diff --git a/src/CutAndPaste.C b/src/CutAndPaste.C
index d111dc8a85..5de1a5c6f0 100644
--- a/src/CutAndPaste.C
+++ b/src/CutAndPaste.C
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "insetiterator.h"
 #include "language.h"
 #include "lfuns.h"
+#include "lyxfunc.h"
 #include "lyxrc.h"
 #include "lyxtext.h"
 #include "lyxtextclasslist.h"
@@ -324,6 +325,21 @@ PitPosPair eraseSelectionHelper(BufferParams const & params,
 }
 
 
+void putClipboard(ParagraphList const & paragraphs, textclass_type textclass,
+                  docstring const & plaintext)
+{
+	Buffer buffer(string(), false);
+	buffer.setUnnamed(true);
+	buffer.paragraphs() = paragraphs;
+	buffer.params().textclass = textclass;
+	std::ostringstream lyx;
+	if (buffer.write(lyx))
+		theClipboard().put(lyx.str(), plaintext);
+	else
+		theClipboard().put(string(), plaintext);
+}
+
+
 void copySelectionHelper(Buffer const & buf, ParagraphList & pars,
 	pit_type startpit, pit_type endpit,
 	int start, int end, textclass_type tc)
@@ -493,9 +509,6 @@ void cutSelection(LCursor & cur, bool doclear, bool realcut)
 	if (cur.inTexted()) {
 		LyXText * text = cur.text();
 		BOOST_ASSERT(text);
-		// Stuff what we got on the clipboard. Even if there is no selection.
-		if (realcut)
-			theClipboard().put(cur.selectionAsString(true));
 
 		// make sure that the depth behind the selection are restored, too
 		recordUndoSelection(cur);
@@ -511,6 +524,10 @@ void cutSelection(LCursor & cur, bool doclear, bool realcut)
 				begpit, endpit,
 				cur.selBegin().pos(), endpos,
 				bp.textclass);
+			// Stuff what we got on the clipboard.
+			// Even if there is no selection.
+			putClipboard(theCuts[0].first, theCuts[0].second,
+				cur.selectionAsString(true));
 		}
 
 		boost::tie(endpit, endpos) =
@@ -558,10 +575,16 @@ void cutSelection(LCursor & cur, bool doclear, bool realcut)
 
 void copySelection(LCursor & cur)
 {
-	// stuff the selection onto the X clipboard, from an explicit copy request
-	theClipboard().put(cur.selectionAsString(true));
+	copySelection(cur, cur.selectionAsString(true));
+}
 
+
+void copySelection(LCursor & cur, docstring const & plaintext)
+{
 	copySelectionToStack(cur);
+
+	// stuff the selection onto the X clipboard, from an explicit copy request
+	putClipboard(theCuts[0].first, theCuts[0].second, plaintext);
 }
 
 
@@ -636,6 +659,42 @@ void pasteParagraphList(LCursor & cur, ParagraphList const & parlist,
 }
 
 
+void pasteClipboard(LCursor & cur, ErrorList & errorList, bool asParagraphs)
+{
+	// Use internal clipboard if it is the most recent one
+	if (theClipboard().isInternal()) {
+		pasteSelection(cur, errorList, 0);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// First try LyX format
+	if (theClipboard().hasLyXContents()) {
+		string lyx = theClipboard().getAsLyX();
+		if (!lyx.empty()) {
+			Buffer buffer(string(), false);
+			buffer.setUnnamed(true);
+			if (buffer.readString(lyx)) {
+				recordUndo(cur);
+				pasteParagraphList(cur, buffer.paragraphs(),
+					buffer.params().textclass, errorList);
+				cur.setSelection();
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Then try plain text
+	docstring const text = theClipboard().getAsText();
+	if (text.empty())
+		return;
+	recordUndo(cur);
+	if (asParagraphs)
+		cur.text()->insertStringAsParagraphs(cur, text);
+	else
+		cur.text()->insertStringAsLines(cur, text);
+}
+
+
 void pasteSelection(LCursor & cur, ErrorList & errorList, size_t sel_index)
 {
 	// this does not make sense, if there is nothing to paste
diff --git a/src/CutAndPaste.h b/src/CutAndPaste.h
index 2baaeb2ae8..a07d04c118 100644
--- a/src/CutAndPaste.h
+++ b/src/CutAndPaste.h
@@ -62,9 +62,19 @@ void replaceSelection(LCursor & cur);
 void cutSelection(LCursor & cur, bool doclear = true, bool realcut = true);
 /// Push the current selection to the cut buffer and the system clipboard.
 void copySelection(LCursor & cur);
+/**
+ * Push the current selection to the cut buffer and the system clipboard.
+ * \param plaintext plain text version of the selection for the system
+ *        clipboard
+ */
+void copySelection(LCursor & cur, docstring const & plaintext);
 /// Push the current selection to the cut buffer.
 void copySelectionToStack(LCursor & cur);
-/// Paste the sel_index-th element of the cut buffer.
+/// Replace the current selection with the clipboard contents (internal or
+/// external: which is newer)
+/// Does handle undo. Does only work in text, not mathed.
+void pasteClipboard(LCursor & cur, ErrorList & errorList, bool asParagraphs = true);
+/// Replace the current selection with cut buffer \c sel_index
 /// Does handle undo. Does only work in text, not mathed.
 void pasteSelection(LCursor & cur, ErrorList &, size_t sel_index = 0);
 
diff --git a/src/buffer.C b/src/buffer.C
index 2cb481821f..6e93b04bbc 100644
--- a/src/buffer.C
+++ b/src/buffer.C
@@ -566,6 +566,39 @@ void Buffer::insertStringAsLines(ParagraphList & pars,
 }
 
 
+bool Buffer::readString(std::string const & s)
+{
+	params().compressed = false;
+
+	// remove dummy empty par
+	paragraphs().clear();
+	LyXLex lex(0, 0);
+	std::istringstream is(s);
+	lex.setStream(is);
+	FileName const name(tempName());
+	switch (readFile(lex, name)) {
+	case failure:
+		return false;
+	case wrongversion: {
+		// We need to call lyx2lyx, so write the input to a file
+		std::ofstream os(name.toFilesystemEncoding().c_str());
+		os << s;
+		os.close();
+		return readFile(name) == success;
+	}
+	case success:
+		break;
+	}
+
+	// After we have read a file, we must ensure that the buffer
+	// language is set and used in the gui.
+	// If you know of a better place to put this, please tell me. (Lgb)
+	updateDocLang(params().language);
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+
 bool Buffer::readFile(FileName const & filename)
 {
 	// Check if the file is compressed.
@@ -578,7 +611,7 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(FileName const & filename)
 	paragraphs().clear();
 	LyXLex lex(0, 0);
 	lex.setFile(filename);
-	if (!readFile(lex, filename))
+	if (readFile(lex, filename) != success)
 		return false;
 
 	// After we have read a file, we must ensure that the buffer
@@ -602,14 +635,15 @@ void Buffer::fully_loaded(bool const value)
 }
 
 
-bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
+Buffer::ReadStatus Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename,
+		bool fromstring)
 {
 	BOOST_ASSERT(!filename.empty());
 
 	if (!lex.isOK()) {
 		Alert::error(_("Document could not be read"),
 			     bformat(_("%1$s could not be read."), from_utf8(filename.absFilename())));
-		return false;
+		return failure;
 	}
 
 	lex.next();
@@ -618,7 +652,7 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 	if (!lex.isOK()) {
 		Alert::error(_("Document could not be read"),
 			     bformat(_("%1$s could not be read."), from_utf8(filename.absFilename())));
-		return false;
+		return failure;
 	}
 
 	// the first token _must_ be...
@@ -628,7 +662,7 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 		Alert::error(_("Document format failure"),
 			     bformat(_("%1$s is not a LyX document."),
 				       from_utf8(filename.absFilename())));
-		return false;
+		return failure;
 	}
 
 	lex.next();
@@ -643,6 +677,11 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 	//lyxerr << "format: " << file_format << endl;
 
 	if (file_format != LYX_FORMAT) {
+
+		if (fromstring)
+			// lyx2lyx would fail
+			return wrongversion;
+
 		FileName const tmpfile(tempName());
 		if (tmpfile.empty()) {
 			Alert::error(_("Conversion failed"),
@@ -651,7 +690,7 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 					      " file for converting it could"
 							    " not be created."),
 					      from_utf8(filename.absFilename())));
-			return false;
+			return failure;
 		}
 		FileName const lyx2lyx = libFileSearch("lyx2lyx", "lyx2lyx");
 		if (lyx2lyx.empty()) {
@@ -661,7 +700,7 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 					       " conversion script lyx2lyx"
 							    " could not be found."),
 					       from_utf8(filename.absFilename())));
-			return false;
+			return failure;
 		}
 		ostringstream command;
 		command << os::python()
@@ -682,11 +721,11 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 					      " of LyX, but the lyx2lyx script"
 							    " failed to convert it."),
 					      from_utf8(filename.absFilename())));
-			return false;
+			return failure;
 		} else {
 			bool const ret = readFile(tmpfile);
 			// Do stuff with tmpfile name and buffer name here.
-			return ret;
+			return ret ? success : failure;
 		}
 
 	}
@@ -703,7 +742,7 @@ bool Buffer::readFile(LyXLex & lex, FileName const & filename)
 	//MacroTable::localMacros().clear();
 
 	pimpl_->file_fully_loaded = true;
-	return true;
+	return success;
 }
 
 
@@ -763,20 +802,20 @@ bool Buffer::writeFile(FileName const & fname) const
 		if (!ofs)
 			return false;
 
-		retval = do_writeFile(ofs);
+		retval = write(ofs);
 	} else {
 		ofstream ofs(fname.toFilesystemEncoding().c_str(), ios::out|ios::trunc);
 		if (!ofs)
 			return false;
 
-		retval = do_writeFile(ofs);
+		retval = write(ofs);
 	}
 
 	return retval;
 }
 
 
-bool Buffer::do_writeFile(ostream & ofs) const
+bool Buffer::write(ostream & ofs) const
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_LOCALE
 	// Use the standard "C" locale for file output.
diff --git a/src/buffer.h b/src/buffer.h
index 66f5f7901d..ac13950039 100644
--- a/src/buffer.h
+++ b/src/buffer.h
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ public:
 		buildlog  ///< Literate build log
 	};
 
+	/// Result of \c readFile()
+	enum ReadStatus {
+		failure, ///< The file could not be read
+		success, ///< The file could not be read
+		wrongversion ///< The version of the file does not match ours
+	};
+
 	/** Constructor
 	    \param file
 	    \param b  optional \c false by default
@@ -98,6 +105,8 @@ public:
 	/// Load the autosaved file.
 	void loadAutoSaveFile();
 
+	/// read a new document from a string
+	bool readString(std::string const &);
 	/// load a new file
 	bool readFile(support::FileName const & filename);
 
@@ -143,6 +152,8 @@ public:
 	*/
 	bool save() const;
 
+	/// Write document to stream. Returns \c false if unsuccesful.
+	bool write(std::ostream &) const;
 	/// Write file. Returns \c false if unsuccesful.
 	bool writeFile(support::FileName const &) const;
 
@@ -386,9 +397,8 @@ private:
 	/** Inserts a file into a document
 	    \return \c false if method fails.
 	*/
-	bool readFile(LyXLex &, support::FileName const & filename);
-
-	bool do_writeFile(std::ostream & ofs) const;
+	ReadStatus readFile(LyXLex &, support::FileName const & filename,
+	                    bool fromString = false);
 
 	/// Use the Pimpl idiom to hide the internals.
 	class Impl;
diff --git a/src/frontends/Clipboard.h b/src/frontends/Clipboard.h
index 5ebde162da..deddf5b0c9 100644
--- a/src/frontends/Clipboard.h
+++ b/src/frontends/Clipboard.h
@@ -28,18 +28,29 @@ public:
 	virtual ~Clipboard() {}
 
 	/**
-	 * Get the window system clipboard contents.
+	 * Get the system clipboard contents. The format is as written in
+	 * .lyx files (may even be an older version than ours if it comes
+	 * from an older LyX).
+	 * Does not convert plain text to LyX if only plain text is available.
 	 * This should be called when the user requests to paste from the
 	 * clipboard.
 	 */
-	virtual docstring const get() const = 0;
+	virtual std::string const getAsLyX() const = 0;
+	/// Get the contents of the window system clipboard in plain text format.
+	virtual docstring const getAsText() const = 0;
 	/**
-	 * Fill the window system clipboard.
+	 * Fill the system clipboard. The format of \p lyx is as written in
+	 * .lyx files, the format of \p text is plain text.
+	 * We put the clipboard contents in LyX format and plain text into
+	 * the system clipboard if supported, so that it is useful for other
+	 * applications as well as other instances of LyX.
 	 * This should be called when the user requests to cut or copy to
 	 * the clipboard.
 	 */
-	virtual void put(docstring const &) = 0;
+	virtual void put(std::string const & lyx, docstring const & text) = 0;
 
+	/// Does the clipboard contain LyX contents?
+	virtual bool hasLyXContents() const = 0;
 	/// state of clipboard.
 	/// \retval true if the system clipboard has been set within LyX.
 	virtual bool isInternal() const = 0;
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.C b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.C
index 235a72986c..0f770319e5 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.C
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.C
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QClipboard>
+#include <QMimeData>
 #include <QString>
 
 #include "support/lstrings.h"
@@ -26,15 +27,50 @@ using lyx::support::internalLineEnding;
 using lyx::support::externalLineEnding;
 
 using std::endl;
+using std::string;
+
+
+namespace {
+
+char const * const mime_type = "application/x-lyx";
+
+}
+
 
 namespace lyx {
 namespace frontend {
 
-docstring const GuiClipboard::get() const
+string const GuiClipboard::getAsLyX() const
 {
+	lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "GuiClipboard::getAsLyX(): `";
+	// We don't convert encodings here since the encoding of the
+	// clipboard contents is specified in the data itself
+	QMimeData const * source =
+		qApp->clipboard()->mimeData(QClipboard::Clipboard);
+	if (!source) {
+		lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "' (no QMimeData)" << endl;
+		return string();
+	}
+	if (source->hasFormat(mime_type)) {
+		// data from ourself or some other LyX instance
+		QByteArray const ar = source->data(mime_type);
+		string const s(ar.data(), ar.count());
+		if (lyxerr.debugging(Debug::ACTION))
+			lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << s << "'" << endl;
+		return s;
+	}
+	lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "'" << endl;
+	return string();
+}
+
+
+docstring const GuiClipboard::getAsText() const
+{
+	// text data from other applications
 	QString const str = qApp->clipboard()->text(QClipboard::Clipboard);
-	lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "GuiClipboard::get: " << fromqstr(str)
-	                      << endl;
+	if (lyxerr.debugging(Debug::ACTION))
+		lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "GuiClipboard::getAsText(): `"
+		                      << fromqstr(str) << "'" << endl;
 	if (str.isNull())
 		return docstring();
 
@@ -42,12 +78,31 @@ docstring const GuiClipboard::get() const
 }
 
 
-void GuiClipboard::put(docstring const & str)
+void GuiClipboard::put(string const & lyx, docstring const & text)
 {
-	lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "GuiClipboard::put: " << lyx::to_utf8(str) << endl;
+	if (lyxerr.debugging(Debug::ACTION))
+		lyxerr[Debug::ACTION] << "GuiClipboard::put(`" << lyx << "' `"
+		                      << to_utf8(text) << "')" << endl;
+	// We don't convert the encoding of lyx since the encoding of the
+	// clipboard contents is specified in the data itself
+	QMimeData * data = new QMimeData;
+	if (!lyx.empty()) {
+		QByteArray const qlyx(lyx.c_str(), lyx.size());
+		data->setData(mime_type, qlyx);
+	}
+	// Don't test for text.empty() since we want to be able to clear the
+	// clipboard.
+	QString const qtext = toqstr(text);
+	data->setText(qtext);
+	qApp->clipboard()->setMimeData(data, QClipboard::Clipboard);
+}
 
-	qApp->clipboard()->setText(toqstr(externalLineEnding(str)),
-	                           QClipboard::Clipboard);
+
+bool GuiClipboard::hasLyXContents() const
+{
+	QMimeData const * const source =
+		qApp->clipboard()->mimeData(QClipboard::Clipboard);
+	return source && source->hasFormat(mime_type);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.h
index efc705a33d..f167cc1f97 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiClipboard.h
@@ -30,8 +30,10 @@ public:
 	/** Clipboard overloaded methods
 	 */
 	//@{
-	docstring const get() const;
-	void put(docstring const & str);
+	std::string const getAsLyX() const;
+	docstring const getAsText() const;
+	void put(std::string const & lyx, docstring const & text);
+	bool hasLyXContents() const;
 	bool isInternal() const;
 	bool empty() const;
 	//@}
diff --git a/src/insets/insettabular.C b/src/insets/insettabular.C
index 6fa185b280..e0fd1c7fa0 100644
--- a/src/insets/insettabular.C
+++ b/src/insets/insettabular.C
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ void InsetTabular::doDispatch(LCursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd)
 	case LFUN_CLIPBOARD_PASTE:
 	case LFUN_PRIMARY_SELECTION_PASTE: {
 		docstring const clip = (cmd.action == LFUN_CLIPBOARD_PASTE) ?
-			theClipboard().get() :
+			theClipboard().getAsText() :
 			theSelection().get();
 		if (clip.empty())
 			break;
@@ -1814,10 +1814,13 @@ bool InsetTabular::copySelection(LCursor & cur)
 	odocstringstream os;
 	OutputParams const runparams;
 	paste_tabular->plaintext(cur.buffer(), os, runparams, 0, true, '\t');
-	theClipboard().put(os.str());
+	// Needed for the "Edit->Paste recent" menu and the system clipboard.
+	cap::copySelection(cur, os.str());
+
 	// mark tabular stack dirty
 	// FIXME: this is a workaround for bug 1919. Should be removed for 1.5,
 	// when we (hopefully) have a one-for-all paste mechanism.
+	// This must be called after cap::copySelection.
 	dirtyTabularStack(true);
 
 	return true;
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathGrid.C b/src/mathed/InsetMathGrid.C
index 86ba646d8a..9d0a5ddd3c 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathGrid.C
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathGrid.C
@@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ void InsetMathGrid::doDispatch(LCursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd)
 		cap::replaceSelection(cur);
 		docstring topaste;
 		if (cmd.argument().empty() && !theClipboard().isInternal())
-			topaste = theClipboard().get();
+			topaste = theClipboard().getAsText();
 		else {
 			idocstringstream is(cmd.argument());
 			int n = 0;
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.C b/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.C
index 8dfcd7161a..00923f982e 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.C
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.C
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ void InsetMathNest::doDispatch(LCursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd)
 		replaceSelection(cur);
 		docstring topaste;
 		if (cmd.argument().empty() && !theClipboard().isInternal())
-			topaste = theClipboard().get();
+			topaste = theClipboard().getAsText();
 		else {
 			size_t n = 0;
 			idocstringstream is(cmd.argument());
diff --git a/src/text3.C b/src/text3.C
index cd5d7d0046..2e4f09c84e 100644
--- a/src/text3.C
+++ b/src/text3.C
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ namespace lyx {
 
 using cap::copySelection;
 using cap::cutSelection;
+using cap::pasteClipboard;
 using cap::pasteSelection;
 using cap::replaceSelection;
 
@@ -758,15 +759,15 @@ void LyXText::dispatch(LCursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd)
 		cur.message(_("Paste"));
 		cap::replaceSelection(cur);
 		if (cmd.argument().empty() && !theClipboard().isInternal())
-			pasteString(cur, theClipboard().get(), true);
+			pasteClipboard(cur, bv->buffer()->errorList("Paste"));
 		else {
 			string const arg(to_utf8(cmd.argument()));
 			pasteSelection(cur, bv->buffer()->errorList("Paste"),
 					isStrUnsignedInt(arg) ?
 						convert<unsigned int>(arg) :
 						0);
-			bv->buffer()->errors("Paste");
 		}
+		bv->buffer()->errors("Paste");
 		cur.clearSelection(); // bug 393
 		bv->switchKeyMap();
 		finishUndo();
@@ -865,8 +866,10 @@ void LyXText::dispatch(LCursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd)
 	}
 
 	case LFUN_CLIPBOARD_PASTE:
-		pasteString(cur, theClipboard().get(),
-		            cmd.argument() == "paragraph");
+		cur.clearSelection();
+		pasteClipboard(cur, bv->buffer()->errorList("Paste"),
+		               cmd.argument() == "paragraph");
+		bv->buffer()->errors("Paste");
 		break;
 
 	case LFUN_PRIMARY_SELECTION_PASTE: