diff --git a/gui/builtinContextMenus/damagePattern.py b/gui/builtinContextMenus/damagePattern.py
index 3c6135355..3bb0ad4fe 100755
--- a/gui/builtinContextMenus/damagePattern.py
+++ b/gui/builtinContextMenus/damagePattern.py
@@ -17,4 +17,6 @@ class DamagePattern(ContextMenu):
 
     def activate(self, context, selection, i):
         dlg=DmgPatternEditorDlg(self.mainFrame)
+        dlg.ShowModal()
+        dlg.Destroy()
 DamagePattern.register()
diff --git a/gui/patternEditor.py b/gui/patternEditor.py
index 812c6d868..cd89f4ae5 100644
--- a/gui/patternEditor.py
+++ b/gui/patternEditor.py
@@ -151,8 +151,9 @@ class DmgPatternEditorDlg ( wx.Dialog ):
         self.Layout()
         bsize = self.GetBestSize()
         self.SetSize((-1,bsize.height))
-        self.Show()
-
+#
+# edit controls are editEM editTHERM editKIN editEXP
+#
         self.new.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.newPattern)
         self.rename.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.renamePattern)
         self.delete.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.deletePattern)