diff --git a/lib/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProvider.js b/lib/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProvider.js
index 86de5c1c..58d1f4a5 100644
--- a/lib/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProvider.js
+++ b/lib/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProvider.js
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ import {
 /**
  * a simple ordering provider that makes sure:
  *
+ * (0) labels are rendered always on top
  * (1) elements are ordered by a {level} property
- * (2) elements with {alwaysOnTop} are always added to the root
  */
-export default function BpmnOrderingProvider(eventBus, translate) {
+export default function BpmnOrderingProvider(eventBus, canvas, translate) {
 
   OrderingProvider.call(this, eventBus);
 
@@ -116,6 +116,14 @@ export default function BpmnOrderingProvider(eventBus, translate) {
 
   this.getOrdering = function(element, newParent) {
 
+    // render labels always on top
+    if (element.labelTarget) {
+      return {
+        parent: canvas.getRootElement(),
+        index: -1
+      };
+    }
+
     var elementOrder = getOrder(element);
 
 
@@ -156,6 +164,6 @@ export default function BpmnOrderingProvider(eventBus, translate) {
   };
 }
 
-BpmnOrderingProvider.$inject = [ 'eventBus', 'translate' ];
+BpmnOrderingProvider.$inject = [ 'eventBus', 'canvas', 'translate' ];
 
 inherits(BpmnOrderingProvider, OrderingProvider);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js b/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js
index 0d83397c..8d289a07 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/copy-paste/BpmnCopyPasteSpec.js
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@ describe('features/copy-paste', function() {
         });
 
         // then
-        expect(rootElement.children).to.have.length(3);
+        // 3 sub-processes
+        // 6 pasted labels
+        expect(rootElement.children).to.have.length(9);
 
         var pastedElements = elementRegistry.filter(function(e) {
           return e !== element && is(e, 'bpmn:SubProcess');
diff --git a/test/spec/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProviderSpec.js b/test/spec/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProviderSpec.js
index 42130b28..6caba6f8 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProviderSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/ordering/BpmnOrderingProviderSpec.js
@@ -222,14 +222,63 @@ describe('features/modeling - ordering', function() {
     beforeEach(bootstrapModeler(diagramXML, { modules: testModules }));
 
 
-    it('should always be in front', inject(function() {
+    describe('should stay always in front', function() {
 
-      // when
-      move('SequenceFlow_label', { x: 500, y: 0 }, 'Collaboration', false);
+      it('moving <SequenceFlow_label> onto <Participant>', inject(function() {
 
-      // then
-      expectZOrder('Collaboration', 'Participant', 'SequenceFlow_label');
-    }));
+        // when
+        move('SequenceFlow_label', { x: 300, y: 0 }, 'Collaboration', false);
+
+        // then
+        expectZOrder('Collaboration', 'Participant', 'SequenceFlow_label');
+      }));
+
+
+      it('moving <StartEvent_label> onto <Participant>', inject(function() {
+
+        // when
+        move('StartEvent_label', { x: 50, y: -330 }, 'Participant', false);
+
+        // then
+        expectZOrder(
+          'Participant',
+          'Task_With_Boundary',
+          'BoundaryEvent',
+          'Participant_StartEvent',
+          'StartEvent_label'
+        );
+      }));
+
+
+      it('move <StartEvent> with label onto <Participant>', inject(function() {
+
+        // when
+        move('StartEvent', { x: 0, y: -330 }, 'Participant', false);
+
+        // then
+        expectZOrder(
+          'Participant',
+          'Participant_StartEvent',
+          'StartEvent_label'
+        );
+      }));
+
+
+      it('move <DataStore> with label onto <Participant_StartEvent>', inject(function() {
+
+        // when
+        move('DataStore', { x: -150, y: 330 }, 'Participant_StartEvent', false);
+
+        // then
+        expectZOrder(
+          'Participant',
+          'Participant_StartEvent',
+          'DataStore',
+          'DataStore_label'
+        );
+      }));
+
+    });
 
   });
 
diff --git a/test/spec/features/ordering/Helper.js b/test/spec/features/ordering/Helper.js
index 7546ed2e..7b82943c 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/ordering/Helper.js
+++ b/test/spec/features/ordering/Helper.js
@@ -204,8 +204,10 @@ export function expectZOrder() {
 
     next = elements[idx + 1];
 
-    if (next) {
-      expect(compareZOrder(e, next)).to.eql(-1);
+    if (next && compareZOrder(e, next) !== -1) {
+      throw new Error(
+        'expected <element#' + next + '> to be in front of <element#' + e + '>'
+      );
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/test/spec/features/ordering/ordering.bpmn b/test/spec/features/ordering/ordering.bpmn
index 40d0abc4..8c60d9ec 100644
--- a/test/spec/features/ordering/ordering.bpmn
+++ b/test/spec/features/ordering/ordering.bpmn
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     <bpmn2:task id="Task">
       <bpmn2:incoming>SequenceFlow</bpmn2:incoming>
     </bpmn2:task>
-    <bpmn2:dataStoreReference id="DataStore" />
+    <bpmn2:dataStoreReference id="DataStore" name="Store" />
     <bpmn2:dataStoreReference id="DataStore_With_Output" />
   </bpmn2:process>
   <bpmn2:process id="Process_StartEvent" isExecutable="false">
@@ -53,17 +53,17 @@
         <dc:Bounds x="480" y="144" width="100" height="80" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_SequenceFlow_1" bpmnElement="SequenceFlow" sourceElement="_BPMNShape_BoundaryEvent_2" targetElement="_BPMNShape_Task_3">
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="364" y="242" />
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="364" y="272" />
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="530" y="272" />
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="530" y="224" />
+        <di:waypoint x="364" y="242" />
+        <di:waypoint x="364" y="272" />
+        <di:waypoint x="530" y="272" />
+        <di:waypoint x="530" y="224" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
           <dc:Bounds x="429" y="272" width="90" height="6" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_MessageFlow_1" bpmnElement="MessageFlow" sourceElement="_BPMNShape_Task_2" targetElement="_BPMNShape_Participant_3">
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="326" y="224" />
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="326" y="444" />
+        <di:waypoint x="326" y="224" />
+        <di:waypoint x="326" y="444" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
           <dc:Bounds x="370" y="334" width="6" height="6" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
@@ -74,18 +74,18 @@
           <dc:Bounds x="244" y="531" width="90" height="20" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
-      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="DataStoreReference_0g20j8u_di" bpmnElement="DataStore">
+      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="DataStore_di" bpmnElement="DataStore">
         <dc:Bounds x="629" y="159" width="50" height="50" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
-          <dc:Bounds x="609" y="209" width="90" height="20" />
+          <dc:Bounds x="641" y="129" width="27" height="14" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="Task_1w5ze4k_di" bpmnElement="Task_With_Input">
         <dc:Bounds x="604" y="473" width="100" height="80" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="DataInputAssociation_1ubbgym_di" bpmnElement="DataInputAssociation">
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="654" y="209" />
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="654" y="473" />
+        <di:waypoint x="654" y="209" />
+        <di:waypoint x="654" y="473" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="DataStoreReference_0jbctd4_di" bpmnElement="DataStore_With_Output">
         <dc:Bounds x="772" y="159" width="50" height="50" />
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@
         <dc:Bounds x="747" y="473" width="100" height="80" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="DataOutputAssociation_1fcd0id_di" bpmnElement="DataOutputAssociation">
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="797" y="473" />
-        <di:waypoint xsi:type="dc:Point" x="797" y="209" />
+        <di:waypoint x="797" y="473" />
+        <di:waypoint x="797" y="209" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
     </bpmndi:BPMNPlane>
   </bpmndi:BPMNDiagram>