diff --git a/src/mathed/Makefile.am b/src/mathed/Makefile.am
index 692c1a900d..f8988ad326 100644
--- a/src/mathed/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/mathed/Makefile.am
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ libmathed_la_SOURCES = \
 	math_boxinset.h \
 	math_binaryopinset.C \
 	math_binaryopinset.h \
+	math_casesinset.C \
+	math_casesinset.h \
 	math_charinset.C \
 	math_charinset.h \
 	math_cursor.C \
diff --git a/src/mathed/formula.C b/src/mathed/formula.C
index af74148b79..39b119586b 100644
--- a/src/mathed/formula.C
+++ b/src/mathed/formula.C
@@ -207,15 +207,9 @@ namespace {
 	}
 
 
-	MathArray pipeThroughExtern(string const & arg, MathArray const & ar)
+	MathArray pipeThroughExtern(string const & lang, string const & extra,
+		MathArray const & ar)
 	{
-		string lang;
-		string extra;
-		istringstream iss(arg.c_str());
-		iss >> lang >> extra;
-		if (extra.empty())
-			extra = "noextra";	
-
 		if (lang == "octave")
 			return pipeThroughOctave(extra, ar);
 
@@ -507,27 +501,44 @@ InsetFormula::localDispatch(BufferView * bv, kb_action action,
 }
 
 
+bool needEqnArray(string const & extra)
+{
+	return extra == "dsolve";
+}
+
+
 void InsetFormula::handleExtern(const string & arg)
 {
 	// where are we?
 	if (!mathcursor)
 		return; 
 
+	string lang;
+	string extra;
+	istringstream iss(arg.c_str());
+	iss >> lang >> extra;
+	if (extra.empty())
+		extra = "noextra";	
+
 	bool selected = mathcursor->selection();
 
 	MathArray ar;
-	if (selected) {
+	if (needEqnArray(extra)) {
+		mathcursor->last();
+		mathcursor->readLine(ar);
+		mathcursor->breakLine();
+	} else if (selected) {
 		mathcursor->selGet(ar);
 		//lyxerr << "use selection: " << ar << "\n";
 	} else {
-		mathcursor->end();
+		mathcursor->last();
 		mathcursor->stripFromLastEqualSign();
 		ar = mathcursor->cursor().cell();
 		mathcursor->insert(MathAtom(new MathCharInset('=', LM_TC_VAR)));
 		//lyxerr << "use whole cell: " << ar << "\n";
 	}
 
-	mathcursor->insert(pipeThroughExtern(arg, ar));
+	mathcursor->insert(pipeThroughExtern(lang, extra, ar));
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_casesinset.C b/src/mathed/math_casesinset.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..183e955060
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mathed/math_casesinset.C
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#ifdef __GNUG__
+#pragma implementation
+#endif
+
+#include "math_casesinset.h"
+#include "math_parser.h"
+#include "math_mathmlstream.h"
+#include "math_support.h"
+#include "Painter.h"
+
+
+MathCasesInset::MathCasesInset(row_type n)
+	: MathGridInset(2, n, 'c', "ll")
+{}
+
+
+MathInset * MathCasesInset::clone() const
+{
+	return new MathCasesInset(*this);
+}
+
+
+void MathCasesInset::metrics(MathMetricsInfo const & mi) const
+{
+	MathGridInset::metrics(mi);
+	width_ += 8;
+}
+
+
+void MathCasesInset::draw(Painter & pain, int x, int y) const
+{ 
+	mathed_draw_deco(pain, x + 1, y - ascent(), 6, height(), "{");
+	MathGridInset::draw(pain, x + 8, y);
+}
+
+
+void MathCasesInset::write(WriteStream & os) const
+{
+	if (os.fragile)
+		os << "\\protect";
+	os << "\\begin{cases}";
+	MathGridInset::write(os);
+	if (os.fragile)
+		os << "\\protect";
+	os << "\\end{cases}\n";
+}
+
+
+void MathCasesInset::normalize(NormalStream & os) const
+{
+	os << "[cases ";
+	MathGridInset::normalize(os);
+	os << "]";
+}
+
+
+void MathCasesInset::maplize(MapleStream & os) const
+{
+	os << "cases(";
+	MathGridInset::maplize(os);
+	os << ")";
+}
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_casesinset.h b/src/mathed/math_casesinset.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ca1ce4b431
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mathed/math_casesinset.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// -*- C++ -*-
+#ifndef MATH_CASESINSET_H
+#define MATH_CASESINSET_H
+
+#include "math_gridinset.h"
+
+#ifdef __GNUG__
+#pragma interface
+#endif
+
+
+class MathCasesInset : public MathGridInset {
+public: 
+	///
+	explicit MathCasesInset(row_type rows = 1u);
+	///
+	MathInset * clone() const;
+	///
+	void metrics(MathMetricsInfo const & st) const;
+	///
+	void draw(Painter & pain, int x, int y) const;
+
+	///
+	void normalize(NormalStream &) const;
+	///
+	void maplize(MapleStream &) const;
+	///
+	void write(WriteStream & os) const;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_cursor.C b/src/mathed/math_cursor.C
index d44609d64c..51230e0066 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_cursor.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_cursor.C
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "math_support.h"
 #include "formulabase.h"
 #include "math_cursor.h"
+#include "math_casesinset.h"
 #include "math_factory.h"
 #include "math_arrayinset.h"
 #include "math_braceinset.h"
@@ -1114,6 +1115,14 @@ void MathCursor::breakLine()
 }
 
 
+void MathCursor::readLine(MathArray & ar) const
+{
+	idx_type base = row() * par()->ncols();
+	for (idx_type off = 0; off < par()->ncols(); ++off)
+		ar.push_back(par()->cell(base + off));
+}
+
+
 char MathCursor::valign() const
 {
 	idx_type idx;
@@ -1277,7 +1286,16 @@ void MathCursor::interpret(string const & s)
 	//owner_->getIntl()->getTrans().TranslateAndInsert(s[0], lt);	
 	//lyxerr << "trans: '" << s[0] << "'  int: " << int(s[0]) << endl;
 
-	if (s.size() > 7 && s.substr(0, 7) == "matrix ") {
+	if (s.size() >= 5 && s.substr(0, 5) == "cases") {
+		unsigned int n = 1;
+		istringstream is(s.substr(6).c_str());
+		is >> n;
+		n = std::max(1u, n);
+		niceInsert(MathAtom(new MathCasesInset(n)));
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (s.size() >= 6 && s.substr(0, 6) == "matrix") {
 		unsigned int m = 1;
 		unsigned int n = 1;
 		string v_align;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_cursor.h b/src/mathed/math_cursor.h
index e0f9649a42..cd110890ed 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_cursor.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_cursor.h
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ public:
 	void splitCell();
 	/// Splits line and insert new row of cell 
 	void breakLine();
+	/// read contents of line into an array
+	void readLine(MathArray & ar) const;
 	///
 	MathTextCodes getLastCode() const;
 	///
@@ -191,6 +193,8 @@ public:
 	///
 	char halign() const;
 	///
+	col_type ncols() const;
+	///
 	col_type col() const;
 	///
 	row_type row() const;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
index f6eaa1144b..fea6255d2d 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.C
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ MathGridInset::MathGridInset(col_type m, row_type n)
 }
 
 
-MathGridInset::MathGridInset(int m, int n, char v, string const & h)
+MathGridInset::MathGridInset(col_type m, row_type n, char v, string const & h)
 	: MathNestInset(m * n), rowinfo_(n), colinfo_(m), v_align_(v)
 {
 	setDefaults();
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
index 9567068798..968ed13254 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_gridinset.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public:
 	/// Note: columns first!
 	MathGridInset(col_type m, row_type n);
 	///
-	MathGridInset(int m, int n, char valign, string const & halign);
+	MathGridInset(col_type m, row_type n, char valign, string const & halign);
 	///
 	void metrics(MathMetricsInfo const & st) const;
 	///
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_parser.C b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
index b9bc7e43e3..c55c0b4ad1 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_parser.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ point to write some macros:
 #include "math_inset.h"
 #include "math_arrayinset.h"
 #include "math_braceinset.h"
+#include "math_casesinset.h"
 #include "math_charinset.h"
 #include "math_deliminset.h"
 #include "math_factory.h"
@@ -667,6 +668,7 @@ bool Parser::parse_normal(MathAtom & matrix)
 	}
 
 	lyxerr[Debug::MATHED] << "1: unknown math environment: " << name << "\n";
+	lyxerr << "1: unknown math environment: " << name << "\n";
 	return false;
 }
 
@@ -862,8 +864,11 @@ void Parser::parse_into(MathArray & array, unsigned flags, MathTextCodes code)
 			} else if (name == "split") {
 				array.push_back(MathAtom(new MathSplitInset(1)));
 				parse_lines(array.back(), false, false);
+			} else if (name == "cases") {
+				array.push_back(MathAtom(new MathCasesInset));
+				parse_lines(array.back(), false, false);
 			} else 
-				lyxerr[Debug::MATHED] << "unknow math inset begin '" << name << "'\n";	
+				lyxerr << "unknow math inset begin '" << name << "'\n";	
 		}
 	
 		else if (t.cs() == "kern") {