diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathBox.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathBox.cpp
index 91c1a0ab2d..bb4ffc6944 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathBox.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathBox.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ InsetMathBox::InsetMathBox(docstring const & name)
 
 void InsetMathBox::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
+	bool oldmode = os.textMode();
+	os.textMode(true);
 	os << '\\' << name_ << '{' << cell(0) << '}';
+	os.textMode(oldmode);
 }
 
 
@@ -115,7 +118,10 @@ void InsetMathFBox::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 
 void InsetMathFBox::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
+	bool oldmode = os.textMode();
+	os.textMode(true);
 	os << "\\fbox{" << cell(0) << '}';
+	os.textMode(oldmode);
 }
 
 
@@ -211,6 +217,8 @@ void InsetMathMakebox::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 
 void InsetMathMakebox::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
+	bool oldmode = os.textMode();
+	os.textMode(true);
 	os << (framebox_ ? "\\framebox" : "\\makebox");
 	if (cell(0).size() || !os.latex()) {
 		os << '[' << cell(0) << ']';
@@ -218,6 +226,7 @@ void InsetMathMakebox::write(WriteStream & os) const
 			os << '[' << cell(1) << ']';
 	}
 	os << '{' << cell(2) << '}';
+	os.textMode(oldmode);
 }
 
 
@@ -266,7 +275,10 @@ void InsetMathBoxed::draw(PainterInfo & pi, int x, int y) const
 
 void InsetMathBoxed::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
+	bool oldmode = os.textMode();
+	os.textMode(true);
 	os << "\\boxed{" << cell(0) << '}';
+	os.textMode(oldmode);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.cpp
index 88e163deb4..4dbdd2a030 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathNest.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ using cap::cutSelection;
 using cap::replaceSelection;
 using cap::selClearOrDel;
 
+char const * text_commands[] =
+{ "text", "textrm", "textsf", "texttt", "textmd", "textbf", "textup", "textit",
+  "textsl", "textsc" };
+int const num_text_commands = sizeof(text_commands) / sizeof(*text_commands);
+
 
 InsetMathNest::InsetMathNest(idx_type nargs)
 	: cells_(nargs), lock_(false), mouse_hover_(false)
@@ -336,7 +341,15 @@ MathData InsetMathNest::glue() const
 
 void InsetMathNest::write(WriteStream & os) const
 {
-	os << '\\' << name().c_str();
+	bool oldmode = os.textMode();
+	docstring const latex_name = name().c_str();
+	for (int i = 0; i < num_text_commands; ++i) {
+		if (latex_name == from_ascii(text_commands[i])) {
+			os.textMode(true);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	os << '\\' << latex_name;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < nargs(); ++i)
 		os << '{' << cell(i) << '}';
 	if (nargs() == 0)
@@ -345,6 +358,7 @@ void InsetMathNest::write(WriteStream & os) const
 		os << "\\lyxlock";
 		os.pendingSpace(true);
 	}
+	os.textMode(oldmode);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp b/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp
index a8eb1067c3..bfa17019b0 100644
--- a/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/InsetMathString.cpp
@@ -111,24 +111,37 @@ void InsetMathString::write(WriteStream & os) const
 	docstring::const_iterator cit = str_.begin();
 	docstring::const_iterator end = str_.end();
 
-	bool in_lyxmathsym = false;
+	bool in_forced_mode = false;
 	while (cit != end) {
 		char_type const c = *cit;
 		try {
 			docstring command(1, c);
 			if (c < 0x80 || Encodings::latexMathChar(c, command)) {
-				if (in_lyxmathsym) {
+				if (os.textMode()) {
+					if (c < 0x80 && in_forced_mode) {
+						os << '}';
+						in_forced_mode = false;
+					}
+					if (c >= 0x80 && !in_forced_mode) {
+						os << "\\ensuremath{";
+						in_forced_mode = true;
+					}
+				} else if (in_forced_mode) {
 					os << '}';
-					in_lyxmathsym = false;
+					in_forced_mode = false;
 				}
-				os << command;
 			} else {
-				if (!in_lyxmathsym) {
+				if (os.textMode()) {
+					if (in_forced_mode) {
+						os << '}';
+						in_forced_mode = false;
+					}
+				} else if (!in_forced_mode) {
 					os << "\\lyxmathsym{";
-					in_lyxmathsym = true;
+					in_forced_mode = true;
 				}
-				os << command;
 			}
+			os << command;
 			// We may need a space if the command contains a macro
 			// and the last char is ASCII.
 			if (lyx::support::contains(command, '\\')
@@ -149,7 +162,7 @@ void InsetMathString::write(WriteStream & os) const
 		}
 		++cit;
 	}
-	if (in_lyxmathsym)
+	if (in_forced_mode)
 		os << '}';
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp b/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
index 6ad980597d..8677358b55 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
+++ b/src/mathed/MathStream.cpp
@@ -105,13 +105,13 @@ WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, docstring const & s)
 
 WriteStream::WriteStream(odocstream & os, bool fragile, bool latex, bool dryrun)
 	: os_(os), fragile_(fragile), firstitem_(false), latex_(latex),
-	  dryrun_(dryrun), pendingspace_(false), line_(0)
+	  dryrun_(dryrun), pendingspace_(false), textmode_(false), line_(0)
 {}
 
 
 WriteStream::WriteStream(odocstream & os)
 	: os_(os), fragile_(false), firstitem_(false), latex_(false),
-	  dryrun_(false), pendingspace_(false), line_(0)
+	  dryrun_(false), pendingspace_(false), textmode_(false), line_(0)
 {}
 
 
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@ void WriteStream::pendingSpace(bool how)
 }
 
 
+void WriteStream::textMode(bool textmode)
+{
+	textmode_ = textmode;
+}
+
+
 WriteStream & operator<<(WriteStream & ws, MathAtom const & at)
 {
 	at->write(ws);
diff --git a/src/mathed/MathStream.h b/src/mathed/MathStream.h
index 8786889085..92b63c2a6b 100644
--- a/src/mathed/MathStream.h
+++ b/src/mathed/MathStream.h
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ public:
 	void pendingSpace(bool how);
 	/// writes space if next thing is isalpha()
 	bool pendingSpace() const { return pendingspace_; }
+	/// tell whether we are in text mode or not when producing latex code
+	void textMode(bool textmode);
+	/// tell whether we are in text mode or not when producing latex code
+	bool textMode() const { return textmode_; }
 private:
 	///
 	odocstream & os_;
@@ -67,6 +71,8 @@ private:
 	bool dryrun_;
 	/// do we have a space pending?
 	bool pendingspace_;
+	/// are we in text mode when producing latex code?
+	bool textmode_;
 	///
 	int line_;
 };