diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/Parser.cpp b/src/tex2lyx/Parser.cpp
index 6e29623b96..1d506a78a8 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/Parser.cpp
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/Parser.cpp
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ bool Parser::good()
 }
 
 
-bool Parser::hasOpt()
+bool Parser::hasOpt(string const l)
 {
 	// An optional argument can occur in any of the following forms:
 	// - \foo[bar]
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ bool Parser::hasOpt()
 		putback();
 		break;
 	}
-	bool const retval = (next_token().asInput() == "[");
+	bool const retval = (next_token().asInput() == l);
 	pos_ = oldpos;
 	return retval;
 }
diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/Parser.h b/src/tex2lyx/Parser.h
index 08d07c1af1..83fa1c745a 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/Parser.h
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/Parser.h
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ public:
 	void dump() const;
 
 	/// Does an optional argument follow after the current token?
-	bool hasOpt();
+	bool hasOpt(std::string const l = "[");
 	///
 	typedef std::pair<bool, std::string> Arg;
 	/*!
diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp b/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp
index ac2bed1512..f3617a8e97 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp
@@ -3627,14 +3627,16 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if ((where = is_known(t.cs(), known_text_font_series))) {
+		// beamer has a \textbf<overlay>{} inset
+		if (!p.hasOpt("<") && (where = is_known(t.cs(), known_text_font_series))) {
 			parse_text_attributes(p, os, FLAG_ITEM, outer,
 				context, "\\series", context.font.series,
 				known_coded_font_series[where - known_text_font_series]);
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if ((where = is_known(t.cs(), known_text_font_shapes))) {
+		// beamer has a \textit<overlay>{} inset
+		if (!p.hasOpt("<") && (where = is_known(t.cs(), known_text_font_shapes))) {
 			parse_text_attributes(p, os, FLAG_ITEM, outer,
 				context, "\\shape", context.font.shape,
 				known_coded_font_shapes[where - known_text_font_shapes]);
@@ -3713,9 +3715,10 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (t.cs() == "uuline" || t.cs() == "uwave"
+		// beamer has an \emph<overlay>{} inset
+		if ((t.cs() == "uuline" || t.cs() == "uwave"
 		        || t.cs() == "emph" || t.cs() == "noun"
-		        || t.cs() == "xout") {
+		        || t.cs() == "xout") && !p.hasOpt("<")) {
 			context.check_layout(os);
 			os << "\n\\" << t.cs() << " on\n";
 			parse_text_snippet(p, os, FLAG_ITEM, outer, context);