diff --git a/pcbnew/class_module.cpp b/pcbnew/class_module.cpp
index 4c34aef098..27c19deb8e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/class_module.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/class_module.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  * Copyright (C) 2017 Jean-Pierre Charras, jp.charras at wanadoo.fr
  * Copyright (C) 2015 SoftPLC Corporation, Dick Hollenbeck <dick@softplc.com>
  * Copyright (C) 2015 Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@gmail.com>
- * Copyright (C) 1992-2019 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ * Copyright (C) 1992-2021 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -460,7 +460,9 @@ EDA_RECT MODULE::GetFootprintRect() const
 
     area.SetOrigin( m_Pos );
     area.SetEnd( m_Pos );
-    area.Inflate( Millimeter2iu( 0.25 ) );   // Give a min size to the area
+
+    // Give a minimum size to the area in case footprint has no drawing or pad objects.
+    area.Inflate( Millimeter2iu( 0.5 ) );
 
     for( const BOARD_ITEM* item = m_Drawings.GetFirst(); item; item = item->Next() )
     {
@@ -479,13 +481,6 @@ const EDA_RECT MODULE::GetBoundingBox() const
 {
     EDA_RECT area = GetFootprintRect();
 
-    // Add in items not collected by GetFootprintRect():
-    for( const BOARD_ITEM* item = m_Drawings.GetFirst(); item; item = item->Next() )
-    {
-        if( item->Type() != PCB_MODULE_EDGE_T )
-            area.Merge( item->GetBoundingBox() );
-    }
-
     area.Merge( m_Value->GetBoundingBox() );
     area.Merge( m_Reference->GetBoundingBox() );
 
@@ -529,6 +524,7 @@ SHAPE_POLY_SET MODULE::GetBoundingPoly() const
     poly.Append( p );
 
     BOARD* board = GetBoard();
+
     if( board )
     {
         int biggest_clearance = board->GetDesignSettings().GetBiggestClearanceValue();
@@ -650,13 +646,20 @@ bool MODULE::HitTest( const EDA_RECT& aRect, bool aContained, int aAccuracy ) co
     arect.Inflate( aAccuracy );
 
     if( aContained )
+    {
         return arect.Contains( m_BoundaryBox );
+    }
     else
     {
         // If the rect does not intersect the bounding box, skip any tests
         if( !aRect.Intersects( GetBoundingBox() ) )
             return false;
 
+        // If there are no drawing objects, there was still an intersection with the reference
+        // and/or value text.
+        if( m_Pads.GetCount() == 0 && m_Drawings.GetCount() == 0 )
+            return true;
+
         // Determine if any elements in the MODULE intersect the rect
         for( D_PAD* pad = m_Pads; pad; pad = pad->Next() )
         {
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
index 50b4871cb4..b8a0b291c6 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_painter.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2013-2019 CERN
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ *
  * @author Tomasz Wlostowski <tomasz.wlostowski@cern.ch>
  * @author Maciej Suminski <maciej.suminski@cern.ch>
  *
@@ -383,7 +385,40 @@ bool PCB_PAINTER::Draw( const VIEW_ITEM* aItem, int aLayer )
         return false;
     }
 
-    return true;
+    // Draw bounding boxes after drawing objects so they can be seen.
+#if 0
+    // Show bounding boxes of painted objects for debugging.
+    EDA_RECT box = item->GetBoundingBox();
+    m_gal->SetIsFill( false );
+    m_gal->SetIsStroke( true );
+
+    if( item->Type() == PCB_MODULE_T )
+        m_gal->SetStrokeColor( item->IsSelected() ? COLOR4D( 1.0, 0.2, 0.2, 1 ) :
+                               COLOR4D( MAGENTA ) );
+    else
+        m_gal->SetStrokeColor( item->IsSelected() ? COLOR4D( 1.0, 0.2, 0.2, 1 ) :
+                               COLOR4D( 0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 1 ) );
+
+    m_gal->SetLineWidth( 1.5 / m_gal->GetWorldScale() );
+    m_gal->DrawRectangle( box.GetOrigin(), box.GetEnd() );
+
+    if( item->Type() == PCB_MODULE_T )
+    {
+        m_gal->SetStrokeColor( item->IsSelected() ? COLOR4D( 1.0, 0.2, 0.2, 1 ) :
+                               COLOR4D( CYAN ) );
+
+        const MODULE* fp = static_cast<const MODULE*>( item );
+
+        if( fp )
+        {
+            SHAPE_POLY_SET convex = fp->GetBoundingPoly();
+
+            m_gal->DrawPolyline( convex.COutline( 0 ) );
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+
+return true;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/tools/selection_tool.cpp b/pcbnew/tools/selection_tool.cpp
index 4282dd158f..c79a34fcd1 100644
--- a/pcbnew/tools/selection_tool.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/tools/selection_tool.cpp
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
  * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 2013-2017 CERN
+ * Copyright (C) 2018-2021 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ *
  * @author Tomasz Wlostowski <tomasz.wlostowski@cern.ch>
  * @author Maciej Suminski <maciej.suminski@cern.ch>
- * Copyright (C) 2018 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
  *
  * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -1701,9 +1702,14 @@ bool SELECTION_TOOL::selectable( const BOARD_ITEM* aItem, bool checkVisibilityOn
             return false;
 
         // Allow selection of footprints if some part of the footprint is visible.
-
         MODULE* module = const_cast<MODULE*>( static_cast<const MODULE*>( aItem ) );
 
+        // If the footprint has no drawable items other than the reference and value test,
+        // then it can be selected.
+        if( ( module->GraphicalItemsList().GetCount() == 0 ) &&
+            ( module->PadsList().GetCount() == 0 ) )
+            return true;
+
         for( auto item : module->GraphicalItems() )
         {
             if( selectable( item, true ) )