diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
index 03820794..bda80b35 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
@@ -73,35 +73,38 @@ var TextInput = function(parentNode, host) {
 
     var inCompostion = false;
 
-    var isSelectionEmpty = true;
+    var resetTimeout = true;
 
     var tempStyle = '';
 
     function resetValue() {
         text.value = PLACEHOLDER;
         //http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=76516
-        if (useragent.isWebKit)
-            setTimeout(function(){
+        if (useragent.isWebKit && !resetTimeout)
+            resetTimeout = setTimeout(function(){
                 text.value = PLACEHOLDER;
                 resetSelection();
+                resetTimeout = null;
             });
     };
 
-    function resetSelection() {
-        var selectionStart = isSelectionEmpty ? 2 : 1;
+    function resetSelection(isEmpty) {
+        var selectionStart = isEmpty ? 2 : 1;
         var selectionEnd = 2;
-
-        if (text.setSelectionRange) {
-            text.setSelectionRange(selectionStart, selectionEnd);
-        }
-        // IE8 does not support setSelectionRange
-        else if (text.createTextRange) {
-            var range = text.createTextRange();
-            range.collapse(true);
-            range.moveEnd('character', selectionEnd);
-            range.moveStart('character', selectionStart);
-            range.select();
-        }
+        // on firefox this throws if textarea is hidden
+        try {
+            if (text.setSelectionRange) {
+                text.setSelectionRange(selectionStart, selectionEnd);
+            }
+            // IE8 does not support setSelectionRange
+            else if (text.createTextRange) {
+                var range = text.createTextRange();
+                range.collapse(true);
+                range.moveEnd('character', selectionEnd);
+                range.moveStart('character', selectionStart);
+                range.select();
+            }
+        } catch(e){}
     };
 
     var onSelect = function(e) {
@@ -326,6 +329,8 @@ var TextInput = function(parentNode, host) {
             (useragent.isIE ? "background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03); opacity:0.1;" : "") + //"background:rgba(250, 0, 0, 0.3); opacity:1;" +
             "left:" + (e.clientX - 2) + "px; top:" + (e.clientY - 2) + "px;";
 
+        resetSelection(host.selection.isEmpty());
+
         if (e.type != "mousedown")
             return;
 
@@ -360,14 +365,6 @@ var TextInput = function(parentNode, host) {
             host.textInput.onContextMenu(e);
             onContextMenuClose();
         });
-
-
-    host.addEventListener('changeSelection', function(){
-        if (host.selection.isEmpty() != isSelectionEmpty) {
-            isSelectionEmpty = !isSelectionEmpty;
-            resetSelection();
-        }
-    });
 };
 
 exports.TextInput = TextInput;