diff --git a/lib/ace/css/editor.css b/lib/ace/css/editor.css
index 350cc8bf..31b0cc09 100644
--- a/lib/ace/css/editor.css
+++ b/lib/ace/css/editor.css
@@ -76,9 +76,11 @@
 .ace_editor textarea {
   position: fixed;
   z-index: -1;
-  opacity: 0;
   width: 10px;
   height: 30px;
+  opacity: 0;
+  background: transparent;
+  appearance: none;
   border: none;
   resize: none;
   outline: none;
diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
index 097149a7..a6f43ede 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ var useragent = require("pilot/useragent");
 var TextInput = function(parentNode, host) {
 
     var text = document.createElement("textarea");
+    text.style.left = "-10000px";
     parentNode.appendChild(text);
 
     var PLACEHOLDER = String.fromCharCode(0);
diff --git a/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js b/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
index 171d263c..6b94b43b 100644
--- a/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
+++ b/lib/ace/virtual_renderer.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
 var oop = require("pilot/oop");
 var dom = require("pilot/dom");
 var event = require("pilot/event");
+var useragent = require("pilot/useragent");
 var GutterLayer = require("ace/layer/gutter").Gutter;
 var MarkerLayer = require("ace/layer/marker").Marker;
 var TextLayer = require("ace/layer/text").Text;
@@ -301,6 +302,10 @@ var VirtualRenderer = function(container, theme) {
     };
 
     this.moveTextAreaToCursor = function(textarea) {        
+        // in IE the native cursor always shines through
+        if (useragent.isIE)
+            return;
+            
         var pos = this.$cursorLayer.getPixelPosition();
         if (!pos)
             return;