A bathtub drain valve control arrangement includes an overflow cover (26) movably mounted in a recessed pocket (24) of a substantially vertical bathtub wall (14) so as to cover the overflow opening in that wall. The overflow plate (26) is adapted to move between open and closed positions and has a smooth outer surface so that, in the closed position, it is flush with the vertical bathtub wall (14) to provide a smooth, substantially continuous surface against which a bather could comfortably lean. A linkage (78) connects the overflow cover (26) and a drain valve (40), so that moving the overflow plate to the open position opens the drain valve and moving the overflow plate to the closed position closes the drain valve.