diff --git a/pd/nw/pdgui.js b/pd/nw/pdgui.js
index 071c7615a5a2a152ebaee26fcdf47e0efc824015..074811f075d604a3ee5cda5eb5498f3e2113e557 100644
--- a/pd/nw/pdgui.js
+++ b/pd/nw/pdgui.js
@@ -2300,13 +2300,18 @@ function gui_iemgui_label_show_drag_handle(cid, tag, state, x, y) {
         gobj.appendChild(rect);
         patchwin[cid].window.canvas_events.clickable_resize_handle = true;
     } else {
-        rect = get_item(cid, "clickable_resize_handle");
-        // Need to check for null here...
-        if (rect) {
-            rect.parentNode.removeChild(rect);
-            patchwin[cid].window.canvas_events.clickable_resize_handle = false;
-        } else {
-            post("couldnt delete the iemgui drag handle!");
+        if (gobj) {
+            rect = gobj.getElementsByClassName((cid === tag) ?
+                "gop_drag_handle" : "label_drag_handle")[0];
+            //rect = get_item(cid, "clickable_resize_handle");
+            // Need to check for null here...
+            if (rect) {
+                rect.parentNode.removeChild(rect);
+                patchwin[cid].window.canvas_events.clickable_resize_handle =
+                    false;
+            } else {
+                post("couldnt delete the iemgui drag handle!");
+            }
         }
     }
 }