diff --git a/src/mathed/formulabase.C b/src/mathed/formulabase.C
index e4e308a40e..d6e350fd81 100644
--- a/src/mathed/formulabase.C
+++ b/src/mathed/formulabase.C
@@ -573,12 +573,16 @@ dispatch_result InsetFormulaBase::localDispatch(FuncRequest const & cmd)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	case LFUN_PASTE:
+	case LFUN_PASTE: {
+		int n = 0;
+		istringstream is(cmd.argument.c_str());
+		is >> n;
 		if (was_macro)
 			mathcursor->macroModeClose();
 		bv->lockedInsetStoreUndo(Undo::EDIT);
-		mathcursor->selPaste();
+		mathcursor->selPaste(n);
 		break;
+	}
 
 	case LFUN_CUT:
 		bv->lockedInsetStoreUndo(Undo::DELETE);
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_cursor.C b/src/mathed/math_cursor.C
index 95dd31f494..3be9d00658 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_cursor.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_cursor.C
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "support/lstrings.h"
 #include "support/LAssert.h"
+#include "support/limited_stack.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "frontends/Painter.h"
 #include "math_cursor.h"
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ using std::isalpha;
 
 
 // matheds own cut buffer
-string theCutBuffer;
+limited_stack<string> theCutBuffer;
 
 
 MathCursor::MathCursor(InsetFormulaBase * formula, bool front)
@@ -544,10 +545,10 @@ void MathCursor::selCopy()
 {
 	dump("selCopy");
 	if (selection_) {
-		theCutBuffer = grabSelection();
+		theCutBuffer.push(grabSelection());
 		selection_ = false;
 	} else {
-		theCutBuffer.erase();
+		//theCutBuffer.erase();
 	}
 }
 
@@ -555,7 +556,7 @@ void MathCursor::selCopy()
 void MathCursor::selCut()
 {
 	dump("selCut");
-	theCutBuffer = grabAndEraseSelection();
+	theCutBuffer.push(grabAndEraseSelection());
 }
 
 
@@ -569,11 +570,12 @@ void MathCursor::selDel()
 }
 
 
-void MathCursor::selPaste()
+void MathCursor::selPaste(int n)
 {
 	dump("selPaste");
 	selClearOrDel();
-	paste(theCutBuffer);
+	if (n < theCutBuffer.size())
+		paste(theCutBuffer[n]);
 	//grabSelection();
 	selection_ = false;
 }
@@ -1239,18 +1241,8 @@ bool MathCursor::interpret(char c)
 		return pos() != size();
 	}
 
-	if (c == '#') {
-		insert(c);
-		return true;
-	}
-
-	if (c == '{' || c == '}') {
-		niceInsert(createMathInset(string(1, c)));
-		return true;
-	}
-
-	if (c == '$') {
-		insert(createMathInset("$"));
+	if (c == '{' || c == '}' || c == '#' || c == '&' || c == '$') {
+		createMathInset(string(1, c));
 		return true;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_cursor.h b/src/mathed/math_cursor.h
index 6e33ddf5bf..91ab25e470 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_cursor.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_cursor.h
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ public:
 	void selCut();
 	///
 	void selDel();
-	///
-	void selPaste();
+	/// pastes n-th element of cut buffer
+	void selPaste(int n);
 	///
 	void selHandle(bool);
 	///
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_parser.C b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
index 61e2290f31..57d04f882e 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_parser.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_parser.C
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ namespace {
 
 MathInset::mode_type asMode(MathInset::mode_type oldmode, string const & str)
 {
+	lyxerr << "handling mode: '" << str << "'\n";
 	if (str == "mathmode")
 		return MathInset::MATH_MODE;
 	if (str == "textmode" || str == "forcetext")
@@ -601,6 +602,8 @@ void Parser::parse1(MathGridInset & grid, unsigned flags,
 		grid.asHullInset()->numbered(cellrow, numbered);
 
 	//dump();
+	//lyxerr << " flags: " << flags << "\n";
+	//lyxerr << " mode: " << mode  << "\n";
 	//lyxerr << "grid: " << grid << endl;
 
 	while (good()) {
@@ -608,23 +611,22 @@ void Parser::parse1(MathGridInset & grid, unsigned flags,
 
 #ifdef FILEDEBUG
 		lyxerr << "t: " << t << " flags: " << flags << "\n";
+		lyxerr << "mode: " << mode  << "\n";
 		cell->dump();
 		lyxerr << "\n";
 #endif
 
 		if (flags & FLAG_ITEM) {
-			skipSpaces();
 
-			flags &= ~FLAG_ITEM;
-			if (t.cat() == catBegin) {
+	  	if (t.cat() == catBegin) {
 				// skip the brace and collect everything to the next matching
 				// closing brace
-				flags |= FLAG_BRACE_LAST;
-				continue;
+				parse1(grid, FLAG_BRACE_LAST, mode, numbered);
+				return;
 			}
 
 			// handle only this single token, leave the loop if done
-			flags |= FLAG_LEAVE;
+			flags = FLAG_LEAVE;
 		}
 
 
@@ -842,9 +844,8 @@ void Parser::parse1(MathGridInset & grid, unsigned flags,
 			// is a version for display attached?
 			skipSpaces();
 			MathArray ar2;
-			if (nextToken().cat() == catBegin) {
+			if (nextToken().cat() == catBegin)
 				parse(ar2, FLAG_ITEM, MathInset::MATH_MODE);
-			}
 
 			cell->push_back(MathAtom(new MathMacroTemplate(name, nargs, ar1, ar2)));
 		}
@@ -1212,8 +1213,10 @@ void Parser::parse1(MathGridInset & grid, unsigned flags,
 				MathAtom at = createMathInset(t.cs());
 				MathInset::mode_type m = mode;
 				//if (m == MathInset::UNDECIDED_MODE)
+				lyxerr << "default creation: m1: " << m << "\n";
 				if (at->currentMode() != MathInset::UNDECIDED_MODE)
 					m = at->currentMode();
+				lyxerr << "default creation: m2: " << m << "\n";
 				MathInset::idx_type start = 0;
 				// this fails on \bigg[...\bigg]
 				//MathArray opt;