diff --git a/src/mathed/array.C b/src/mathed/array.C
index 507aa2cc2f..5331bf2588 100644
--- a/src/mathed/array.C
+++ b/src/mathed/array.C
@@ -335,3 +335,9 @@ MathArray::iterator MathArray::end()
 }
 
 
+bool MathArray::isMatrix() const
+{
+	return size() == 1 && begin()->nucleus() && begin()->nucleus()->isMatrix();
+}
+
+
diff --git a/src/mathed/array.h b/src/mathed/array.h
index 52dc1528f8..24c9e4fd0b 100644
--- a/src/mathed/array.h
+++ b/src/mathed/array.h
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ public:
 	/// interface to MathML
 	string mathmlize() const;
 
+	///
+	bool isMatrix() const;
+
 private:
 	/// Buffer
 	buffer_type bf_;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_deliminset.C b/src/mathed/math_deliminset.C
index 7c5c736b90..767a60f7ec 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_deliminset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_deliminset.C
@@ -93,6 +93,13 @@ void MathDelimInset::draw(Painter & pain, int x, int y) const
 }
 
 
+bool MathDelimInset::isMatrix() const
+{
+	return left_ == "(" && right_ == ")" && cell(0).size() == 1 && 
+		cell(0).begin()->nucleus() && cell(0).begin()->nucleus()->asArrayInset();
+}
+
+
 string MathDelimInset::octavize() const
 {
 	if (left_ == "|" && right_ == "|")
@@ -103,7 +110,12 @@ string MathDelimInset::octavize() const
 
 string MathDelimInset::maplize() const
 {
-	if (left_ == "|" && right_ == "|")
-		return "abs(" + cell(0).octavize() + ")";
-	return left_ + cell(0).octavize() + right_;
+	if (left_ == "|" && right_ == "|") {
+		if (cell(0).isMatrix())	
+			return "linalg[det](" + cell(0).maplize() + ")";
+		else
+			return "abs(" + cell(0).maplize() + ")";
+	}
+	return left_ + cell(0).maplize() + right_;
 }
+
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_deliminset.h b/src/mathed/math_deliminset.h
index 24a3ab2255..0ffe24d3c7 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_deliminset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_deliminset.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ public:
 	///
 	void metrics(MathMetricsInfo const & st) const;
 	///
+	bool isMatrix() const;
+	///
 	string octavize() const;
 	///
 	string maplize() const;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
index 5b31df9cbd..17823c7973 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
@@ -605,3 +605,22 @@ string MathGridInset::octavize() const
 	return res;
 }
 
+
+string MathGridInset::maplize() const
+{
+	string res = "array([";
+	for (row_type row = 0; row < nrows(); ++row) {
+		if (row)
+			res += ',';
+		res += '[';
+		for (col_type col = 0; col < ncols(); ++col) {
+			if (col)
+				res += ',';
+			res += cell(index(row, col)).maplize();
+		}
+		res += ']';
+	}
+	res += "])";
+	return res;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
index 60027ec568..af3f69e68d 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ public:
 
 	///
 	string octavize() const;
+	///
+	string maplize() const;
 
 protected:
 	/// returns proper 'end of line' code for LaTeX
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_inset.h b/src/mathed/math_inset.h
index 59335a3331..5c81b6cc63 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_inset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_inset.h
@@ -234,6 +234,8 @@ public:
 	virtual bool isRelOp() const { return false; }
 	///
 	virtual bool isMacro() const { return false; }
+	/// is this a matrix or matrix expression?
+	virtual bool isMatrix() const { return false; }
 
 	///
 	virtual char getChar() const { return 0; }
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.C b/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.C
index 9c6b4b3ed3..0b3e2c72db 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.C
@@ -55,3 +55,9 @@ void MathSqrtInset::writeNormal(std::ostream & os) const
 	cell(0).writeNormal(os); 
 	os << "]";
 }
+
+
+string MathSqrtInset::maplize() const
+{
+	return "sqrt(" + cell(0).maplize() + ')';
+}
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.h b/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.h
index 78e3ecedce..8f21fe99d8 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_sqrtinset.h
@@ -25,5 +25,7 @@ public:
 	void writeNormal(std::ostream &) const;
 	///
 	void metrics(MathMetricsInfo const & st) const;
+	///
+	string maplize() const;
 };
 #endif