diff --git a/src/BufferView.cpp b/src/BufferView.cpp
index fad015480e..dc4f8a1e3b 100644
--- a/src/BufferView.cpp
+++ b/src/BufferView.cpp
@@ -2478,6 +2478,18 @@ void BufferView::setCursor(DocIterator const & dit)
 }
 
 
+void BufferView::setCursorSelectionTo(DocIterator const & dit)
+{
+	size_t const n = dit.depth();
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < n; ++i)
+		dit[i].inset().edit(d->cursor_, true);
+
+	d->cursor_.selection(true);
+	d->cursor_.setCursorSelectionTo(dit);
+	d->cursor_.setCurrentFont();
+}
+
+
 bool BufferView::checkDepm(Cursor & cur, Cursor & old)
 {
 	// Would be wrong to delete anything if we have a selection.
diff --git a/src/BufferView.h b/src/BufferView.h
index b368685c6e..e6a29dee6b 100644
--- a/src/BufferView.h
+++ b/src/BufferView.h
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ public:
 	/// sets cursor.
 	/// This will also open all relevant collapsable insets.
 	void setCursor(DocIterator const &);
+	/// set the selection up to dit.
+	void setCursorSelectionTo(DocIterator const & dit);
 	/// Check deleteEmptyParagraphMechanism and update metrics if needed.
 	/// \retval true if an update was needed.
 	bool checkDepm(Cursor & cur, Cursor & old);
diff --git a/src/Cursor.cpp b/src/Cursor.cpp
index b13b6a56f7..bdd6986099 100644
--- a/src/Cursor.cpp
+++ b/src/Cursor.cpp
@@ -194,13 +194,37 @@ void Cursor::reset()
 }
 
 
-// this (intentionally) does neither touch anchor nor selection status
 void Cursor::setCursor(DocIterator const & cur)
 {
 	DocIterator::operator=(cur);
 }
 
 
+void Cursor::setCursorSelectionTo(DocIterator dit)
+{
+	size_t i = 0;
+	// normalise dit
+	while (i < dit.depth() && i < anchor_.depth() && dit[i] == anchor_[i])
+		++i;
+	if (i != dit.depth()) {
+		// otherwise the cursor is already normal
+		if (i == anchor_.depth())
+			// dit is a proper extension of the anchor_
+			dit.cutOff(i - 1);
+		else if (i + 1 < dit.depth()) {
+			// one has dit[i] != anchor_[i] but either dit[i-1] == anchor_[i-1]
+			// or i == 0. Remove excess.
+			dit.cutOff(i);
+			if (dit[i] > anchor_[i])
+				// place dit after the inset it was in
+				++dit.pos();
+		}
+	}
+	setCursor(dit);
+	setSelection();
+}
+
+
 void Cursor::setCursorToAnchor()
 {
 	if (selection()) {
diff --git a/src/Cursor.h b/src/Cursor.h
index aa31f91c96..cc5e46e83b 100644
--- a/src/Cursor.h
+++ b/src/Cursor.h
@@ -149,7 +149,10 @@ public:
 	/// set the cursor data
 	void setCursorData(CursorData const & data);
 	/// sets cursor part
+	/// this (intentionally) does neither touch anchor nor selection status
 	void setCursor(DocIterator const & it);
+	/// set the cursor to dit normalised against the anchor, and set selection.
+	void setCursorSelectionTo(DocIterator dit);
 	/// sets the cursor to the normalized selection anchor
 	void setCursorToAnchor();