diff --git a/src/Global.js b/src/Global.js
index f775e33d..3877c440 100644
--- a/src/Global.js
+++ b/src/Global.js
@@ -54,8 +54,35 @@ var Kinetic = {};
          * @methodOf Kinetic.Global
          */
         isDragging: function() {
-            var dd = Kinetic.DD;   
-            return (!dd || dd.isDragging);
+            var dd = Kinetic.DD;  
+
+            // if DD is not included with the build, then
+            // drag and drop is not even possible
+            if (!dd) {
+                return false;
+            } 
+            // if DD is included with the build
+            else {
+                return dd.isDragging;
+            }
+        },
+        /**
+        * @method isDragReady returns whether or not a drag and drop operation is ready, but may
+        *  not necessarily have started
+        * @methodOf Kinetic.Global
+        */
+        isDragReady: function() {
+            var dd = Kinetic.DD;  
+
+            // if DD is not included with the build, then
+            // drag and drop is not even possible
+            if (!dd) {
+                return false;
+            } 
+            // if DD is included with the build
+            else {
+                return !!dd.node;
+            }
         },
         warn: function(str) {
             /*
diff --git a/src/Stage.js b/src/Stage.js
index c0ffbe70..57fb5155 100644
--- a/src/Stage.js
+++ b/src/Stage.js
@@ -412,10 +412,9 @@
         },
         _mousedown: function(evt) {
             this._setPointerPosition(evt);
-        	  var dd = Kinetic.DD,
-        	      go = Kinetic.Global,
-        	      obj = this.getIntersection(this.getPointerPosition()), 
-        	      shape;
+        	var go = Kinetic.Global,
+        	    obj = this.getIntersection(this.getPointerPosition()), 
+        	    shape;
 
             if(obj && obj.shape) {
                 shape = obj.shape;
@@ -425,7 +424,7 @@
             }
 
             //init stage drag and drop
-            if(this.isDraggable() && !dd.node) {
+            if(this.isDraggable() && !go.isDragReady()) {
                 this.startDrag(evt);
             }
         },
diff --git a/tests/js/functionalTests.js b/tests/js/functionalTests.js
index c9c5b009..3e88eeba 100644
--- a/tests/js/functionalTests.js
+++ b/tests/js/functionalTests.js
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ Test.Modules.DD = {
         });
         
         testDataUrl(layer.toDataURL(), 'drag circle before', 'start data url is incorrect');
+
+        test(!Kinetic.Global.isDragging(), 'Global isDragging() should be false');
+        test(!Kinetic.Global.isDragReady(), 'Global isDragReady()) should be false');
+
         /*
         * simulate drag and drop
         */
@@ -133,11 +137,17 @@ Test.Modules.DD = {
         //test(!dragMove, 'dragmove event should not have been triggered');
         test(!dragEnd, 'dragend event should not have been triggered');
 
+        test(!Kinetic.Global.isDragging(), 'Global isDragging() should be false');
+        test(Kinetic.Global.isDragReady(), 'Global isDragReady()) should be true');
+
         stage._mousemove({
             clientX: 100,
             clientY: 98 + top
         });
 
+        test(Kinetic.Global.isDragging(), 'Global isDragging() should be true');
+        test(Kinetic.Global.isDragReady(), 'Global isDragReady()) should be true');
+
         test(dragStart, 'dragstart event was not triggered');
         //test(dragMove, 'dragmove event was not triggered');
         test(!dragEnd, 'dragend event should not have been triggered');
@@ -155,6 +165,10 @@ Test.Modules.DD = {
         
         test(events.toString() === 'mouseup,dragend', 'mouseup should occur before dragend');
 
+
+        test(!Kinetic.Global.isDragging(), 'Global isDragging() should be false');
+        test(!Kinetic.Global.isDragReady(), 'Global isDragReady()) should be false');
+
         testDataUrl(layer.toDataURL(), 'drag circle after', 'end data url is incorrect');
         
         showHit(layer);