diff --git a/src/mathed/math_autocorrect.C b/src/mathed/math_autocorrect.C
index 7dd038b14f..986f3da9d8 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_autocorrect.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_autocorrect.C
@@ -11,12 +11,14 @@
 #include <config.h>
 
 #include "math_autocorrect.h"
-#include "support/std_sstream.h"
-#include "debug.h"
-#include "support/filetools.h" //  LibFileSearch
 #include "math_data.h"
 #include "math_inset.h"
+#include "math_support.h"
 #include "math_parser.h"
+#include "debug.h"
+
+#include "support/std_sstream.h"
+#include "support/filetools.h" //  LibFileSearch
 
 #include <fstream>
 
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ bool Correction::correct(MathAtom & at, char c) const
 	//	<< "trying to correct ar: " << at << " from: '" << from1_ << '\'' << endl;
 	if (from2_ != c)
 		return false;
-	if (!at->match(from1_))
+	if (asString(at) != asString(from1_))
 		return false;
 	lyxerr[Debug::MATHED]
 		<< "match found! subst in " << at
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_charinset.C b/src/mathed/math_charinset.C
index 5026340031..1b32d44786 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_charinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_charinset.C
@@ -151,10 +151,3 @@ bool MathCharInset::isRelOp() const
 {
 	return char_ == '=' || char_ == '<' || char_ == '>';
 }
-
-
-bool MathCharInset::match(MathInset const * p) const
-{
-	MathCharInset const * q = p->asCharInset();
-	return q && char_ == q->char_;
-}
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_charinset.h b/src/mathed/math_charinset.h
index 0f4509bbd3..067affac0b 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_charinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_charinset.h
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ public:
 	char getChar() const { return char_; }
 	///
 	bool isRelOp() const;
-	///
-	bool match(MathInset const *) const;
 
 private:
 	/// the character
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_data.C b/src/mathed/math_data.C
index a7f606eb63..35c727e263 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_data.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_data.C
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@
 #include "math_replace.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "LColor.h"
+
 #include "frontends/Painter.h"
+
 #include <boost/assert.hpp>
 
 using std::abs;
 using std::endl;
 using std::min;
+using std::ostringstream;
 
 
 MathArray::MathArray()
@@ -137,7 +140,7 @@ bool MathArray::matchpart(MathArray const & ar, pos_type pos) const
 		return false;
 	const_iterator it = begin() + pos;
 	for (const_iterator jt = ar.begin(); jt != ar.end(); ++jt, ++it)
-		if (!(*jt)->match(*it))
+		if (asString(*it) != asString(*jt))
 			return false;
 	return true;
 }
@@ -164,9 +167,9 @@ void MathArray::replace(ReplaceData & rep)
 
 bool MathArray::find1(MathArray const & ar, size_type pos) const
 {
-	//lyxerr << "finding '" << ar << "' in '" << *this << "'" << endl;
+	lyxerr << "finding '" << ar << "' in '" << *this << "'" << endl;
 	for (size_type i = 0, n = ar.size(); i < n; ++i)
-		if (!operator[](pos + i)->match(ar[i]))
+		if (asString(operator[](pos + i)) != asString(ar[i]))
 			return false;
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_inset.h b/src/mathed/math_inset.h
index 168727061d..779e590fa3 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_inset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_inset.h
@@ -205,8 +205,6 @@ public:
 
 	/// char char code if possible
 	virtual void handleFont(std::string const &) {}
-	/// is this inset equal to a given other inset?
-	virtual bool match(MathAtom const &) const { return false; }
 	/// replace things by other things
 	virtual void replace(ReplaceData &) {}
 	/// do we contain a given subsequence?
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_macro.h b/src/mathed/math_macro.h
index 6047c3811d..8912501b5e 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_macro.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_macro.h
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ public:
 	void validate(LaTeXFeatures &) const;
 	///
 	bool isMacro() const { return true; }
-	///
-	bool match(MathAtom const &) const { return false; }
 
 	///
 	void maple(MapleStream &) const;
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_nestinset.C b/src/mathed/math_nestinset.C
index 9692a0b7f6..36c9075234 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_nestinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_nestinset.C
@@ -197,17 +197,6 @@ void MathNestInset::validate(LaTeXFeatures & features) const
 }
 
 
-bool MathNestInset::match(MathAtom const & at) const
-{
-	if (nargs() != at->nargs())
-		return false;
-	for (idx_type i = 0; i < nargs(); ++i)
-		if (!cell(i).match(at->cell(i)))
-			return false;
-	return true;
-}
-
-
 void MathNestInset::replace(ReplaceData & rep)
 {
 	for (idx_type i = 0; i < nargs(); ++i)
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_nestinset.h b/src/mathed/math_nestinset.h
index 2c4a6f14c7..5ec7b9234d 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_nestinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_nestinset.h
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 
 #include "math_diminset.h"
 
-class MathArray;
-
 
 /** Abstract base class for all math objects that contain nested items.
     This is basically everything that is not a single character or a
@@ -83,8 +81,6 @@ public:
 	/// request "external features"
 	void validate(LaTeXFeatures & features) const;
 
-	/// match in all cells
-	bool match(MathAtom const &) const;
 	/// replace in all cells
 	void replace(ReplaceData &);
 	/// do we contain a given pattern?
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_support.C b/src/mathed/math_support.C
index 050d5401cf..148d33e54e 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_support.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_support.C
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 #include <config.h>
 
 #include "math_support.h"
-
 #include "math_data.h"
+#include "math_inset.h"
 #include "math_mathmlstream.h"
 #include "math_parser.h"
 
@@ -708,3 +708,21 @@ void asArray(string const & str, MathArray & ar)
 {
 	mathed_parse_cell(ar, str);
 }
+
+
+string asString(MathInset const & inset)
+{
+	std::ostringstream os;
+	WriteStream ws(os);
+	inset.write(ws);
+	return os.str();
+}
+
+
+string asString(MathAtom const & at)
+{
+	std::ostringstream os;
+	WriteStream ws(os);
+	at->write(ws);
+	return os.str();
+}
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_support.h b/src/mathed/math_support.h
index 2788a7e46b..17a4880752 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_support.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_support.h
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
-
 class PainterInfo;
 class LyXFont;
 class Dimension;
 class MathArray;
+class MathAtom;
+class MathInset;
+
 
 void mathed_char_dim(LyXFont const &, unsigned char c, Dimension & dim);
 int mathed_char_width(LyXFont const &, unsigned char c);
@@ -46,6 +48,9 @@ bool isFontName(std::string const & name);
 
 // converts single cell to string
 std::string asString(MathArray const & ar);
+// converts single inset to string
+std::string asString(MathInset const &);
+std::string asString(MathAtom const &);
 // converts string to single cell
 void asArray(std::string const & str, MathArray & ar);
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.C b/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.C
index 6657899b3f..995acee314 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.C
@@ -182,13 +182,6 @@ char const * MathMLtype(string const & s)
 }
 
 
-bool MathSymbolInset::match(MathAtom const & at) const
-{
-	MathSymbolInset const * q = at->asSymbolInset();
-	return q && name() == q->name();
-}
-
-
 void MathSymbolInset::mathmlize(MathMLStream & os) const
 {
 	char const * type = MathMLtype(sym_->extra);
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.h b/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.h
index 174e59cc68..f8f2fb276b 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_symbolinset.h
@@ -44,8 +44,6 @@ public:
 	MathSymbolInset const * asSymbolInset() const { return this; }
 	/// the LaTeX name of the symbol (without the backslash)
 	std::string name() const;
-	///
-	bool match(MathAtom const &) const;
 	/// request "external features"
 	void validate(LaTeXFeatures & features) const;
 
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.C b/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.C
index a8a0be9aa1..a4075d2b3d 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.C
+++ b/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.C
@@ -44,13 +44,6 @@ void MathUnknownInset::setName(string const & name)
 }
 
 
-bool MathUnknownInset::match(MathAtom const & at) const
-{
-	MathUnknownInset const * q = at->asUnknownInset();
-	return q && name_ == q->name_;
-}
-
-
 void MathUnknownInset::normalize(NormalStream & os) const
 {
 	os << "[unknown " << name_ << ']';
diff --git a/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.h b/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.h
index f7178a2c39..af0971777a 100644
--- a/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.h
+++ b/src/mathed/math_unknowninset.h
@@ -14,14 +14,15 @@
 
 #include "math_diminset.h"
 
-/// Unknowntions or LaTeX names for objects that we really don't know
+
+/// LaTeX names for objects that we really don't know
 class MathUnknownInset : public MathDimInset {
 public:
 	///
 	explicit MathUnknownInset(std::string const & name,
 		bool final = true, bool black = false);
 	///
-	virtual std::auto_ptr<InsetBase> clone() const;
+	std::auto_ptr<InsetBase> clone() const;
 	///
 	void metrics(MetricsInfo & mi, Dimension & dim) const;
 	///
@@ -34,8 +35,6 @@ public:
 	MathUnknownInset const * asUnknownInset() const { return this; }
 	/// identifies UnknownInsets
 	MathUnknownInset * asUnknownInset() { return this; }
-	///
-	bool match(MathAtom const & at) const;
 
 	///
 	void normalize(NormalStream &) const;