diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/widgets.css b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/widgets.css
index 4f4ea0a8f5..14e82c5a07 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/widgets.css
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/css/widgets.css
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
     margin-bottom: 5px;
 }
 
+.selector-chosen select {
+    border-top: none;
+}
+
 .selector-available h2, .selector-chosen h2 {
     border: 1px solid #ccc;
 }
@@ -37,8 +41,9 @@
     text-align: left;
 }
 
-.selector .selector-chosen .selector-filter {
-    padding: 4px 5px;
+.selector .selector-filter label {
+    width: 16px;
+    padding: 2px;
 }
 
 .selector .selector-available input {
@@ -50,7 +55,7 @@
     width: 22px;
     height: 50px;
     background: url(../img/chooser-bg.gif) top center no-repeat;
-    margin: 8em 3px 0 3px;
+    margin: 10em 5px 0 5px;
     padding: 0;
 }
 
@@ -61,7 +66,7 @@
 }
 
 .selector select {
-    margin-bottom: 5px;
+    margin-bottom: 10px;
     margin-top: 0;
 }
 
@@ -74,38 +79,66 @@
 }
 
 .selector-add {
-    background: url(../img/selector-add.gif) top center no-repeat;
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -161px no-repeat;
+    cursor: default;
     margin-bottom: 2px;
 }
 
+.active.selector-add {
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -187px no-repeat;
+    cursor: pointer;
+}
+
 .selector-remove {
-    background: url(../img/selector-remove.gif) top center no-repeat;
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -109px no-repeat;
+    cursor: default;
+}
+
+.active.selector-remove {
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -135px no-repeat;
+    cursor: pointer;
 }
 
 a.selector-chooseall, a.selector-clearall {
-    display: block;
-    width: 6em;
+    display: inline-block;
     text-align: left;
     margin-left: auto;
     margin-right: auto;
     font-weight: bold;
     color: #666;
+}
+
+a.selector-chooseall {
+    padding: 3px 18px 3px 0;
+}
+
+a.selector-clearall {
     padding: 3px 0 3px 18px;
 }
 
-a.selector-chooseall:hover, a.selector-clearall:hover {
+a.active.selector-chooseall:hover, a.active.selector-clearall:hover {
     color: #036;
 }
 
 a.selector-chooseall {
-    width: 7em;
-    background: url(../img/selector-addall.gif) left center no-repeat;
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) right -263px no-repeat;
+    cursor: default;
+}
+
+a.active.selector-chooseall {
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) right -289px no-repeat;
+    cursor: pointer;
 }
 
 a.selector-clearall {
-    background: url(../img/selector-removeall.gif) left center no-repeat;
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) left -211px no-repeat;
+    cursor: default;
 }
 
+a.active.selector-clearall {
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) left -237px no-repeat;
+    cursor: pointer;
+}
 
 /* STACKED SELECTORS */
 
@@ -148,13 +181,24 @@ a.selector-clearall {
 }
 
 .stacked .selector-add {
-    background-image: url(../img/selector_stacked-add.gif);
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -57px no-repeat;
+    cursor: default;
+}
+
+.stacked .active.selector-add {
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -83px no-repeat;
+    cursor: pointer;
 }
 
 .stacked .selector-remove {
-    background-image: url(../img/selector_stacked-remove.gif);
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -5px no-repeat;
+    cursor: default;
 }
 
+.stacked .active.selector-remove {
+    background: url(../img/selector-icons.gif) 0 -31px no-repeat;
+    cursor: pointer;
+}
 
 /* DATE AND TIME */
 
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-add.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-add.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 50132d1c43..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-add.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-addall.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-addall.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index d6e7c639bb..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-addall.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-icons.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-icons.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8809c4fb9a
Binary files /dev/null and b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-icons.gif differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-remove.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-remove.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b9b0a2ac3..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-remove.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-removeall.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-removeall.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 5a4421926d..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector-removeall.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector_stacked-add.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector_stacked-add.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 7426169652..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector_stacked-add.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector_stacked-remove.gif b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector_stacked-remove.gif
deleted file mode 100644
index 60412cee19..0000000000
Binary files a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/img/selector_stacked-remove.gif and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/js/SelectFilter2.js b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/js/SelectFilter2.js
index b7bc9d5f8f..2eb67e8e1c 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/js/SelectFilter2.js
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/static/admin/js/SelectFilter2.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Different than SelectFilter because this is coupled to the admin framework.
 
 Requires core.js, SelectBox.js and addevent.js.
 */
-
+(function($) {
 function findForm(node) {
     // returns the node of the form containing the given node
     if (node.tagName.toLowerCase() != 'form') {
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ function findForm(node) {
     return node;
 }
 
-var SelectFilter = {
+window.SelectFilter = {
     init: function(field_id, field_name, is_stacked, admin_media_prefix) {
         if (field_id.match(/__prefix__/)){
             // Don't intialize on empty forms.
@@ -44,41 +44,42 @@ var SelectFilter = {
         // <div class="selector-available">
         var selector_available = quickElement('div', selector_div, '');
         selector_available.className = 'selector-available';
-        quickElement('h2', selector_available, interpolate(gettext('Available %s'), [field_name]));
-        var filter_p = quickElement('p', selector_available, '');
+        var title_available = quickElement('h2', selector_available, interpolate(gettext('Available %s') + ' ', [field_name]));
+        quickElement('img', title_available, '', 'src', admin_media_prefix + 'img/icon-unknown.gif', 'width', '10', 'height', '10', 'class', 'help help-tooltip', 'title', interpolate(gettext('This is the list of available %s. You may add some by selecting them below and then clicking the "Add" button.'), [field_name]));
+
+        var filter_p = quickElement('p', selector_available, '', 'id', field_id + '_filter');
         filter_p.className = 'selector-filter';
 
-        var search_filter_label = quickElement('label', filter_p, '', 'for', field_id + "_input", 'style', 'width:16px;padding:2px');
+        var search_filter_label = quickElement('label', filter_p, '', 'for', field_id + "_input");
 
-        var search_selector_img = quickElement('img', search_filter_label, '', 'src', admin_media_prefix + 'img/selector-search.gif');
-        search_selector_img.alt = gettext("Filter");
+        var search_selector_img = quickElement('img', search_filter_label, '', 'src', admin_media_prefix + 'img/selector-search.gif', 'class', 'help-tooltip', 'alt', '', 'title', interpolate(gettext("Type into the filter box to narrow down the list of available %s."), [field_name]));
 
         filter_p.appendChild(document.createTextNode(' '));
 
-        var filter_input = quickElement('input', filter_p, '', 'type', 'text');
+        var filter_input = quickElement('input', filter_p, '', 'type', 'text', 'placeholder', gettext("Filter"));
         filter_input.id = field_id + '_input';
+
         selector_available.appendChild(from_box);
-        var choose_all = quickElement('a', selector_available, gettext('Choose all'), 'href', 'javascript: (function(){ SelectBox.move_all("' + field_id + '_from", "' + field_id + '_to"); })()');
+        var choose_all = quickElement('a', selector_available, gettext('Add all'), 'href', 'javascript: (function(){ SelectBox.move_all("' + field_id + '_from", "' + field_id + '_to"); SelectFilter.refresh_icons("' + field_id + '");})()', 'id', field_id + '_add_all_link');
         choose_all.className = 'selector-chooseall';
 
         // <ul class="selector-chooser">
         var selector_chooser = quickElement('ul', selector_div, '');
         selector_chooser.className = 'selector-chooser';
-        var add_link = quickElement('a', quickElement('li', selector_chooser, ''), gettext('Add'), 'href', 'javascript: (function(){ SelectBox.move("' + field_id + '_from","' + field_id + '_to");})()');
+        var add_link = quickElement('a', quickElement('li', selector_chooser, ''), gettext('Add'), 'title', gettext('Add'), 'href', 'javascript: (function(){ SelectBox.move("' + field_id + '_from","' + field_id + '_to"); SelectFilter.refresh_icons("' + field_id + '");})()', 'id', field_id + '_add_link');
         add_link.className = 'selector-add';
-        var remove_link = quickElement('a', quickElement('li', selector_chooser, ''), gettext('Remove'), 'href', 'javascript: (function(){ SelectBox.move("' + field_id + '_to","' + field_id + '_from");})()');
+        var remove_link = quickElement('a', quickElement('li', selector_chooser, ''), gettext('Remove'), 'title', gettext('Remove'), 'href', 'javascript: (function(){ SelectBox.move("' + field_id + '_to","' + field_id + '_from"); SelectFilter.refresh_icons("' + field_id + '");})()', 'id', field_id + '_remove_link');
         remove_link.className = 'selector-remove';
 
         // <div class="selector-chosen">
         var selector_chosen = quickElement('div', selector_div, '');
         selector_chosen.className = 'selector-chosen';
-        quickElement('h2', selector_chosen, interpolate(gettext('Chosen %s'), [field_name]));
-        var selector_filter = quickElement('p', selector_chosen, gettext('Select your choice(s) and click '));
-        selector_filter.className = 'selector-filter';
-        quickElement('img', selector_filter, '', 'src', admin_media_prefix + (is_stacked ? 'img/selector_stacked-add.gif':'img/selector-add.gif'), 'alt', 'Add');
+        var title_chosen = quickElement('h2', selector_chosen, interpolate(gettext('Added %s') + ' ', [field_name]));
+        quickElement('img', title_chosen, '', 'src', admin_media_prefix + 'img/icon-unknown.gif', 'width', '10', 'height', '10', 'class', 'help help-tooltip', 'title', interpolate(gettext('This is the list of added %s. You may remove some by selecting them below and then clicking the "Remove" button.'), [field_name]));
+
         var to_box = quickElement('select', selector_chosen, '', 'id', field_id + '_to', 'multiple', 'multiple', 'size', from_box.size, 'name', from_box.getAttribute('name'));
         to_box.className = 'filtered';
-        var clear_all = quickElement('a', selector_chosen, gettext('Clear all'), 'href', 'javascript: (function() { SelectBox.move_all("' + field_id + '_to", "' + field_id + '_from");})()');
+        var clear_all = quickElement('a', selector_chosen, gettext('Remove all'), 'href', 'javascript: (function() { SelectBox.move_all("' + field_id + '_to", "' + field_id + '_from"); SelectFilter.refresh_icons("' + field_id + '");})()', 'id', field_id + '_remove_all_link');
         clear_all.className = 'selector-clearall';
 
         from_box.setAttribute('name', from_box.getAttribute('name') + '_old');
@@ -86,16 +87,38 @@ var SelectFilter = {
         // Set up the JavaScript event handlers for the select box filter interface
         addEvent(filter_input, 'keyup', function(e) { SelectFilter.filter_key_up(e, field_id); });
         addEvent(filter_input, 'keydown', function(e) { SelectFilter.filter_key_down(e, field_id); });
-        addEvent(from_box, 'dblclick', function() { SelectBox.move(field_id + '_from', field_id + '_to'); });
-        addEvent(to_box, 'dblclick', function() { SelectBox.move(field_id + '_to', field_id + '_from'); });
+        addEvent(from_box, 'change', function(e) { SelectFilter.refresh_icons(field_id) });
+        addEvent(to_box, 'change', function(e) { SelectFilter.refresh_icons(field_id) });
+        addEvent(from_box, 'dblclick', function() { SelectBox.move(field_id + '_from', field_id + '_to'); SelectFilter.refresh_icons(field_id); });
+        addEvent(to_box, 'dblclick', function() { SelectBox.move(field_id + '_to', field_id + '_from'); SelectFilter.refresh_icons(field_id); });
         addEvent(findForm(from_box), 'submit', function() { SelectBox.select_all(field_id + '_to'); });
         SelectBox.init(field_id + '_from');
         SelectBox.init(field_id + '_to');
         // Move selected from_box options to to_box
         SelectBox.move(field_id + '_from', field_id + '_to');
+
+        if (!is_stacked) {
+            // In horizontal mode, give the same height to the two boxes.
+            $(to_box).height($(filter_p).outerHeight() + $(from_box).outerHeight());
+        }
+
+        // Initial icon refresh
+        SelectFilter.refresh_icons(field_id);
+    },
+    refresh_icons: function(field_id) {
+        var from = $('#' + field_id + '_from');
+        var to = $('#' + field_id + '_to');
+        var is_from_selected = from.find('option:selected').length > 0;
+        var is_to_selected = to.find('option:selected').length > 0;
+        // Active if at least one item is selected
+        $('#' + field_id + '_add_link').toggleClass('active', is_from_selected);
+        $('#' + field_id + '_remove_link').toggleClass('active', is_to_selected);
+        // Active if the corresponding box isn't empty
+        $('#' + field_id + '_add_all_link').toggleClass('active', from.find('option').length > 0);
+        $('#' + field_id + '_remove_all_link').toggleClass('active', to.find('option').length > 0);
     },
     filter_key_up: function(event, field_id) {
-        from = document.getElementById(field_id + '_from');
+        var from = document.getElementById(field_id + '_from');
         // don't submit form if user pressed Enter
         if ((event.which && event.which == 13) || (event.keyCode && event.keyCode == 13)) {
             from.selectedIndex = 0;
@@ -109,7 +132,7 @@ var SelectFilter = {
         return true;
     },
     filter_key_down: function(event, field_id) {
-        from = document.getElementById(field_id + '_from');
+        var from = document.getElementById(field_id + '_from');
         // right arrow -- move across
         if ((event.which && event.which == 39) || (event.keyCode && event.keyCode == 39)) {
             var old_index = from.selectedIndex;
@@ -128,3 +151,5 @@ var SelectFilter = {
         return true;
     }
 }
+
+})(django.jQuery);
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.4.txt b/docs/releases/1.4.txt
index 4e59acff3a..df4e663184 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.4.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.4.txt
@@ -328,6 +328,18 @@ In case your ``ADMIN_MEDIA_PREFIX`` is set to an own domain (e.g.
     that path. The files were moved from :file:`django/contrib/admin/media/`
     to :file:`django/contrib/admin/static/admin/`.
 
+Removed admin icons
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+As part of an effort to improve the performance and usability of the admin's
+vertical and horizontal "filter" widgets, some icon files were removed and
+grouped into a single sprite file (``selector-icons.gif``):
+``selector-add.gif``, ``selector-addall.gif``, ``selector-remove.gif``,
+``selector-removeall.gif``, ``selector_stacked-add.gif`` and
+``selector_stacked-remove.gif``. If you used those icons to customize the
+admin then you will want to replace them with your own icons or retrieve them
+from a previous release.
+
 Compatibility with old signed data
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~