diff --git a/demo/demo.js b/demo/demo.js
index 0437c78c..5b4b883f 100644
--- a/demo/demo.js
+++ b/demo/demo.js
@@ -257,6 +257,10 @@ exports.launch = function(env) {
         env.editor.renderer.setShowPrintMargin(checked);
     });
 
+    bindCheckbox("highlight_selected_word", function(checked) {
+        env.editor.setHighlightSelectedWord(checked);
+    });
+
     function bindCheckbox(id, callback) {
         var el = document.getElementById(id);
         var onCheck = function() {
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index d4557f3b..9fa06ea9 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@
         <label for="show_print_margin">Show Print Margin</label>
         <input type="checkbox" id="show_print_margin" checked>
       </td>
+      <td align="right">
+        <label for="highlight_selected_word">Highlight selected word</label>
+        <input type="checkbox" id="highlight_selected_word" checked>
+      </td>
       </tr>
     </table>
 
diff --git a/lib/ace/editor.js b/lib/ace/editor.js
index 8f712f59..ad95be22 100644
--- a/lib/ace/editor.js
+++ b/lib/ace/editor.js
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
  *      Fabian Jakobs <fabian AT ajax DOT org>
  *      Irakli Gozalishvili <rfobic@gmail.com> (http://jeditoolkit.com)
  *      Julian Viereck <julian.viereck@gmail.com>
- *      Mihai Sucan <mihai.sucan@gmail.com>
  *
  * Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of
  * either the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later (the "GPL"), or
@@ -75,7 +74,6 @@ var Editor =function(renderer, session) {
     this.$selectionMarker = null;
     this.$highlightLineMarker = null;
     this.$blockScrolling = 0;
-    this.$selectionOccurrences = [];
 
     this.$search = new Search().set({
         wrap: true
@@ -237,55 +235,6 @@ var Editor =function(renderer, session) {
         }, 10);
     };
 
-    this.highlightSelection = function() {
-        if (this.$selectionOccurrences.length)
-            this.clearSelectionHighlight();
-
-        var selection = this.getSelectionRange();
-        if (selection.isEmpty() || selection.isMultiLine())
-            return;
-
-        var startOuter = selection.start.column - 1;
-        var endOuter = selection.end.column + 1;
-        var line = this.session.getLine(selection.start.row);
-        var lineCols = line.length - 1;
-        var needle = line.substring(Math.max(startOuter, 0),
-                                    Math.min(endOuter, lineCols));
-
-        // Make sure the outer characters are not part of the word.
-        if ((startOuter >= 0 && !/[^\w\d]/.test(needle.charAt(0))) ||
-            (endOuter <= lineCols && !/[^\w\d]/.test(needle.charAt(needle.length - 1))))
-            return;
-
-        needle = line.substring(selection.start.column, selection.end.column);
-        if (!/^[\w\d]+$/.test(needle))
-            return;
-
-        var newOptions = {
-            wrap: true,
-            wholeWord: true,
-            needle: needle
-        };
-
-        var currentOptions = this.$search.getOptions();
-        this.$search.set(newOptions);
-
-        var ranges = this.$search.findAll(this.session);
-        this.$selectionOccurrences = [];
-        ranges.forEach(function(range) {
-            if (!range.contains(selection.start.row, selection.start.column))
-                this.$selectionOccurrences.push(this.renderer.addMarker(range, "ace_selected_word"));
-        }, this);
-
-        this.$search.set(currentOptions);
-    };
-
-    this.clearSelectionHighlight = function() {
-        this.$selectionOccurrences.forEach(function(marker) {
-            this.renderer.removeMarker(marker);
-        }, this);
-    };
-
     this.focus = function() {
         // Safari need the timeout
         // iOS and Firefox need it called immediately
@@ -374,7 +323,9 @@ var Editor =function(renderer, session) {
         }
 
         this.onCursorChange(e);
-        this.highlightSelection();
+
+        if (this.$highlightSelectedWord)
+            this.mode.highlightSelection(this);
     };
 
     this.onDocumentChangeBreakpoint = function() {
@@ -559,6 +510,22 @@ var Editor =function(renderer, session) {
         return this.$highlightActiveLine;
     };
 
+    this.$highlightSelectedWord = true;
+    this.setHighlightSelectedWord = function(shouldHighlight) {
+        if (this.$highlightSelectedWord == shouldHighlight)
+            return;
+
+        this.$highlightSelectedWord = shouldHighlight;
+        if (shouldHighlight)
+            this.mode.highlightSelection(this);
+        else
+            this.mode.clearSelectionHighlight(this);
+    };
+
+    this.getHighlightSelectedWord = function() {
+        return this.$highlightSelectedWord;
+    };
+
     this.setShowInvisibles = function(showInvisibles) {
         if (this.getShowInvisibles() == showInvisibles)
             return;
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/text.js b/lib/ace/mode/text.js
index fe1c9f17..6fc68588 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/text.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/text.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-/* ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
+/* vim:ts=4:sts=4:sw=4:
+ * ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
  * Version: MPL 1.1/GPL 2.0/LGPL 2.1
  *
  * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@
  *
  * Contributor(s):
  *      Fabian Jakobs <fabian AT ajax DOT org>
+ *      Mihai Sucan <mihai DOT sucan AT gmail DOT com>
  *
  * Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of
  * either the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later (the "GPL"), or
@@ -77,6 +79,65 @@ var Mode = function() {
         return null;
     };
 
+    this.highlightSelection = function(editor) {
+        var session = editor.session;
+        if (!session.$selectionOccurrences)
+            session.$selectionOccurrences = [];
+
+        if (session.$selectionOccurrences.length)
+            this.clearSelectionHighlight(editor);
+
+        var selection = editor.getSelectionRange();
+        if (selection.isEmpty() || selection.isMultiLine())
+            return;
+
+        var startOuter = selection.start.column - 1;
+        var endOuter = selection.end.column + 1;
+        var line = session.getLine(selection.start.row);
+        var lineCols = line.length - 1;
+        var needle = line.substring(Math.max(startOuter, 0),
+                                    Math.min(endOuter, lineCols));
+
+        // Make sure the outer characters are not part of the word.
+        if ((startOuter >= 0 && !/[^\w\d]/.test(needle.charAt(0))) ||
+            (endOuter <= lineCols && !/[^\w\d]/.test(needle.charAt(needle.length - 1))))
+            return;
+
+        needle = line.substring(selection.start.column, selection.end.column);
+        if (!/^[\w\d]+$/.test(needle))
+            return;
+
+        var newOptions = {
+            wrap: true,
+            wholeWord: true,
+            needle: needle
+        };
+
+        var currentOptions = editor.$search.getOptions();
+        editor.$search.set(newOptions);
+
+        var ranges = editor.$search.findAll(session);
+        session.$selectionOccurrences = [];
+        ranges.forEach(function(range) {
+            if (!range.contains(selection.start.row, selection.start.column)) {
+                var marker = editor.renderer.addMarker(range,
+                                                       "ace_selected_word");
+                session.$selectionOccurrences.push(marker);
+            }
+        });
+
+        editor.$search.set(currentOptions);
+    };
+
+    this.clearSelectionHighlight = function(editor) {
+        if (!editor.session.$selectionOccurrences)
+            return;
+
+        editor.session.$selectionOccurrences.forEach(function(marker) {
+            editor.renderer.removeMarker(marker);
+        });
+    };
+
 }).call(Mode.prototype);
 
 exports.Mode = Mode;