diff --git a/lib/ace/selection.js b/lib/ace/selection.js
index a0b60301..b630d763 100644
--- a/lib/ace/selection.js
+++ b/lib/ace/selection.js
@@ -390,15 +390,19 @@ var Selection = function(doc) {
 
     this.moveCursorBy = function(rows, chars) {
         if (this.doc.getUseWrapMode()) {
-            var pos = this.doc.documentToScreenPosition(
+            var screenPos = this.doc.documentToScreenPosition(
                         this.selectionLead.row, this.selectionLead.column);
-            pos = this.doc.screenToDocumentPosition(
-                        pos.row + rows, (this.$desiredColumn || pos.column));
-            this.moveCursorTo(pos.row, pos.column + chars, chars == 0);
+            var screenCol =
+                (chars == 0 && this.$desiredColumn) || screenPos.column;
+
+            var docPos = this.doc.screenToDocumentPosition(
+                        screenPos.row + rows, screenCol);
+            this.moveCursorTo(docPos.row, docPos.column + chars, chars == 0);
         } else {
-            this.moveCursorTo(this.selectionLead.row + rows,
-                    (this.$desiredColumn || this.selectionLead.column) + chars,
-                    chars == 0);
+            var docColumn =
+                (chars == 0 && this.$desiredColumn) || this.selectionLead.column;
+            this.moveCursorTo(
+                this.selectionLead.row + rows, docColumn + chars, chars == 0);
         }
     };