diff --git a/src/CutAndPaste.C b/src/CutAndPaste.C
index 1423323e00..9e0b9c17fd 100644
--- a/src/CutAndPaste.C
+++ b/src/CutAndPaste.C
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ PitPosPair eraseSelectionHelper(BufferParams const & params,
 	// Start and end is inside same paragraph
 	if (endpit == pit_type(pars.size()) ||
 	    startpit == endpit) {
-		endpos -= pars[startpit].erase(startpos, endpos, false);
+		endpos -= pars[startpit].eraseChars(startpos, endpos, false);
 		return PitPosPair(endpit, endpos);
 	}
 
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ PitPosPair eraseSelectionHelper(BufferParams const & params,
 		pos_type const right = ( pit == endpit ? endpos :
 				pars[pit].size() + 1 );
 		// Logical erase only:
-		pars[pit].erase(left, right, false);
+		pars[pit].eraseChars(left, right, false);
 		// Separate handling of para break:
 		if (merge && pit != endpit &&
 		   (pit + 1 != endpit || pars[pit].hasSameLayout(pars[pit + 1]))) {
@@ -363,11 +363,13 @@ void copySelectionHelper(Buffer const & buf, ParagraphList & pars,
 
 	// Cut out the end of the last paragraph.
 	Paragraph & back = paragraphs.back();
-	back.erase(end, back.size(), false);
+	// do not track deletion here; it is an internal action not visible to the user
+	back.eraseChars(end, back.size(), false);
 
 	// Cut out the begin of the first paragraph
 	Paragraph & front = paragraphs.front();
-	front.erase(0, start, false);
+	// again, do not track deletion
+	front.eraseChars(0, start, false);
 
 	theCuts.push(make_pair(paragraphs, tc));
 }
diff --git a/src/lyxfind.C b/src/lyxfind.C
index 60892d6320..8e547a9aaf 100644
--- a/src/lyxfind.C
+++ b/src/lyxfind.C
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ int replaceAll(BufferView * bv,
 		pos_type pos = cur.pos();
 		LyXFont const font
 			= cur.paragraph().getFontSettings(buf.params(), pos);
-		int striked = ssize - cur.paragraph().erase(pos, pos + ssize,
+		int striked = ssize - cur.paragraph().eraseChars(pos, pos + ssize,
 							    buf.params().trackChanges);
 		cur.paragraph().insert(pos, from_utf8(replacestr), font,
 		                       Change(buf.params().trackChanges ?
diff --git a/src/paragraph.C b/src/paragraph.C
index 43a4f27222..84ab0f9ffe 100644
--- a/src/paragraph.C
+++ b/src/paragraph.C
@@ -241,9 +241,9 @@ bool Paragraph::eraseChar(pos_type pos, bool trackChanges)
 }
 
 
-int Paragraph::erase(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges)
+int Paragraph::eraseChars(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges)
 {
-	return pimpl_->erase(start, end, trackChanges);
+	return pimpl_->eraseChars(start, end, trackChanges);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/paragraph.h b/src/paragraph.h
index 7bb6e96ea0..14979602b6 100644
--- a/src/paragraph.h
+++ b/src/paragraph.h
@@ -240,10 +240,10 @@ public:
 	///
 	void applyLayout(LyXLayout_ptr const & new_layout);
 
-	/// erase the char at the given position
+	/// (logically) erase the char at pos; return true if it was actually erased
 	bool eraseChar(pos_type pos, bool trackChanges);
-	/// erase the given range. Returns the number of chars actually erased
-	int erase(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges);
+	/// (logically) erase the given range; return the number of chars actually erased
+	int eraseChars(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges);
 
 	/** Get uninstantiated font setting. Returns the difference
 	    between the characters font and the layoutfont.
diff --git a/src/paragraph_pimpl.C b/src/paragraph_pimpl.C
index 7e530cef8e..ff3bd2f2c3 100644
--- a/src/paragraph_pimpl.C
+++ b/src/paragraph_pimpl.C
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ void Paragraph::Pimpl::acceptChange(pos_type start, pos_type end)
 				// Suppress access to nonexistent
 				// "end-of-paragraph char":
 				if (i < size()) {
-					eraseChar(i);
+					eraseChar(i, false);
 					--end;
 					--i;
 				}
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ void Paragraph::Pimpl::rejectChange(pos_type start, pos_type end)
 
 			case Change::INSERTED:
 				if (i < size()) {
-					eraseChar(i);
+					eraseChar(i, false);
 					--end;
 					--i;
 				}
@@ -253,8 +253,29 @@ void Paragraph::Pimpl::insertInset(pos_type pos, InsetBase * inset,
 }
 
 
-void Paragraph::Pimpl::eraseChar(pos_type pos)
+bool Paragraph::Pimpl::eraseChar(pos_type pos, bool trackChanges)
 {
+	BOOST_ASSERT(pos <= size());
+
+	if (trackChanges) {
+		Change::Type changetype(changes_.lookup(pos).type);
+
+		if (changetype == Change::UNCHANGED) {
+			setChange(pos, Change(Change::DELETED));
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		if (changetype == Change::DELETED)
+			return false;
+	}
+
+	// Don't physically access nonexistent end-of-paragraph char
+	if (pos == size()) {
+		// FIXME: change tracking (MG)
+		// how do we handle end-of-pars previously marked inserted?
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	// track change
 	changes_.erase(pos);
 
@@ -297,36 +318,12 @@ void Paragraph::Pimpl::eraseChar(pos_type pos)
 
 	// Update the insetlist
 	owner_->insetlist.decreasePosAfterPos(pos);
+
+	return true;
 }
 
 
-bool Paragraph::Pimpl::eraseChar(pos_type pos, bool trackChanges)
-{
-	BOOST_ASSERT(pos <= size());
-
-	if (trackChanges) {
-		Change::Type changetype(changes_.lookup(pos).type);
-
-		if (changetype == Change::UNCHANGED) {
-			setChange(pos, Change(Change::DELETED));
-			return false;
-		}
-
-		if (changetype == Change::DELETED)
-			return false;
-	}
-
-	// Don't physically access nonexistent end-of-paragraph char
-	if (pos < size()) {
-		eraseChar(pos);
-		return true;
-	}
-
-	return false;
-}
-
-
-int Paragraph::Pimpl::erase(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges)
+int Paragraph::Pimpl::eraseChars(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges)
 {
 	pos_type i = start;
 	for (pos_type count = end - start; count; --count) {
diff --git a/src/paragraph_pimpl.h b/src/paragraph_pimpl.h
index 98d588a67c..aacf9bb3b5 100644
--- a/src/paragraph_pimpl.h
+++ b/src/paragraph_pimpl.h
@@ -60,12 +60,10 @@ public:
 	void insertChar(pos_type pos, value_type c, Change const & change);
 	///
 	void insertInset(pos_type pos, InsetBase * inset, Change const & change);
-	/// definite erase
-	void eraseChar(pos_type pos);
-	/// erase the given position. Returns true if it was actually erased
+	/// (logically) erase the char at pos; return true if it was actually erased
 	bool eraseChar(pos_type pos, bool trackChanges);
-	/// erase the given range
-	int erase(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges);
+	/// (logically) erase the given range; return the number of chars actually erased
+	int eraseChars(pos_type start, pos_type end, bool trackChanges);
 	///
 	InsetBase * inset_owner;