diff --git a/src/blocks/scratch3_event.js b/src/blocks/scratch3_event.js
index ba496a172..a486bda09 100644
--- a/src/blocks/scratch3_event.js
+++ b/src/blocks/scratch3_event.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class Scratch3EventBlocks {
      */
     getPrimitives () {
         return {
+            event_whentouchingobject: this.touchingObject,
             event_broadcast: this.broadcast,
             event_broadcastandwait: this.broadcastAndWait,
             event_whengreaterthan: this.hatGreaterThanPredicate
@@ -41,6 +42,10 @@ class Scratch3EventBlocks {
             event_whenthisspriteclicked: {
                 restartExistingThreads: true
             },
+            event_whentouchingobject: {
+                restartExistingThreads: false,
+                edgeActivated: true
+            },
             event_whenstageclicked: {
                 restartExistingThreads: true
             },
@@ -57,6 +62,10 @@ class Scratch3EventBlocks {
         };
     }
 
+    touchingObject (args, util) {
+        return util.target.isTouchingObject(args.TOUCHINGOBJECTMENU);
+    }
+
     hatGreaterThanPredicate (args, util) {
         const option = Cast.toString(args.WHENGREATERTHANMENU).toLowerCase();
         const value = Cast.toNumber(args.VALUE);
diff --git a/src/blocks/scratch3_sensing.js b/src/blocks/scratch3_sensing.js
index f140997cf..9e1d37a50 100644
--- a/src/blocks/scratch3_sensing.js
+++ b/src/blocks/scratch3_sensing.js
@@ -150,16 +150,7 @@ class Scratch3SensingBlocks {
     }
 
     touchingObject (args, util) {
-        const requestedObject = args.TOUCHINGOBJECTMENU;
-        if (requestedObject === '_mouse_') {
-            const mouseX = util.ioQuery('mouse', 'getClientX');
-            const mouseY = util.ioQuery('mouse', 'getClientY');
-            return util.target.isTouchingPoint(mouseX, mouseY);
-        } else if (requestedObject === '_edge_') {
-            return util.target.isTouchingEdge();
-        }
-        return util.target.isTouchingSprite(requestedObject);
-
+        return util.target.isTouchingObject(args.TOUCHINGOBJECTMENU);
     }
 
     touchingColor (args, util) {
diff --git a/src/sprites/rendered-target.js b/src/sprites/rendered-target.js
index d6fa70651..37c1b5615 100644
--- a/src/sprites/rendered-target.js
+++ b/src/sprites/rendered-target.js
@@ -765,6 +765,23 @@ class RenderedTarget extends Target {
         return null;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Return whether this target is touching the mouse, an edge, or a sprite.
+     * @param {string} requestedObject an id for mouse or edge, or a sprite name.
+     * @return {boolean} True if the sprite is touching the object.
+     */
+    isTouchingObject (requestedObject) {
+        if (requestedObject === '_mouse_') {
+            if (!this.runtime.ioDevices.mouse) return false;
+            const mouseX = this.runtime.ioDevices.mouse.getClientX();
+            const mouseY = this.runtime.ioDevices.mouse.getClientY();
+            return this.isTouchingPoint(mouseX, mouseY);
+        } else if (requestedObject === '_edge_') {
+            return this.isTouchingEdge();
+        }
+        return this.isTouchingSprite(requestedObject);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Return whether touching a point.
      * @param {number} x X coordinate of test point.