diff --git a/src/Paragraph.cpp b/src/Paragraph.cpp
index ed0ddd0067..3751cfd933 100644
--- a/src/Paragraph.cpp
+++ b/src/Paragraph.cpp
@@ -3347,7 +3347,7 @@ docstring Paragraph::asString(int options) const
 }
 
 
-docstring Paragraph::asString(pos_type beg, pos_type end, int options) const
+docstring Paragraph::asString(pos_type beg, pos_type end, int options, const OutputParams *runparams) const
 {
 	odocstringstream os;
 
@@ -3364,9 +3364,14 @@ docstring Paragraph::asString(pos_type beg, pos_type end, int options) const
 		    || (c == '\n' && (options & AS_STR_NEWLINES)))
 			os.put(c);
 		else if (c == META_INSET && (options & AS_STR_INSETS)) {
-			getInset(i)->toString(os);
-			if (getInset(i)->asInsetMath())
-				os << " ";
+			if (c == META_INSET && (options & AS_STR_PLAINTEXT)) {
+				LASSERT(runparams != 0, return docstring());
+				getInset(i)->plaintext(os, *runparams);
+			} else {
+				getInset(i)->toString(os);
+				if (getInset(i)->asInsetMath())
+					os << " ";
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -3392,33 +3397,6 @@ void Paragraph::forOutliner(docstring & os, size_t maxlen) const
 }
 
 
-docstring Paragraph::stringify(pos_type beg, pos_type end, int options,
-        OutputParams const & runparams) const
-{
-	odocstringstream os;
-
-	if (beg == 0
-		&& options & AS_STR_LABEL
-		&& !d->params_.labelString().empty())
-		os << d->params_.labelString() << ' ';
-
-	OutputParams op = runparams;
-	op.for_search = true;
-
-	for (pos_type i = beg; i < end; ++i) {
-		char_type const c = d->text_[i];
-		if (isPrintable(c) || c == '\t'
-		    || (c == '\n' && (options & AS_STR_NEWLINES)))
-			os.put(c);
-		else if (c == META_INSET && (options & AS_STR_INSETS)) {
-			getInset(i)->plaintext(os, op);
-		}
-	}
-
-	return os.str();
-}
-
-
 void Paragraph::setInsetOwner(Inset const * inset)
 {
 	d->inset_owner_ = inset;
diff --git a/src/Paragraph.h b/src/Paragraph.h
index ba62f9bee6..587612d76b 100644
--- a/src/Paragraph.h
+++ b/src/Paragraph.h
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ enum AsStringParameter
 	AS_STR_LABEL = 1, ///< Prefix with paragraph label.
 	AS_STR_INSETS = 2, ///< Go into insets.
 	AS_STR_NEWLINES = 4, ///< Get also newline characters.
-	AS_STR_SKIPDELETE = 8 ///< Skip deleted text in change tracking.
+	AS_STR_SKIPDELETE = 8, ///< Skip deleted text in change tracking.
+	AS_STR_PLAINTEXT = 16 ///< Don't export formatting when descending into insets.
 };
 
 
@@ -173,17 +174,15 @@ public:
 	///		asString(AS_STR_LABEL | AS_STR_INSETS)
 	///		asString(AS_STR_INSETS)
 	docstring asString(int options = AS_STR_NONE) const;
-	///
+
+	/// Convert the paragraph to a string.
+	/// \note If options includes AS_STR_PLAINTEXT, then runparams must be != 0
 	docstring asString(pos_type beg, pos_type end,
-		int options = AS_STR_NONE) const;
+			   int options = AS_STR_NONE,
+			   const OutputParams *runparams = 0) const;
 	///
 	void forOutliner(docstring &, size_t maxlen) const;
 
-	/// Extract only the explicitly visible text (without any formatting),
-	/// descending into insets
-	docstring stringify(pos_type beg, pos_type end, int options,
-		OutputParams const & runparams) const;
-
 	///
 	void write(std::ostream &, BufferParams const &,
 		depth_type & depth) const;
diff --git a/src/lyxfind.cpp b/src/lyxfind.cpp
index 75f0412811..1b32ae37c7 100644
--- a/src/lyxfind.cpp
+++ b/src/lyxfind.cpp
@@ -782,14 +782,17 @@ static docstring stringifySearchBuffer(Buffer & buffer, FindAndReplaceOptions co
 		runparams.flavor = OutputParams::LATEX;
 		runparams.linelen = 100000; //lyxrc.plaintext_linelen;
 		runparams.dryrun = true;
+		runparams.for_search = true;
 		for (pos_type pit = pos_type(0); pit < (pos_type)buffer.paragraphs().size(); ++pit) {
 			Paragraph const & par = buffer.paragraphs().at(pit);
 			LYXERR(Debug::FIND, "Adding to search string: '"
-			       << par.stringify(pos_type(0), par.size(),
-						AS_STR_INSETS, runparams)
+			       << par.asString(pos_type(0), par.size(),
+					       AS_STR_INSETS | AS_STR_PLAINTEXT,
+					       &runparams)
 			       << "'");
-			str += par.stringify(pos_type(0), par.size(),
-					     AS_STR_INSETS, runparams);
+			str += par.asString(pos_type(0), par.size(),
+					    AS_STR_INSETS | AS_STR_PLAINTEXT,
+					    &runparams);
 		}
 	}
 	return str;
@@ -1040,7 +1043,9 @@ docstring stringifyFromCursor(DocIterator const & cur, int len)
 		runparams.dryrun = true;
 		LYXERR(Debug::FIND, "Stringifying with cur: "
 		       << cur << ", from pos: " << cur.pos() << ", end: " << end);
-		return par.stringify(cur.pos(), end, AS_STR_INSETS, runparams);
+		return par.asString(cur.pos(), end,
+			AS_STR_INSETS | AS_STR_PLAINTEXT,
+			&runparams);
 	} else if (cur.inMathed()) {
 		docstring s;
 		CursorSlice cs = cur.top();