diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
index 20c439cbe8..6cf5defda4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Browsing book collection by tags.
 
 from itertools import izip
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QTreeView, \
+from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, QTreeView, QApplication, \
                      QFont, SIGNAL, QSize, QIcon, QPoint, \
                      QAbstractItemModel, QVariant, QModelIndex
 from calibre.gui2 import config, NONE
@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView):
         self.model().refresh()
 
     def toggle(self, index):
-        if self._model.toggle(index):
+        modifiers = int(QApplication.keyboardModifiers())
+        exclusive = modifiers not in (Qt.CTRL, Qt.SHIFT)
+        if self._model.toggle(index, exclusive):
             self.emit(SIGNAL('tags_marked(PyQt_PyObject, PyQt_PyObject)'),
                       self._model.tokens(), self.match_all.isChecked())
 
@@ -227,12 +229,14 @@ class TagsModel(QAbstractItemModel):
 
         return len(parent_item.children)
 
-    def reset_all_states(self):
+    def reset_all_states(self, except_=None):
         for i in xrange(self.rowCount(QModelIndex())):
             category_index = self.index(i, 0, QModelIndex())
             for j in xrange(self.rowCount(category_index)):
                 tag_index = self.index(j, 0, category_index)
                 tag_item = tag_index.internalPointer()
+                if tag_item is except_:
+                    continue
                 tag = tag_item.tag
                 if tag.state != 0:
                     tag.state = 0
@@ -248,10 +252,12 @@ class TagsModel(QAbstractItemModel):
         else:
             self.ignore_next_search -= 1
 
-    def toggle(self, index):
+    def toggle(self, index, exclusive):
         if not index.isValid(): return False
         item = index.internalPointer()
         if item.type == TagTreeItem.TAG:
+            if exclusive:
+                self.reset_all_states(except_=item)
             item.toggle()
             self.ignore_next_search = 2
             self.emit(SIGNAL('dataChanged(QModelIndex,QModelIndex)'), index, index)