diff --git a/src/main/mesh.js b/src/main/mesh.js
index ce4a7bb5..fe0927d3 100644
--- a/src/main/mesh.js
+++ b/src/main/mesh.js
@@ -428,13 +428,14 @@ function space_init(data) {
                     selection.update();
                 } else {
                     let { modes } = api;
-                    let radians = 0;
+                    let { surface } = api.prefs.map;
+                    let opt = { radians: 0, radius: surface.radius };
                     switch(api.mode.get()) {
                         case modes.object:
                             selection.toggle(shiftKey ? model : model.group);
                             break;
                         case modes.surface:
-                            radians = api.prefs.map.surface.radians;
+                            opt.radians = surface.radians;
                         case modes.face:
                         case modes.line:
                         case modes.vertex:
@@ -442,7 +443,7 @@ function space_init(data) {
                             model.find(int,
                                 altKey ? { toggle: true } :
                                 shiftKey ? { clear: true } : { select: true },
-                                radians);
+                                opt);
                             break;
                     }
                 }
@@ -553,7 +554,13 @@ function set_normals_color(color) {
 
 function set_surface_radians(radians) {
     let { prefs } = mesh.api;
-    prefs.map.surface.radians = radians || 0.1;
+    prefs.map.surface.radians = parseFloat(radians || 0.1);
+    prefs.save();
+}
+
+function set_surface_radius(radius) {
+    let { prefs } = mesh.api;
+    prefs.map.surface.radius = parseFloat(radius || 0.2);
     prefs.save();
 }
 
@@ -568,7 +575,8 @@ broker.listeners({
     set_darkmode,
     set_normals_color,
     set_normals_length,
-    set_surface_radians
+    set_surface_radians,
+    set_surface_radius
 });
 
 // remove version cache bust from url
diff --git a/src/mesh/api.js b/src/mesh/api.js
index 8978d31e..9073c6ac 100644
--- a/src/mesh/api.js
+++ b/src/mesh/api.js
@@ -542,7 +542,8 @@ const prefs = {
             color_dark: 0x00ffff
         },
         surface: {
-            radians: 0.1
+            radians: 0.1,
+            radius: 0.2
         }
     },
 
diff --git a/src/mesh/build.js b/src/mesh/build.js
index d75da2b5..b20b9564 100644
--- a/src/mesh/build.js
+++ b/src/mesh/build.js
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ api.settings = function() {
         h.label(''),
         h.label('normals'),
         h.label('length'),
-        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5, value: normals.length,
+        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5, value: parseFloat(normals.length),
             onchange: ev => call.set_normals_length(ev.target.value)
         }),
         h.label('color'),
@@ -262,11 +262,13 @@ api.settings = function() {
         h.label(''),
         h.label('surface'),
         h.label('radians'),
-        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5, value: surface.radians,
+        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5, value: parseFloat(surface.radians),
             onchange: ev => call.set_surface_radians(ev.target.value)
         }),
-        h.label(' '),
-        h.label(' ')
+        h.label('radius'),
+        h.input({ type: "text", size: 5, value: parseFloat(surface.radius || 0.2),
+            onchange: ev => call.set_surface_radius(ev.target.value)
+        }),
     ]);
 
     modal.show('settings', h.div({ class: "settings" }, [ col1, col2, col3 ] ));
diff --git a/src/mesh/model.js b/src/mesh/model.js
index ba005fe5..96447ba3 100644
--- a/src/mesh/model.js
+++ b/src/mesh/model.js
@@ -588,7 +588,8 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
     }
 
     // find adjacent faces to clicked point/line on a face
-    find(int, action, radians = 0) {
+    find(int, action, opt) {
+        let { radians, radius } = opt;
         let { point, face } = int;
         let { x, y, z } = point;
         let { a, b, c } = face;
@@ -597,7 +598,7 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
             mesh.api.log.emit("matching surface").pin();
         }, 150);
         worker.model_select({
-            id: this.id, x, y:-z, z:y, a, b, c, matrix: this.matrix, radians
+            id: this.id, x, y:-z, z:y, a, b, c, matrix: this.matrix, radians, radius
         }).then(data => {
             if (timer) {
                 clearTimeout(timer);
diff --git a/src/mesh/work.js b/src/mesh/work.js
index ca8ac0da..b4d800e1 100644
--- a/src/mesh/work.js
+++ b/src/mesh/work.js
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ let model = {
 
     // given model and point, locate matching vertices, lines, and faces
     select(data) {
-        let { id, x, y, z, a, b, c, matrix, radians } = data;
+        let { id, x, y, z, a, b, c, matrix, radians, radius } = data;
         // translate point into mesh matrix space
         let v3 = new Vector3(x,y,z).applyMatrix4(
             core_matrix.clone().multiply(new Matrix4().fromArray(matrix)).invert()
@@ -291,11 +291,12 @@ let model = {
         const rec = cache[id];
         const arr = rec.geo.attributes.position.array;
         // distance tolerance for click to vertex (rough distance)
-        const eps = 0.25;
+        const eps = radius || 0.2;
         const faces = [];
         const verts = [];
         const edges = [];
         let point;
+        if (!radians)
         for (let i=0, l=arr.length; i<l; ) {
             // matches here are within radius of a vertex
             // select all faces that share a matched vertex
@@ -323,6 +324,7 @@ let model = {
         if (faces.length === 0) {
             faces.push(Math.min(a,b,c) / 3);
         }
+        // if the geometry has indexed faces and radians are set, find surface
         const tool = rec.tool;
         if (tool && tool.sides && radians) {
             tool.findConnectedSurface(faces, radians);