.setText(fname)
                         self.sourceCmd.validFFile(fname)                      
                     else:
                         FreeCAD.Console.PrintMessage("DraftGui.pickFile: no file selected.")   # can this happen?
diff --git a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py
index 881f1c432..2796ac2ff 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py
+++ b/src/Mod/Draft/DraftTools.py
@@ -1816,6 +1816,7 @@ class ShapeString(Creator):
             self.ui.pointUi(name)
             self.active = True
             self.call = self.view.addEventCallback("SoEvent",self.action)
+            self.ssBase = None
             self.ui.xValue.setFocus()
             self.ui.xValue.selectAll()
             msg(translate("draft", "Pick ShapeString location point:\n"))
@@ -1846,14 +1847,12 @@ class ShapeString(Creator):
                         ['import Draft',
                          'ss=Draft.makeShapeString(String='+String+',FontFile='+FFile+',Size='+Size+',Tracking='+Tracking+')',
                          'plm=FreeCAD.Placement()',
-                         'plm.Base='+DraftVecUtils.toString(self.point),
+                         'plm.Base='+DraftVecUtils.toString(self.ssBase),
                          'plm.Rotation.Q='+qr,
                          'ss.Placement=plm',
                          'ss.Support='+sup])
         except Exception as e:
             msg("Draft_ShapeString: error delaying commit", "error")
-            #print type(e)
-            #print e.args
         self.finish()
 
     def action(self,arg):
@@ -1863,11 +1862,11 @@ class ShapeString(Creator):
                 self.finish()
         elif arg["Type"] == "SoLocation2Event": #mouse movement detection
             if self.active:
-                self.point,ctrlPoint,info = getPoint(self,arg)
+                self.point,ctrlPoint,info = getPoint(self,arg,noTracker=True)
         elif arg["Type"] == "SoMouseButtonEvent":
             if (arg["State"] == "DOWN") and (arg["Button"] == "BUTTON1"):
-                if self.point:
-                    self.node.append(self.point)
+                if not self.ssBase:
+                    self.ssBase = self.point
                     self.active = False
                     FreeCADGui.Snapper.off()
                     self.ui.SSUi()
@@ -1875,8 +1874,7 @@ class ShapeString(Creator):
     def numericInput(self,numx,numy,numz):
         '''this function gets called by the toolbar when valid
         x, y, and z have been entered there'''
-        self.point = Vector(numx,numy,numz)
-        self.node.append(self.point)
+        self.ssBase = Vector(numx,numy,numz)
         self.ui.SSUi()                   #move on to next step in parameter entry
         
     def numericSSize(self,ssize):