diff --git a/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp b/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp
index 45e4ebe72f..fb599edbc5 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp
@@ -40,13 +40,8 @@ using namespace std;
 namespace lyx {
 
 InsetBranch::InsetBranch(Buffer const & buf, InsetBranchParams const & params)
-	: InsetCollapsable(buf), params_(params)
-{
-	// override the default for InsetCollapsable, which is to
-	// use the plain layout.
-	DocumentClass const & dc = buf.params().documentClass();
-	paragraphs().back().setDefaultLayout(dc);
-}
+	: InsetCollapsable(buf, InsetText::DefaultLayout), params_(params)
+{}
 
 
 InsetBranch::~InsetBranch()
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp b/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp
index e66b728d4e..a846fc9159 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetCaption.cpp
@@ -48,13 +48,11 @@ namespace lyx {
 
 
 InsetCaption::InsetCaption(Buffer const & buf)
-	: InsetText(buf)
+	: InsetText(buf, InsetText::PlainLayout)
 {
 	setAutoBreakRows(true);
 	setDrawFrame(true);
 	setFrameColor(Color_captionframe);
-	// caption insets should use the plain layout
-	paragraphs().back().setPlainLayout(buf.params().documentClass());
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp b/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp
index 24065cd9fc..e2fbb3600c 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.cpp
@@ -102,16 +102,14 @@ InsetCollapsable::Geometry InsetCollapsable::geometry() const
 }
 
 
-InsetCollapsable::InsetCollapsable(Buffer const & buf)
-	: InsetText(buf), status_(Inset::Open),
+InsetCollapsable::InsetCollapsable(Buffer const & buf, InsetText::UsePlain ltype)
+	: InsetText(buf, ltype), status_(Inset::Open),
 	  openinlined_(false), mouse_hover_(false)
 {
-	DocumentClass const & dc = buf.params().documentClass();
-	setLayout(&dc);
+	setLayout(&buf.params().documentClass());
 	setAutoBreakRows(true);
 	setDrawFrame(true);
 	setFrameColor(Color_collapsableframe);
-	paragraphs().back().setPlainLayout(dc); 
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.h b/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.h
index 22c062e69c..9b4e9b02bf 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.h
+++ b/src/insets/InsetCollapsable.h
@@ -32,11 +32,8 @@ namespace frontend { class Painter; }
 */
 class InsetCollapsable : public InsetText {
 public:
-	///	By default, InsetCollapsable uses the plain layout. If you 
-	/// want to override this in a subclass, you'll need to call 
-	/// Paragraph::setDefaultLayout() in its constructor. See
-	/// InsetBranch for an example.
-	InsetCollapsable(Buffer const &);
+	///
+	InsetCollapsable(Buffer const &, InsetText::UsePlain = InsetText::PlainLayout);
 	///
 	InsetCollapsable(InsetCollapsable const & rhs);
 	///
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetTabular.cpp b/src/insets/InsetTabular.cpp
index 373cd35758..427e7020b6 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetTabular.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetTabular.cpp
@@ -490,7 +490,6 @@ Tabular::CellData::CellData(Buffer & buf)
 	  inset(new InsetTableCell(buf))
 {
 	inset->setBuffer(const_cast<Buffer &>(buf));
-	inset->paragraphs().back().setLayout(buf.params().documentClass().plainLayout());
 }
 
 
@@ -2841,7 +2840,7 @@ Tabular::BoxType Tabular::useParbox(idx_type cell) const
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 InsetTableCell::InsetTableCell(Buffer & buf)
-	: InsetText(buf), isFixedWidth(false),
+	: InsetText(buf, InsetText::PlainLayout), isFixedWidth(false),
 	  contentAlign(LYX_ALIGN_CENTER)
 {}
 
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetText.cpp b/src/insets/InsetText.cpp
index 1d843502ce..0232078b7e 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetText.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetText.cpp
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ using graphics::PreviewLoader;
 
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-InsetText::InsetText(Buffer const & buf)
+InsetText::InsetText(Buffer const & buf, UsePlain type)
 	: drawFrame_(false), frame_color_(Color_insetframe)
 {
 	setBuffer(const_cast<Buffer &>(buf));
-	initParagraphs();
+	initParagraphs(type);
 }
 
 
@@ -99,13 +99,17 @@ void InsetText::setBuffer(Buffer & buf)
 }
 
 
-void InsetText::initParagraphs()
+void InsetText::initParagraphs(UsePlain type)
 {
 	LASSERT(paragraphs().empty(), /**/);
 	paragraphs().push_back(Paragraph());
 	Paragraph & ourpar = paragraphs().back();
 	ourpar.setInsetOwner(this);
-	ourpar.setDefaultLayout(buffer_->params().documentClass());
+	DocumentClass const & dc = buffer_->params().documentClass();
+	if (type == DefaultLayout)
+		ourpar.setDefaultLayout(dc);
+	else
+		ourpar.setPlainLayout(dc);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetText.h b/src/insets/InsetText.h
index aabe82ede7..90d246719c 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetText.h
+++ b/src/insets/InsetText.h
@@ -34,8 +34,15 @@ class InsetTabular;
  */
 class InsetText : public Inset {
 public:
-	///
-	explicit InsetText(Buffer const & buffer);
+	enum UsePlain {
+		DefaultLayout,
+		PlainLayout
+	};
+	/// \param buffer
+	/// \param useplain whether to use the plain layout
+	/// This is needed because we cannot call the virtual function
+	/// usePlainLayout() from within the constructor.
+	explicit InsetText(Buffer const & buffer, UsePlain type = DefaultLayout);
 	///
 	InsetText(InsetText const &);
 	///
@@ -169,7 +176,7 @@ public:
 	void doDispatch(Cursor & cur, FuncRequest & cmd);
 private:
 	///
-	void initParagraphs();
+	void initParagraphs(UsePlain type);
 	///
 	void setParagraphOwner();
 	///