diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/index.html b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/index.html
index 3a3aa49a77..0f1011f1d4 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/index.html
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/index.html
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 
         {% include "wagtailadmin/shared/breadcrumb.html" with page=parent_page %}
     </header>
-   
+
     <form id="page-reorder-form">
         {% csrf_token %}
 
         {% page_permissions parent_page as parent_page_perms %}
-        {% include "wagtailadmin/pages/list.html" with sortable=1 allow_navigation=1 full_width=1 parent_page=parent_page orderable=parent_page_perms.can_reorder_children %} 
+        {% include "wagtailadmin/pages/list.html" with sortable=1 allow_navigation=1 full_width=1 parent_page=parent_page orderable=parent_page_perms.can_reorder_children %}
     </form>
 {% endblock %}
 
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@
                 var orderform = $('#page-reorder-form');
 
                 $('.listing tbody').sortable({
-                    cursor: "move", 
-                    containment: "parent", 
-                    handle: ".handle", 
+                    cursor: "move",
+                    tolerance: "pointer",
+                    containment: "parent",
+                    handle: ".handle",
                     items: "> tr",
                     axis: "y",
                     placeholder: "dropzone",
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/pages.py b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/pages.py
index 53810fa3cc..bad91a990d 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/pages.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailadmin/views/pages.py
@@ -634,8 +634,13 @@ def set_page_position(request, page_to_move_id):
         # so don't bother to catch InvalidMoveToDescendant
 
         if position_page:
-            # Move page into this position
-            page_to_move.move(position_page, pos='left')
+            # If the page has been moved to the right, insert it to the
+            # right. If left, then left.
+            old_position = list(parent_page.get_children()).index(page_to_move)
+            if int(position) < old_position:
+                page_to_move.move(position_page, pos='left')
+            elif int(position) > old_position:
+                page_to_move.move(position_page, pos='right')
         else:
             # Move page to end
             page_to_move.move(parent_page, pos='last-child')