=== modified file 'src/live_effects/effect.cpp'
--- src/live_effects/effect.cpp	2013-10-04 21:57:28 +0000
+++ src/live_effects/effect.cpp	2013-10-31 02:53:38 +0000
@@ -496,12 +496,12 @@
 
     if (!SP_IS_SHAPE(lpeitem)) {
 //        g_print ("How to handle helperpaths for non-shapes?\n"); // non-shapes are for example SPGroups.
-        return hp_vec;
+//        return hp_vec;
     }
 
     // TODO: we can probably optimize this by using a lot more references
     //       rather than copying PathVectors all over the place
-    if (show_orig_path) {
+    if (SP_IS_SHAPE(lpeitem) && show_orig_path) {
         // add original path to helperpaths
         SPCurve* curve = SP_SHAPE(lpeitem)->getCurve ();
         hp_vec.push_back(curve->get_pathvector());

=== modified file 'src/ui/tool/node-tool.cpp'
--- src/ui/tool/node-tool.cpp	2013-10-09 21:41:20 +0000
+++ src/ui/tool/node-tool.cpp	2013-10-31 16:18:05 +0000
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 #include "display/sp-canvas.h"
 #include "document.h"
 #include "live_effects/lpeobject.h"
+#include "live_effects/effect.h"
+#include "display/curve.h"
 #include "message-context.h"
 #include "selection.h"
 #include "shape-editor.h" // temporary!
@@ -137,6 +139,7 @@
 	this->edit_masks = false;
 	this->show_outline = false;
 	this->flash_tempitem = 0;
+	this->helperpath_tmpitem = 0;
 
     this->cursor_shape = cursor_node_xpm;
     this->hot_x = 1;
@@ -165,6 +168,10 @@
     if (this->flash_tempitem) {
         this->desktop->remove_temporary_canvasitem(this->flash_tempitem);
     }
+    if (this->helperpath_tmpitem) {
+        this->desktop->remove_temporary_canvasitem(this->helperpath_tmpitem);
+    }
+    
 
     this->_selection_changed_connection.disconnect();
     //this->_selection_modified_connection.disconnect();
@@ -248,6 +255,7 @@
     this->cursor_drag = false;
     this->show_transform_handles = true;
     this->single_node_transform_handles = false;
+    this->helperpath_tmpitem = NULL;
     this->flash_tempitem = NULL;
     this->flashed_item = NULL;
     this->_last_over = NULL;
@@ -277,6 +285,41 @@
     }
 
     this->desktop->emitToolSubselectionChanged(NULL); // sets the coord entry fields to inactive
+    this->update_helperpath();
+}
+
+void  InkNodeTool::update_helperpath(){
+    Inkscape::Selection *selection = sp_desktop_selection (this->desktop);
+    if (this->helperpath_tmpitem) {
+        this->desktop->remove_temporary_canvasitem(this->helperpath_tmpitem);
+        this->helperpath_tmpitem = NULL;
+    }
+    if (SP_IS_LPE_ITEM(selection->singleItem())) {
+        Inkscape::LivePathEffect::Effect *lpe = SP_LPE_ITEM(selection->singleItem())->getCurrentLPE();
+        if (lpe && lpe->isVisible()/* && lpe->showOrigPath()*/) {
+            if (lpe) {
+                SPCurve *c = new SPCurve();
+                SPCurve *cc = new SPCurve();
+                std::vector<Geom::PathVector> cs = lpe->getHelperPaths(SP_LPE_ITEM(selection->singleItem()));
+                for (std::vector<Geom::PathVector>::iterator p = cs.begin(); p != cs.end(); ++p) {
+                    cc->set_pathvector(*p);
+                    c->append(cc, false);
+                    cc->reset();
+                }
+                if (!c->is_empty()) {
+                    c->transform(selection->singleItem()->i2dt_affine());
+                    SPCanvasItem *helperpath = sp_canvas_bpath_new(sp_desktop_tempgroup(this->desktop), c);
+                    sp_canvas_bpath_set_stroke(SP_CANVAS_BPATH(helperpath),
+                       0x0000ff9A, 1.0,
+                        SP_STROKE_LINEJOIN_MITER, SP_STROKE_LINECAP_BUTT);
+                    sp_canvas_bpath_set_fill(SP_CANVAS_BPATH(helperpath), 0, SP_WIND_RULE_NONZERO);
+                    this->helperpath_tmpitem = this->desktop->add_temporary_canvasitem(helperpath,0);
+                }
+                c->unref();
+                cc->unref();
+           }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void InkNodeTool::set(const Inkscape::Preferences::Entry& value) {
@@ -372,7 +415,6 @@
             gather_items(this, NULL, static_cast<SPItem*>(obj), SHAPE_ROLE_NORMAL, shapes);
         }
     }
-
     // use multiple ShapeEditors for now, to allow editing many shapes at once
     // needs to be rethought
     for (boost::ptr_map<SPItem*, ShapeEditor>::iterator i = this->_shape_editors.begin();
@@ -440,7 +482,7 @@
             //ink_node_tool_update_tip(nt, event);
             this->update_tip(event);
         }
-
+        this->update_helperpath();
         // create pathflash outline
         if (prefs->getBool("/tools/nodes/pathflash_enabled")) {
             if (over_item == this->flashed_item) {
@@ -457,6 +499,7 @@
                 this->flashed_item = NULL;
             }
 
+
             if (!SP_IS_SHAPE(over_item)) {
             	break; // for now, handle only shapes
             }
@@ -479,6 +522,7 @@
 
             this->flash_tempitem = desktop->add_temporary_canvasitem(flash,
                 prefs->getInt("/tools/nodes/pathflash_timeout", 500));
+             
 
             c->unref();
         }

=== modified file 'src/ui/tool/node-tool.h'
--- src/ui/tool/node-tool.h	2013-10-09 21:41:20 +0000
+++ src/ui/tool/node-tool.h	2013-10-31 16:17:28 +0000
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 	static const std::string prefsPath;
 
 	virtual void setup();
+	virtual void update_helperpath();
 	virtual void set(const Inkscape::Preferences::Entry& val);
 	virtual bool root_handler(GdkEvent* event);
 
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@
 
     SPItem *flashed_item;
     Inkscape::Display::TemporaryItem *flash_tempitem;
+    Inkscape::Display::TemporaryItem *helperpath_tmpitem;
     Inkscape::UI::Selector* _selector;
     Inkscape::UI::PathSharedData* _path_data;
     SPCanvasGroup *_transform_handle_group;