diff --git a/demo/kitchen-sink/demo.js b/demo/kitchen-sink/demo.js
index 9ae70f4f..4bc1c35e 100644
--- a/demo/kitchen-sink/demo.js
+++ b/demo/kitchen-sink/demo.js
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ event.addListener(container, "drop", function(e) {
         if (window.FileReader) {
             var reader = new FileReader();
             reader.onload = function() {
-                var mode = getModeFromPath(file.name);
+                var mode = modelist.getModeFromPath(file.name);
 
                 env.editor.session.doc.setValue(reader.result);
                 modeEl.value = mode.name;
diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/emacs.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/emacs.js
index 4d3dfb7b..d6c54b72 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/emacs.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/emacs.js
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ var HashHandler = require("./hash_handler").HashHandler;
 exports.handler = new HashHandler();
 
 var initialized = false;
+var $formerLongWords;
+var $formerLineStart;
 
 exports.handler.attach = function(editor) {
     if (!initialized) {
@@ -82,7 +84,13 @@ exports.handler.attach = function(editor) {
         );
     }
     // in emacs, gotowordleft/right should not count a space as a word..
+    $formerLongWords = editor.session.$selectLongWords;
     editor.session.$selectLongWords = true;
+    // CTRL-A should go to actual beginning of line
+    $formerLineStart = editor.session.$useEmacsStyleLineStart;
+    editor.session.$useEmacsStyleLineStart = true;
+    
+    editor.session.$emacsMark = null;
     
     exports.markMode = function() {
         return editor.session.$emacsMark;
@@ -94,14 +102,7 @@ exports.handler.attach = function(editor) {
 
     editor.on("click",$resetMarkMode);
 
-    editor.renderer.screenToTextCoordinates = screenToTextBlockCoordinates;
-    // kitchen sink seems to reload the session after loading the kb handler.
-    editor.on("changeSession",function(e) {
-        e.session.$selectLongWords = true;
-        if (! e.session.hasOwnProperty('$emacsMark')) {
-            e.session.$emacsMark = false;
-        }
-    });
+    editor.on("changeSession",$kbSessionChange);
 
     editor.renderer.screenToTextCoordinates = screenToTextBlockCoordinates;
 
@@ -113,11 +114,31 @@ exports.handler.detach = function(editor) {
 
     delete editor.renderer.screenToTextCoordinates;
 
+    editor.session.$selectLongWords = $formerLongWords;
+    editor.session.$useEmacsStyleLineStart = $formerLineStart;
+
+
     editor.removeEventListener("click",$resetMarkMode);
+    editor.removeEventListener("changeSession",$kbSessionChange);
 
     editor.unsetStyle("emacs-mode");
 };
 
+var $kbSessionChange = function(e) {
+    if (e.oldSession) {
+        e.oldSession.$selectLongWords = $formerLongWords;
+        e.oldSession.$useEmacsStyleLineStart = $formerLineStart;
+    }
+    
+    $formerLongWords = e.session.$selectLongWords;
+    e.session.$selectLongWords = true;
+    $formerLineStart = e.session.$useEmacsStyleLineStart;
+    e.session.$useEmacsStyleLineStart = true;
+
+    if (!e.session.hasOwnProperty('$emacsMark'))
+        e.session.$emacsMark = null;
+}    
+
 var $resetMarkMode = function(e) {
     e.editor.session.$emacsMark = null;
 }
diff --git a/lib/ace/selection.js b/lib/ace/selection.js
index d80f9662..dd5435f1 100644
--- a/lib/ace/selection.js
+++ b/lib/ace/selection.js
@@ -517,17 +517,10 @@ var Selection = function(session) {
         );
 
         var leadingSpace = beforeCursor.match(/^\s*/);
-        if (leadingSpace[0].length == column) {
-            this.moveCursorTo(
-                firstColumnPosition.row, firstColumnPosition.column
-            );
-        }
-        else {
-            this.moveCursorTo(
-                firstColumnPosition.row,
-                firstColumnPosition.column + leadingSpace[0].length
-            );
-        }
+        // TODO find better way for emacs mode to override selection behaviors
+        if (leadingSpace[0].length != column && !this.session.$useEmacsStyleLineStart)
+            firstColumnPosition.column += leadingSpace[0].length;
+        this.moveCursorToPosition(firstColumnPosition);
     };
 
     /**