diff --git a/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp b/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp
--- a/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/KisNodeView.cpp
@@ -522,6 +522,11 @@
 void KisNodeView::dragEnterEvent(QDragEnterEvent *ev)
 {
     DRAG_WHILE_DRAG_WORKAROUND_START();
+
+    QVariant data = qVariantFromValue(
+        static_cast<void*>(const_cast<QMimeData*>(ev->mimeData())));
+    model()->setData(QModelIndex(), data, KisNodeModel::DropEnabled);
+
     QTreeView::dragEnterEvent(ev);
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.h b/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.h
--- a/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.h
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.h
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@
                                       KisImageWSP image,
                                       KisShapeController *shapeController);
 
+    static KisNodeList loadNodesFast(
+        const QMimeData *data,
+        KisImageSP image,
+        KisShapeController *shapeController,
+        bool &copyNode);
+
 private:
     /**
      * Try load the node, which belongs to the same Krita instance,
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.cpp b/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.cpp
--- a/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_mimedata.cpp
@@ -327,7 +327,10 @@
 
         KisPaintDeviceSP device = new KisPaintDevice(KoColorSpaceRegistry::instance()->rgb8());
         device->convertFromQImage(qimage, 0);
-        nodes << new KisPaintLayer(image.data(), image->nextLayerName(), OPACITY_OPAQUE_U8, device);
+
+		if (image) {
+			nodes << new KisPaintLayer(image.data(), image->nextLayerName(), OPACITY_OPAQUE_U8, device);
+		}
 
         alwaysRecenter = true;
     }
@@ -402,13 +405,11 @@
     return result;
 }
 
-bool KisMimeData::insertMimeLayers(const QMimeData *data,
-                                   KisImageSP image,
-                                   KisShapeController *shapeController,
-                                   KisNodeDummy *parentDummy,
-                                   KisNodeDummy *aboveThisDummy,
-                                   bool copyNode,
-                                   KisNodeInsertionAdapter *nodeInsertionAdapter)
+KisNodeList KisMimeData::loadNodesFast(
+    const QMimeData *data,
+    KisImageSP image,
+    KisShapeController *shapeController,
+    bool &copyNode)
 {
     QList<KisNodeSP> nodes =
         KisMimeData::tryLoadInternalNodes(data,
@@ -429,6 +430,19 @@
         copyNode = true;
     }
 
+    return nodes;
+}
+
+bool KisMimeData::insertMimeLayers(const QMimeData *data,
+                                   KisImageSP image,
+                                   KisShapeController *shapeController,
+                                   KisNodeDummy *parentDummy,
+                                   KisNodeDummy *aboveThisDummy,
+                                   bool copyNode,
+                                   KisNodeInsertionAdapter *nodeInsertionAdapter)
+{
+    QList<KisNodeSP> nodes = loadNodesFast(data, image, shapeController, copyNode /* IN-OUT */);
+
     if (nodes.isEmpty()) return false;
 
     bool result = true;
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_node_model.h b/libs/ui/kis_node_model.h
--- a/libs/ui/kis_node_model.h
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_node_model.h
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@
         // An index of a color label associated with the node
         ColorLabelIndexRole,
 
+        // Instruct this model to update all its items' Qt::ItemIsDropEnabled flags in order to
+        // reflect if the item allows an "onto" drop of the given QMimeData*.
+        DropEnabled,
+
         /// This is to ensure that we can extend the data role in the future, since it's not possible to add a role after BeginThumbnailRole (due to "Hack")
         ReservedRole = 99,
 
@@ -119,6 +123,7 @@
     QStringList mimeTypes() const override;
     QMimeData* mimeData(const QModelIndexList & indexes) const override;
     bool dropMimeData(const QMimeData * data, Qt::DropAction action, int row, int column, const QModelIndex & parent) override;
+    bool canDropMimeData(const QMimeData *data, Qt::DropAction action, int row, int column, const QModelIndex &parent) const override;
     Qt::DropActions supportedDragActions() const override;
     Qt::DropActions supportedDropActions() const override;
     bool hasDummiesFacade();
@@ -158,6 +163,9 @@
 
     void regenerateItems(KisNodeDummy *dummy);
     bool belongsToIsolatedGroup(KisNodeSP node) const;
+
+	void setDropEnabled(const QMimeData *data);
+	void updateDropEnabled(const QList<KisNodeSP> &nodes, QModelIndex parent = QModelIndex());
     
 private:
 
diff --git a/libs/ui/kis_node_model.cpp b/libs/ui/kis_node_model.cpp
--- a/libs/ui/kis_node_model.cpp
+++ b/libs/ui/kis_node_model.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@
     QPersistentModelIndex activeNodeIndex;
 
     QPointer<KisNodeDummy> parentOfRemovedNode = 0;
+
+    QSet<quintptr> dropEnabled;
 };
 
 KisNodeModel::KisNodeModel(QObject * parent)
@@ -496,12 +498,20 @@
 {
     if(!m_d->dummiesFacade || !index.isValid()) return Qt::ItemIsDropEnabled;
 
-    Qt::ItemFlags flags = Qt::ItemIsEnabled | Qt::ItemIsSelectable | Qt::ItemIsDragEnabled | Qt::ItemIsEditable | Qt::ItemIsDropEnabled;
+    Qt::ItemFlags flags = Qt::ItemIsEnabled | Qt::ItemIsSelectable | Qt::ItemIsDragEnabled | Qt::ItemIsEditable;
+    if (m_d->dropEnabled.contains(index.internalId())) {
+        flags |= Qt::ItemIsDropEnabled;
+    }
     return flags;
 }
 
 bool KisNodeModel::setData(const QModelIndex &index, const QVariant &value, int role)
 {
+    if (role == KisNodeModel::DropEnabled) {
+        const QMimeData *mimeData = static_cast<const QMimeData*>(value.value<void*>());
+        setDropEnabled(mimeData);
+        return true;
+    }
 
     if (role == KisNodeModel::ActiveRole || role == KisNodeModel::AlternateActiveRole) {
         QModelIndex parentIndex;
@@ -644,3 +654,51 @@
                                          m_d->nodeInsertionAdapter);
 }
 
+bool KisNodeModel::canDropMimeData(const QMimeData *data, Qt::DropAction action, int row, int column, const QModelIndex &parent) const {
+	if (parent.isValid()) {
+        // drop occured on an item. always return true as returning false will mess up
+        // QT5's drag handling (see KisNodeModel::setDropEnabled).
+        return true;
+	} else {
+		return QAbstractItemModel::canDropMimeData(data, action, row, column, parent);
+	}
+}
+
+void KisNodeModel::setDropEnabled(const QMimeData *data) {
+    // what happens here should really happen in KisNodeModel::canDropMimeData(), but QT5
+    // will mess up if an item's Qt::ItemIsDropEnabled does not match what is returned by
+    // canDropMimeData; specifically, if we set the flag, but decide in canDropMimeData()
+    // later on that an "onto" drag is not allowed, QT will display an drop indicator for
+    // insertion, but not perform any drop when the mouse is released.
+
+    // the only robust implementation seems to set all flags correctly, which is done here.
+
+    bool copyNode = false;
+    KisNodeList nodes = KisMimeData::loadNodesFast(data, m_d->image, m_d->shapeController, copyNode);
+    m_d->dropEnabled.clear();
+    updateDropEnabled(nodes);
+}
+
+void KisNodeModel::updateDropEnabled(const QList<KisNodeSP> &nodes, QModelIndex parent) {
+    for (int r = 0; r < rowCount(parent); r++) {
+        QModelIndex idx = index(r, 0, parent);
+
+        KisNodeSP target = nodeFromIndex(idx);
+
+        bool dropEnabled = true;
+        Q_FOREACH (const KisNodeSP &node, nodes) {
+            if (!target->allowAsChild(node)) {
+                dropEnabled = false;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        if (dropEnabled) {
+            m_d->dropEnabled.insert(idx.internalId());
+        }
+        emit dataChanged(idx, idx); // indicate to QT that flags() have changed
+
+        if (hasChildren(idx)) {
+            updateDropEnabled(nodes, idx);
+        }
+    }
+}