diff --git a/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js b/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
index a6f43ede..d248af75 100644
--- a/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
+++ b/lib/ace/keyboard/textinput.js
@@ -59,10 +59,17 @@ var TextInput = function(parentNode, host) {
             if (value) {
                 if (value.charCodeAt(value.length-1) == PLACEHOLDER.charCodeAt(0)) {
                     value = value.slice(0, -1);
-                    if (value)
+                    if (value.length)
                         host.onTextInput(value);
-                } else
+                } 
+                if (value.charCodeAt(0) == PLACEHOLDER.charCodeAt(0)) {
+                    value = value.slice(1, value.length);
+                    if (value.length)
+                        host.onTextInput(value);
+                } 
+                else {
                     host.onTextInput(value);
+                }
             }
         }
         copied = false;