diff --git a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.Designer.cs b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.Designer.cs
index 775a3d3957..286fd9eee7 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.Designer.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.Designer.cs
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			this.toolStripMenuItemFixOpenAreas = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton();
 			this.toolStripMenuItemSetupDefaultPlayers = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton();
 			this.toolStripSeparator11 = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSeparator();
+			this.eraserToolStripButton = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton();
 			this.toolStripMenuItemCopySelection = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton();
 			this.toolStripSeparator7 = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSeparator();
 			this.QuickhelpToolStripButton = new System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton();
@@ -352,6 +353,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			this.toolStripMenuItemFixOpenAreas,
 			this.toolStripMenuItemSetupDefaultPlayers,
 			this.toolStripSeparator11,
+			this.eraserToolStripButton,
 			this.toolStripMenuItemCopySelection,
 			this.toolStripSeparator7,
 			this.QuickhelpToolStripButton});
@@ -520,6 +522,16 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			this.toolStripSeparator11.Name = "toolStripSeparator11";
 			this.toolStripSeparator11.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(6, 25);
 			// 
+			// eraserToolStripButton
+			// 
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.DisplayStyle = System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItemDisplayStyle.Image;
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.Image = ((System.Drawing.Image)(resources.GetObject("eraserToolStripButton.Image")));
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.ImageTransparentColor = System.Drawing.Color.Magenta;
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.Name = "eraserToolStripButton";
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(23, 22);
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.Text = "Erase actors and resources.";
+			this.eraserToolStripButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.EraserToolStripButtonClick);
+			// 
 			// toolStripMenuItemCopySelection
 			// 
 			this.toolStripMenuItemCopySelection.DisplayStyle = System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItemDisplayStyle.Image;
@@ -1059,6 +1071,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripSeparator toolStripSeparator12;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton showRulerToolStripItem;
 		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem showRulerToolStripMenuItem;
+		private System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripButton eraserToolStripButton;
 
 		#endregion
 
diff --git a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs
index 6ce2f5f721..17a4a0283a 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.cs
@@ -750,5 +750,11 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 		{
 			showRulerToolStripMenuItemClick(sender, e);
 		}
+
+		void EraserToolStripButtonClick(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
+		{
+			eraserToolStripButton.Checked ^= true;
+			surface1.IsErasing = eraserToolStripButton.Checked;
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.resx b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.resx
index dfc3958e13..84481a152c 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.resx
+++ b/OpenRA.Editor/Form1.resx
@@ -296,6 +296,16 @@
         /z3G8q/AKohxAcjPIGeDbAZpXmch9mteYfb/Gct2EhWQ/0EBBvIzyNkgm8t8A/9X10/6DwLEGoICXCKK
         /vfP2fr/2p1nJBkCUwSmHUMLwIZcv/ucJENQAMyQG3coMMQprBBsyO17T8k3xNgj+b9rZBF1DAFhqBDp
         AGQIlEkNwMAAAP7JtzLCVbRNAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC
+</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="eraserToolStripButton.Image" type="System.Drawing.Bitmap, System.Drawing" mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.bytearray.base64">
+    <value>
+        iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAQCAYAAAAf8/9hAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAARnQU1BAACxjwv8
+        YQUAAAAJcEhZcwAADsMAAA7DAcdvqGQAAAD2SURBVDhPY6ApmLlqNz+Irmqd/H/aqpP/S3s2/W+etuM/
+        SKy8YxVYDidA1gwDv37/+X/i4sP/xR1rwYbgBNg0//z15/+9px/+3370HmxI7cQN2A3Bpfn1+29wA0Ag
+        o2YmpgHEam6buvm/V1wVqgGkaMYwgCLNMECqZpe0crClYACKYxggWTMIzFx7+v/zN1/+P3z+8f+7j99J
+        0wwCzTN2/992+Ob/tXuv/j9w5j5Q8zu45saJy/FrhoGs+nn/SzsW/58FdM3s9Wf+L9l8/P+MZTuxBxg6
+        SCufCTc5Jq/tf0r5hP9xhZ0gjcRgBAhN68DtRNoABgYAAoqNFseCkuMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=
 </value>
   </data>
   <data name="toolStripMenuItemCopySelection.Image" type="System.Drawing.Bitmap, System.Drawing" mimetype="application/x-microsoft.net.object.bytearray.base64">
diff --git a/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs b/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs
index 2188f58264..ea1823d478 100755
--- a/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Editor/Surface.cs
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 		ITool Tool;
 
 		public bool IsPanning;
+		public bool IsErasing;
 		public bool ShowActorNames;
 		public bool ShowGrid;
 		public bool ShowRuler;
@@ -158,10 +159,10 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 				Scroll(oldMousePos - MousePos);
 			else
 			{
-				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Right)
+				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Right || (IsErasing && e.Button == MouseButtons.Left))
 					Erase();
 
-				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
+				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left && !IsErasing)
 					Draw();
 
 				Invalidate();
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Editor
 			if (!IsPanning)
 			{
 				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Right) Erase();
-				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left)
+				if (e.Button == MouseButtons.Left && !IsErasing)
 				{
 					Draw();
 					if (!IsPaste)