diff --git a/src/fe_modes.c b/src/fe_modes.c
index 8d17a5f..a8527e7 100644
--- a/src/fe_modes.c
+++ b/src/fe_modes.c
@@ -122,6 +122,25 @@ void switch_mode(Mode_ID new_mode, State *state) {
   refresh_screen();
 }
 
+Mode_ID add_mod_canvas_mode(Mode_ID mode, int n) {
+  int mode_first = MODE_PICKER + 1;  // beginning of selectable modes
+  int mode_list_end = LAST;          // length of total mode list
+
+  if (mode < mode_first || mode_list_end <= mode) {
+    logd("mode \"%s\" is not a canvas mode", mode);
+    return mode;
+  }
+
+  // loop properly between mode_first and last mode
+  return ((mode - mode_first) + n) % (mode_list_end - mode_first) + mode_first;
+}
+
+Mode_ID next_canvas_mode(Mode_ID mode) { return add_mod_canvas_mode(mode, 1); }
+
+Mode_ID previous_canvas_mode(Mode_ID mode) {
+  return add_mod_canvas_mode(mode, -1);
+}
+
 /* Handler run in frontend main loop.
  *
  * Interprets keypresses, manages global keys, and passes data to modes.
@@ -148,12 +167,26 @@ int master_handler(State *state, WINDOW *canvas_win, WINDOW *status_win) {
   } else if (c == KEY_TAB) {  // switching modes
     if (state->current_mode == MODE_PICKER &&
         state->last_canvas_mode != MODE_PICKER) {
-      logd("Reverting to last mode\n");
-      switch_mode(state->last_canvas_mode, state);
+      state->last_canvas_mode = next_canvas_mode(state->last_canvas_mode);
+
+      // update mode_picker() to redraw the highlight
+      state->ch_in = c;
+      call_mode(state->current_mode, NEW_KEY, state);
     } else {
       switch_mode(MODE_PICKER, state);
     }
     return 0;
+  } else if (c == KEY_SHIFT_TAB) {
+    if (state->current_mode == MODE_PICKER &&
+        state->last_canvas_mode != MODE_PICKER) {
+      state->last_canvas_mode = previous_canvas_mode(state->last_canvas_mode);
+
+      // update mode_picker() to redraw the highlight
+      state->ch_in = c;
+      call_mode(state->current_mode, NEW_KEY, state);
+    } else {
+      switch_mode(MODE_PICKER, state);
+    }
   } else if (c == KEY_NPAGE || c == KEY_PPAGE || c == KEY_SLEFT ||
              c == KEY_SRIGHT) {
     // shift view down/up/left/right
@@ -271,18 +304,40 @@ int mode_picker(reason_t reason, State *state) {
   int num_left = sizeof(msg) / sizeof(char);
 
   char buffer[16];
+
+  // these variables are used to reverse-video the current canvas mode
+  int selected_x = 0;
+  int selected_num_char = -1;
+  bool found_selected = FALSE;
   for (int i = mode_first; i < mode_list_end; i++) {
     int num_to_write = snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer) / sizeof(char),
-                                "%i: %s|", i - mode_first + 1, modes[i].name);
+                                " [%i] %s ", i - mode_first + 1, modes[i].name);
+
     if (num_left - num_to_write < 0) {
       break;
     }
     strncat(msg, buffer, num_to_write);
     num_left -= num_to_write;
+
+    // Find the current canvas mode
+    if (state->last_canvas_mode == i) {
+      found_selected = TRUE;
+      selected_num_char = num_to_write;
+    }
+
+    // Keep track of where the selected mode text starts in the window
+    if (!found_selected) {
+      selected_x += num_to_write;
+    }
   }
 
   print_mode_win(msg);
 
+  // Reverse-video the current canvas mode
+  if (selected_num_char != -1) {
+    highlight_mode_text(selected_x, selected_num_char);
+  }
+
   // INTERPRET KEYS
   if (reason == NEW_KEY) {
     // only accept characters within the bounds of the list
@@ -291,6 +346,9 @@ int mode_picker(reason_t reason, State *state) {
       Mode_ID new_mode = mode_first + state->ch_in - '1';
       switch_mode(new_mode, state);
       return 0;
+    } else if (state->ch_in == KEY_ENTER) {
+      switch_mode(state->last_canvas_mode, state);
+      return 0;
     }
   }
   return 0;
diff --git a/src/frontend.c b/src/frontend.c
index 7276e61..41b2843 100644
--- a/src/frontend.c
+++ b/src/frontend.c
@@ -528,6 +528,12 @@ int print_mode_win(char *format, ...) {
   return res;
 }
 
+/* Reverse-video the text starting at x in mode window, for num_ch characters.
+ */
+void highlight_mode_text(int x, int num_ch) {
+  mvwchgat(status_interface->mode_win, 0, x, num_ch, A_REVERSE, 0, NULL);
+}
+
 /* Update the info subwindow in status_win with relevant info.
  *
  * Prints the current mode, cursor coordinates, and canvas dimensions
diff --git a/src/frontend.h b/src/frontend.h
index 6558fc8..c61a46f 100644
--- a/src/frontend.h
+++ b/src/frontend.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ void destroy_win();
 
 int print_msg_win(char *format, ...);
 int print_info_win(char *format, ...);
+void highlight_mode_text(int x, int num_ch);
 int print_mode_win(char *format, ...);
 void update_info_win(const Mode_ID current_mode, const int x, const int y,
                      const int w, const int h);