diff --git a/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.cpp b/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.cpp
index 5aeaee5d47..d01780650a 100644
--- a/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.cpp
+++ b/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ void BoardWidget::paint_event(GUI::PaintEvent& event)
 void BoardWidget::mousedown_event(GUI::MouseEvent& event)
 {
     if (event.button() == GUI::MouseButton::Primary) {
+        m_dragging_enabled = (m_selected_pattern == nullptr);
         set_toggling_cells(true);
         auto row_and_column = get_row_and_column_for_point(event.x(), event.y());
         if (!row_and_column.has_value())
@@ -239,7 +240,7 @@ void BoardWidget::mousemove_event(GUI::MouseEvent& event)
     if (!row_and_column.has_value())
         return;
     auto [row, column] = row_and_column.value();
-    if (m_toggling_cells) {
+    if (m_toggling_cells && m_dragging_enabled) {
         if (m_last_cell_toggled.row != row || m_last_cell_toggled.column != column)
             toggle_cell(row, column);
     }
@@ -253,6 +254,7 @@ void BoardWidget::mousemove_event(GUI::MouseEvent& event)
 void BoardWidget::mouseup_event(GUI::MouseEvent&)
 {
     set_toggling_cells(false);
+    m_dragging_enabled = true;
 }
 
 Optional<Board::RowAndColumn> BoardWidget::get_row_and_column_for_point(int x, int y) const
diff --git a/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.h b/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.h
index 1b3d5431f9..77f48151d7 100644
--- a/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.h
+++ b/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/BoardWidget.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ private:
     NonnullOwnPtr<Board> m_board;
 
     bool m_running { false };
+    bool m_dragging_enabled { true };
 
     int m_running_timer_interval { 500 };
     int m_running_pattern_preview_timer_interval { 100 };
diff --git a/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/main.cpp b/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/main.cpp
index 4216a4a38b..28513b2379 100644
--- a/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/main.cpp
+++ b/Userland/Games/GameOfLife/main.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ ErrorOr<int> serenity_main(Main::Arguments arguments)
     statusbar.segment(1).set_fixed_width(ceil(width));
 
     auto show_statusbar_hint = [&]() {
-        auto tip = board_widget->selected_pattern() ? pattern_place_tip : toggle_cells_tip;
+        auto tip = board_widget.selected_pattern() ? pattern_place_tip : toggle_cells_tip;
         statusbar.segment(0).set_text(tip);
     };
     show_statusbar_hint();