diff --git a/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.cpp b/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.cpp
index 07a44f2d..b383730c 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ class QskGestureRecognizer::PrivateData
         return watchedItem->acceptedMouseButtons();
     }
 
-    QQuickItem* watchedItem = nullptr;
+    QPointer< QQuickItem > watchedItem = nullptr;
+    QPointer< QQuickItem > targetItem = nullptr;
 
     QVector< QMouseEvent* > pendingEvents;
 
@@ -121,6 +122,16 @@ QQuickItem* QskGestureRecognizer::watchedItem() const
     return m_data->watchedItem;
 }
 
+void QskGestureRecognizer::setTargetItem( QQuickItem* item )
+{
+    m_data->targetItem = item;
+}
+
+QQuickItem* QskGestureRecognizer::targetItem() const
+{
+    return m_data->targetItem;
+}
+
 void QskGestureRecognizer::setAcceptedMouseButtons( Qt::MouseButtons buttons )
 {
     m_data->buttons = buttons;
diff --git a/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.h b/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.h
index 012aa839..b34cd012 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.h
+++ b/src/controls/QskGestureRecognizer.h
@@ -43,11 +43,16 @@ class QSK_EXPORT QskGestureRecognizer : public QObject
     QskGestureRecognizer( QObject* parent = nullptr );
     ~QskGestureRecognizer() override;
 
-    bool eventFilter( QObject* object, QEvent* event) override;
+    bool eventFilter( QObject*, QEvent* ) override;
 
+    // the item where the gesture happens
     void setWatchedItem( QQuickItem* );
     QQuickItem* watchedItem() const;
 
+    // the item processing the gesture events
+    void setTargetItem( QQuickItem* );
+    QQuickItem* targetItem() const;
+
     // Qt::NoButton means: all buttons accepted
     void setAcceptedMouseButtons( Qt::MouseButtons );
     Qt::MouseButtons acceptedMouseButtons() const;
diff --git a/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.cpp b/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.cpp
index c103730d..859b8d91 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.cpp
@@ -61,9 +61,14 @@ static inline qreal qskAngle(
 }
 
 static void qskSendPanGestureEvent(
-    QQuickItem* item, QskGesture::State state, qreal velocity, qreal angle,
-    const QPointF& origin, const QPointF& lastPosition, const QPointF& position )
+    QskGestureRecognizer* recognizer, QskGesture::State state,
+    qreal velocity, qreal angle, const QPointF& origin,
+    const QPointF& lastPosition, const QPointF& position )
 {
+    auto item = recognizer->targetItem();
+    if ( item == nullptr )
+        item = recognizer->watchedItem();
+
     auto gesture = std::make_shared< QskPanGesture >();
     gesture->setState( state );
 
@@ -244,12 +249,12 @@ void QskPanGestureRecognizer::processMove( const QPointF& pos, quint64 timestamp
 
         if ( started )
         {
-            qskSendPanGestureEvent( watchedItem(), QskGesture::Started,
+            qskSendPanGestureEvent( this, QskGesture::Started,
                 velocity, m_data->angle, m_data->origin, m_data->origin, m_data->pos );
         }
         else
         {
-            qskSendPanGestureEvent( watchedItem(), QskGesture::Updated,
+            qskSendPanGestureEvent( this, QskGesture::Updated,
                 velocity, m_data->angle, m_data->origin, oldPos, m_data->pos );
         }
     }
@@ -262,7 +267,7 @@ void QskPanGestureRecognizer::processRelease( const QPointF&, quint64 timestamp
         const ulong elapsedTotal = timestamp - timestampStarted();
         const qreal velocity = m_data->velocityTracker.velocity( elapsedTotal );
 
-        qskSendPanGestureEvent( watchedItem(), QskGesture::Finished,
+        qskSendPanGestureEvent( this, QskGesture::Finished,
             velocity, m_data->angle, m_data->origin, m_data->pos, m_data->pos );
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.h b/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.h
index 26a72576..ba3bb121 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.h
+++ b/src/controls/QskPanGestureRecognizer.h
@@ -23,11 +23,12 @@ class QSK_EXPORT QskPanGestureRecognizer : public QskGestureRecognizer
     void setOrientations( Qt::Orientations );
     Qt::Orientations orientations() const;
 
-  private:
+  protected:
     void processPress( const QPointF&, quint64 timestamp, bool isFinal ) override;
     void processMove( const QPointF&, quint64 timestamp ) override;
     void processRelease( const QPointF&, quint64 timestamp ) override;
 
+  private:
     class PrivateData;
     std::unique_ptr< PrivateData > m_data;
 };