diff --git a/src/ace/Document.js b/src/ace/Document.js
index ae8b5dc8..6bd9b8f0 100644
--- a/src/ace/Document.js
+++ b/src/ace/Document.js
@@ -249,21 +249,10 @@ var Document = function(text, mode) {
         }
     };
 
-    /**
-     * Get a verbatim copy of the given line as it is in the document 
-     */
     this.getLine = function(row) {
         return this.lines[row] || "";
     };
 
-    /**
-     * Get a line as it is displayed on screen. Tabs are replaced by spaces.
-     */
-    this.getDisplayLine = function(row) {
-        var tab = new Array(this.getTabSize()+1).join(" ");
-        return this.lines[row].replace(/\t/g, tab);
-    };
-
     this.getLines = function(firstRow, lastRow) {
         return this.lines.slice(firstRow, lastRow+1);
     };
@@ -564,27 +553,34 @@ var Document = function(text, mode) {
         return indentString.length;
     };
 
-    this.outdentRows = function(range, indentString) {
-        outdentLength = indentString.length;
-
-        for (var i=range.start.row; i<= range.end.row; i++) {
-            if (this.getLine(i).substr(0, outdentLength) !== indentString) {
-                return 0;
-            }
-        }
-
-        var deleteRange = new Range(0, 0, 0, outdentLength);
-
-        for (var i=range.start.row; i<= range.end.row; i++)
-        {
+    this.outdentRows = function (range) {
+        var deleteRange = new Range(0, 0, 0, 0),
+            size        = this.getTabSize();
+        
+        for (var i = range.start.row; i <= range.end.row; ++i) {
+            var line = this.getLine(i);
+            
             deleteRange.start.row = i;
             deleteRange.end.row = i;
+            for (var j = 0; j < size; ++j)
+                if (line.charAt(j) != ' ')
+                    break;            
+            if (j < size && line.charAt(j) == '\t') {
+                deleteRange.start.column = j;
+                deleteRange.end.column = j + 1;
+            } else {
+                deleteRange.start.column = 0;
+                deleteRange.end.column = j;
+            }
+            if (i == range.start.row)
+                range.start.column -= deleteRange.end.column - deleteRange.start.column;
+            if (i == range.end.row)
+                range.end.column -= deleteRange.end.column - deleteRange.start.column;
             this.$remove(deleteRange);
         }
-
         this.fireChangeEvent(range.start.row, range.end.row);
-        return -outdentLength;
-    };
+        return range;
+    }    
 
     this.moveLinesUp = function(firstRow, lastRow) {
         if (firstRow <= 0) return 0;
diff --git a/src/ace/Editor.js b/src/ace/Editor.js
index add0d5db..a3247e4b 100644
--- a/src/ace/Editor.js
+++ b/src/ace/Editor.js
@@ -552,14 +552,10 @@ var Editor = function(renderer, doc) {
         if (this.$readOnly)
             return;
 
-        var indentString = indentString || this.doc.getTabString();
-        var addedColumns = this.doc.outdentRows(this.getSelectionRange(), indentString);
-
-        // besides the indent string also outdent tabs
-        if (addedColumns == 0 && indentString != "\t")
-            var addedColumns = this.doc.outdentRows(this.getSelectionRange(), "\t");
-
-        this.selection.shiftSelection(addedColumns);
+        var selection  = this.doc.getSelection(),
+            range      = this.doc.outdentRows(selection.getRange());
+        
+        selection.setSelectionRange(range, selection.isBackwards());
         this.$updateDesiredColumn();
     };
 
diff --git a/src/ace/Selection.js b/src/ace/Selection.js
index 89ccea38..c65d8039 100644
--- a/src/ace/Selection.js
+++ b/src/ace/Selection.js
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
         var anchor = this.getSelectionAnchor();
         var lead = this.getSelectionLead();
 
-        var isBackwards = this.$isBackwards();
+        var isBackwards = this.isBackwards();
 
         if (!isBackwards || anchor.column !== 0)
             this.setSelectionAnchor(anchor.row, anchor.column + columns);
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
         }
     };
 
-    this.$isBackwards = function() {
+    this.isBackwards = function() {
         var anchor = this.selectionAnchor || this.selectionLead;
         var lead = this.selectionLead;
         return (anchor.row > lead.row || (anchor.row == lead.row && anchor.column > lead.column));
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
         var anchor = this.selectionAnchor || this.selectionLead;
         var lead = this.selectionLead;
 
-        if (this.$isBackwards()) {
+        if (this.isBackwards()) {
             return Range.fromPoints(lead, anchor);
         }
         else {
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
         }
     };
 
-
     this.selectAll = function() {
         var lastRow = this.doc.getLength() - 1;
         this.setSelectionAnchor(lastRow, this.doc.getLine(lastRow).length);
@@ -126,9 +125,14 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
         });
     };
 
-    this.setSelectionRange = function(range) {
-        this.setSelectionAnchor(range.start.row, range.start.column);
-        this.selectTo(range.end.row, range.end.column);
+    this.setSelectionRange = function(range, reverse) {
+        if (reverse) {
+            this.setSelectionAnchor(range.end.row, range.end.column);
+            this.selectTo(range.start.row, range.start.column);            
+        } else {
+            this.setSelectionAnchor(range.start.row, range.start.column);
+            this.selectTo(range.end.row, range.end.column);
+        }
     };
 
     this.$moveSelection = function(mover) {
@@ -281,14 +285,7 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
     };
 
     this.moveCursorLineStart = function() {
-        var row = this.selectionLead.row;
-        var column = this.selectionLead.column;
-        var beforeCursor = this.doc.getDisplayLine(row).slice(0, column);
-        var leadingSpace = beforeCursor.match(/^\s+/);
-        if (!leadingSpace || leadingSpace[0].length >= column)
-            this.moveCursorTo(this.selectionLead.row, 0);
-        else
-            this.moveCursorTo(this.selectionLead.row, leadingSpace[0].length);            
+        this.moveCursorTo(this.selectionLead.row, 0);
     };
 
     this.moveCursorLineEnd = function() {