diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_image.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_image.py
index cfe5d66740c..855e738f776 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_image.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/space_image.py
@@ -153,10 +153,6 @@ class IMAGE_MT_image(Menu):
                     if ima.source in {'FILE', 'GENERATED'} and ima.type != 'OPEN_EXR_MULTILAYER':
                         layout.operator("image.pack", text="Pack As PNG").as_png = True
 
-            if not context.tool_settings.use_uv_sculpt:
-                layout.separator()
-                layout.prop(sima, "use_image_paint")
-
             layout.separator()
 
 
@@ -411,7 +407,7 @@ class IMAGE_HT_header(Header):
             layout.template_image_layers(ima, iuser)
 
             # painting
-            layout.prop(sima, "use_image_paint", text="")
+            layout.prop(sima, "mode", text="")
 
             # draw options
             row = layout.row(align=True)
@@ -423,7 +419,7 @@ class IMAGE_HT_header(Header):
             if ima.type == 'COMPOSITE' and ima.source in {'MOVIE', 'SEQUENCE'}:
                 row.operator("image.play_composite", icon='PLAY')
 
-        if show_uvedit or sima.use_image_paint:
+        if show_uvedit or sima.mode == 'PAINT':
             layout.prop(sima, "use_realtime_update", text="", icon_only=True, icon='LOCKED')
 
 
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_icons.c b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_icons.c
index 002c3d48a01..2bfead708be 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_icons.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_icons.c
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@ static int ui_id_brush_get_icon(bContext *C, ID *id)
 				mode = OB_MODE_TEXTURE_PAINT;
 		}
 		else if ((sima = CTX_wm_space_image(C)) &&
-		         (sima->flag & SI_DRAWTOOL))
+		         (sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT))
 		{
 			mode = OB_MODE_TEXTURE_PAINT;
 		}
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/sculpt_paint/paint_image.c b/source/blender/editors/sculpt_paint/paint_image.c
index 073e60ca87c..aa239af43f7 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/sculpt_paint/paint_image.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/sculpt_paint/paint_image.c
@@ -4667,8 +4667,9 @@ static int image_paint_poll(bContext *C)
 		if (sima) {
 			ARegion *ar = CTX_wm_region(C);
 
-			if ((sima->flag & SI_DRAWTOOL) && ar->regiontype == RGN_TYPE_WINDOW)
+			if ((sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT) && ar->regiontype == RGN_TYPE_WINDOW) {
 				return 1;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_draw.c b/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_draw.c
index cf78eaabd88..aaa2676c4c2 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_draw.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_draw.c
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ void draw_image_main(SpaceImage *sima, ARegion *ar, Scene *scene)
 		draw_image_buffer(sima, ar, scene, ima, ibuf, 0.0f, 0.0f, zoomx, zoomy);
 
 	/* paint helpers */
-	if (sima->flag & SI_DRAWTOOL)
+	if (sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT)
 		draw_image_paint_helpers(ar, scene, zoomx, zoomy);
 
 
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_edit.c b/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_edit.c
index 1c488fe4ac7..ae6fe704c6f 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_edit.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_image/image_edit.c
@@ -66,8 +66,11 @@ void ED_space_image_set(SpaceImage *sima, Scene *scene, Object *obedit, Image *i
 	 * to check if the face is displayed in UV-localview */
 	sima->image = ima;
 
-	if (ima == NULL || ima->type == IMA_TYPE_R_RESULT || ima->type == IMA_TYPE_COMPOSITE)
-		sima->flag &= ~SI_DRAWTOOL;
+	if (ima == NULL || ima->type == IMA_TYPE_R_RESULT || ima->type == IMA_TYPE_COMPOSITE) {
+		if (sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT) {
+			sima->mode = SI_MODE_VIEW;
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (sima->image)
 		BKE_image_signal(sima->image, &sima->iuser, IMA_SIGNAL_USER_NEW_IMAGE);
@@ -257,7 +260,7 @@ int ED_space_image_show_paint(SpaceImage *sima)
 	if (ED_space_image_show_render(sima))
 		return 0;
 
-	return (sima->flag & SI_DRAWTOOL);
+	return (sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT);
 }
 
 int ED_space_image_show_uvedit(SpaceImage *sima, Object *obedit)
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/util/undo.c b/source/blender/editors/util/undo.c
index 0c2bfff3b57..65b92168842 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/util/undo.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/util/undo.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static int ed_undo_step(bContext *C, int step, const char *undoname)
 	if (sa && (sa->spacetype == SPACE_IMAGE)) {
 		SpaceImage *sima = (SpaceImage *)sa->spacedata.first;
 		
-		if ((obact && (obact->mode & OB_MODE_TEXTURE_PAINT)) || (sima->flag & SI_DRAWTOOL)) {
+		if ((obact && (obact->mode & OB_MODE_TEXTURE_PAINT)) || (sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT)) {
 			if (!ED_undo_paint_step(C, UNDO_PAINT_IMAGE, step, undoname) && undoname)
 				if (U.uiflag & USER_GLOBALUNDO)
 					BKE_undo_name(C, undoname);
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ int ED_undo_valid(const bContext *C, const char *undoname)
 	if (sa && sa->spacetype == SPACE_IMAGE) {
 		SpaceImage *sima = (SpaceImage *)sa->spacedata.first;
 		
-		if ((obact && (obact->mode & OB_MODE_TEXTURE_PAINT)) || (sima->flag & SI_DRAWTOOL)) {
+		if ((obact && (obact->mode & OB_MODE_TEXTURE_PAINT)) || (sima->mode == SI_MODE_PAINT)) {
 			return 1;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h
index a33b7ef12d0..6299c46171e 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h
@@ -718,6 +718,13 @@ typedef enum eSpaceImage_UVDT_Stretch {
 	SI_UVDT_STRETCH_AREA = 1,
 } eSpaceImage_UVDT_Stretch;
 
+/* SpaceImage->mode */
+typedef enum eSpaceImage_Mode {
+	SI_MODE_VIEW  = 0,
+	SI_MODE_PAINT = 1,
+	SI_MODE_MASK  = 2
+} eSpaceImage_Mode;
+
 /* SpaceImage->sticky
  * Note DISABLE should be 0, however would also need to re-arrange icon order,
  * also, sticky loc is the default mode so this means we don't need to 'do_versons' */
@@ -732,7 +739,7 @@ typedef enum eSpaceImage_Flag {
 /*	SI_BE_SQUARE          = (1 << 0), */  /* deprecated */
 	SI_EDITTILE           = (1 << 1),     /* XXX - not used but should be? */
 	SI_CLIP_UV            = (1 << 2),
-	SI_DRAWTOOL           = (1 << 3),
+/*	SI_DRAWTOOL           = (1 << 3), */  /* deprecated */
 	SI_NO_DRAWFACES       = (1 << 4),
 	SI_DRAWSHADOW         = (1 << 5),
 /*	SI_SELACTFACE         = (1 << 6), */  /* deprecated */
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c
index 9f8fbea6a15..78811492cd4 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_space.c
@@ -1956,6 +1956,13 @@ static void rna_def_space_buttons(BlenderRNA *brna)
 
 static void rna_def_space_image(BlenderRNA *brna)
 {
+	static EnumPropertyItem image_space_mode_items[] = {
+		{SI_MODE_VIEW, "VIEW", ICON_FILE_IMAGE, "View", "View the image and UV edit in mesh editmode"},
+		{SI_MODE_PAINT, "PAINT", ICON_TPAINT_HLT, "Paint", "2D image painting mode"},
+		{SI_MODE_MASK, "MASK", ICON_MOD_MASK, "Mask", "Mask editing"},
+		{0, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL}
+	};
+
 	StructRNA *srna;
 	PropertyRNA *prop;
 
@@ -2025,12 +2032,12 @@ static void rna_def_space_image(BlenderRNA *brna)
 	RNA_def_property_pointer_funcs(prop, "rna_SpaceImageEditor_uvedit_get", NULL, NULL, NULL);
 	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "UV Editor", "UV editor settings");
 	
-	/* paint */
-	prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "use_image_paint", PROP_BOOLEAN, PROP_NONE);
-	RNA_def_property_boolean_sdna(prop, NULL, "flag", SI_DRAWTOOL);
-	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Image Painting", "Enable image painting mode");
-	RNA_def_property_ui_icon(prop, ICON_TPAINT_HLT, 0);
-	RNA_def_property_update(prop, NC_SPACE | ND_SPACE_IMAGE, "rna_SpaceImageEditor_paint_update");
+	/* mode */
+	prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "mode", PROP_ENUM, PROP_NONE);
+	RNA_def_property_enum_sdna(prop, NULL, "mode");
+	RNA_def_property_enum_items(prop, image_space_mode_items);
+	RNA_def_property_ui_text(prop, "Mode", "Editing context being displayed");
+	RNA_def_property_update(prop, NC_SPACE | ND_SPACE_CLIP, NULL);
 
 	/* grease pencil */
 	prop = RNA_def_property(srna, "grease_pencil", PROP_POINTER, PROP_NONE);