diff --git a/src/insets/Inset.h b/src/insets/Inset.h
index 3958f965b2..eb547f6c95 100644
--- a/src/insets/Inset.h
+++ b/src/insets/Inset.h
@@ -491,6 +491,8 @@ public:
 	virtual mode_type currentMode() const { return UNDECIDED_MODE; }
 	/// returns whether changing mode during latex export is forbidden
 	virtual bool lockedMode() const { return false; }
+	/// returns whether only ascii chars are allowed during latex export
+	virtual bool asciiOnly() const { return false; }
 	/// returns whether this inset is allowed in other insets of given mode
 	virtual bool allowedIn(mode_type) const { return true; }
 	/**
diff --git a/src/mathed/CommandInset.cpp b/src/mathed/CommandInset.cpp
index be67c3d52e..c5448a21fc 100644
--- a/src/mathed/CommandInset.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/CommandInset.cpp
@@ -65,11 +65,15 @@ void CommandInset::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 
 void CommandInset::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
+	ModeSpecifier specifier(os, currentMode(), lockedMode());
 	MathEnsurer ensurer(os, needs_math_mode_);
-	os << '\\' << name_.c_str();
+	bool const ascii = os.asciiOnly();
+	os.asciiOnly(asciiOnly());
+	os << '\\' << name_;
 	if (cell(1).size())
 		os << '[' << cell(1) << ']';
 	os << '{' << cell(0) << '}';
+	os.asciiOnly(ascii);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp
index eaaa94757d..003c3e0aae 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathHull.cpp
@@ -1069,7 +1069,8 @@ docstring InsetMathHull::eolString(row_type row, bool fragile) const
 	docstring res;
 	if (numberedType()) {
 		if (label_[row] && !nonum_[row])
-			res += "\\label{" + label_[row]->getParam("name") + '}';
+			res += "\\label{" +
+			    escape(label_[row]->getParam("name")) + '}';
 		if (nonum_[row] && (type_ != hullMultline))
 			res += "\\nonumber ";
 	}
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathRef.h b/src/mathed/InsetMathRef.h
index a93d910594..8fa5a499a8 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathRef.h
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathRef.h
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ public:
 	///
 	void infoize(odocstream & os) const;
 	///
+	mode_type currentMode() const { return TEXT_MODE; }
+	///
+	bool lockedMode() const { return true; }
+	///
+	bool asciiOnly() const { return true; }
+	///
 	docstring const screenLabel() const;
 	///
 	void validate(LaTeXFeatures & features) const;
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp
index ac951a1838..d5b0d78864 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #include "support/lstrings.h"
 #include "support/textutils.h"
 
+using lyx::support::escape;
+
 
 namespace lyx {
 
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ void InsetMathString::mathmlize(MathStream & /*os*/) const
 void InsetMathString::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
 	if (!os.latex() || os.lockedMode()) {
-		os << str_;
+		os << (os.asciiOnly() ? escape(str_) : str_);
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp b/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
index 9c8ebeb2a2..2d2be81254 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ WriteStream::WriteStream(odocstream & os, bool fragile, bool latex, OutputType o
 			Encoding const * encoding)
 	: os_(os), fragile_(fragile), firstitem_(false), latex_(latex),
 	  output_(output), pendingspace_(false), pendingbrace_(false),
-	  textmode_(false), locked_(0), line_(0), encoding_(encoding)
+	  textmode_(false), locked_(0), ascii_(0), line_(0), encoding_(encoding)
 {}
 
 
 WriteStream::WriteStream(odocstream & os)
 	: os_(os), fragile_(false), firstitem_(false), latex_(false),
 	  output_(wsDefault), pendingspace_(false), pendingbrace_(false),
-	  textmode_(false), locked_(0), line_(0), encoding_(0)
+	  textmode_(false), locked_(0), ascii_(0), line_(0), encoding_(0)
 {}
 
 
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ void WriteStream::lockedMode(bool locked)
 }
 
 
+void WriteStream::asciiOnly(bool ascii)
+{
+	ascii_ = ascii;
+}
+
+
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, MathAtom const & at)
 {
 	at->write(ws);
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathStream.h b/src/mathed/MathStream.h
index 78b77b780a..5eb2f8de2f 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathStream.h
+++ b/src/mathed/MathStream.h
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ public:
 	void lockedMode(bool locked);
 	/// tell whether we are allowed to switch mode when producing latex code
 	bool lockedMode() const { return locked_; }
+	/// tell whether to use only ascii chars when producing latex code
+	void asciiOnly(bool ascii);
+	/// tell whether to use only ascii chars when producing latex code
+	bool asciiOnly() const { return ascii_; }
 	/// LaTeX encoding
 	Encoding const * encoding() const { return encoding_; }
 private:
@@ -96,6 +100,8 @@ private:
 	bool textmode_;
 	/// are we allowed to switch mode when producing latex code?
 	bool locked_;
+	/// should we use only ascii chars when producing latex code?
+	bool ascii_;
 	///
 	int line_;
 	///