diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index 31784e60..ae98755b 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ BufferCoord Buffer::advance(BufferCoord coord, ByteCount count) const
 
 BufferCoord Buffer::char_advance(BufferCoord coord, CharCount count) const
 {
-    return utf8::advance(iterator_at(coord), end(), count);
+    return utf8::advance(iterator_at(coord), end(), count).coord();
 }
 
 BufferCoord Buffer::next(BufferCoord coord) const
diff --git a/src/buffer.hh b/src/buffer.hh
index b2d5c793..7aacb841 100644
--- a/src/buffer.hh
+++ b/src/buffer.hh
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ public:
     BufferIterator operator++ (int);
     BufferIterator operator-- (int);
 
-    BufferIterator& operator=(const BufferCoord& coord);
-    operator const BufferCoord&() const { return m_coord; }
-
     const BufferCoord& coord() const { return m_coord; }
 
 private:
@@ -127,6 +124,9 @@ public:
     BufferCoord    char_next(BufferCoord coord) const;
     BufferCoord    char_prev(BufferCoord coord) const;
 
+    BufferCoord    back_coord() const { return { line_count() - 1, m_lines.back().length() - 1 }; }
+    BufferCoord    end_coord() const { return { line_count() - 1, m_lines.back().length() }; }
+
     bool           is_valid(const BufferCoord& c) const;
     bool           is_end(const BufferCoord& c) const;
 
diff --git a/src/buffer_iterator.inl.hh b/src/buffer_iterator.inl.hh
index 362ed82a..4e5540e7 100644
--- a/src/buffer_iterator.inl.hh
+++ b/src/buffer_iterator.inl.hh
@@ -109,12 +109,5 @@ inline BufferIterator BufferIterator::operator--(int)
     return save;
 }
 
-inline BufferIterator& BufferIterator::operator=(const BufferCoord& coord)
-{
-    kak_assert(m_buffer and m_buffer->is_valid(coord));
-    m_coord = coord;
-    return *this;
-}
-
 }
 #endif // buffer_iterator_inl_h_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index a2eb08d3..b6c9a1c6 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ Buffer* open_fifo(const String& name , const String& filename, Context& context)
         constexpr size_t buffer_size = 1024 * 16;
         char data[buffer_size];
         ssize_t count = read(watcher.fd(), data, buffer_size);
-        buffer->insert(buffer->end()-1,
+        buffer->insert(buffer->back_coord(),
                        count > 0 ? String(data, data+count)
                                   : "*** kak: fifo closed ***\n");
         ClientManager::instance().redraw_clients();
diff --git a/src/debug.cc b/src/debug.cc
index b0d2c4a7..af935bb7 100644
--- a/src/debug.cc
+++ b/src/debug.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void write_debug(const String& str)
 {
     Buffer& debug_buffer = get_or_create_debug_buffer();
     Editor editor(debug_buffer);
-    editor.select(debug_buffer.end()-1);
+    editor.select(debug_buffer.back_coord());
     editor.insert(str + "\n");
 }
 
diff --git a/src/editor.cc b/src/editor.cc
index d3fbbe8b..7e5c0389 100644
--- a/src/editor.cc
+++ b/src/editor.cc
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Editor::Editor(Buffer& buffer)
       m_edition_level(0),
       m_selections(buffer)
 {
-    m_selections.push_back(Selection(buffer.begin(), buffer.begin()));
+    m_selections.push_back(Selection({}, {}));
     m_main_sel = 0;
 }
 
@@ -370,18 +370,14 @@ public:
         auto it = std::upper_bound(m_ranges.begin(), m_ranges.end(), begin,
                                    [](const BufferCoord& c, const Selection& sel)
                                    { return c < sel.min(); });
-        m_ranges.emplace(it, registry().iterator_at(begin),
-                         utf8::previous(registry().iterator_at(end)));
+        m_ranges.emplace(it, begin, buffer.char_prev(end));
     }
 
     void on_erase(const Buffer& buffer, const BufferCoord& begin, const BufferCoord& end)
     {
         m_ranges.update_erase(buffer, begin, end);
-        BufferIterator pos{registry(), begin};
-        if (pos >= buffer.end())
-            pos = utf8::previous(buffer.end());
-
-        auto it = std::upper_bound(m_ranges.begin(), m_ranges.end(), begin,
+        auto pos = std::min(begin, buffer.back_coord());
+        auto it = std::upper_bound(m_ranges.begin(), m_ranges.end(), pos,
                                    [](const BufferCoord& c, const Selection& sel)
                                    { return c < sel.min(); });
         m_ranges.emplace(it, pos, pos);
@@ -488,7 +484,7 @@ IncrementalInserter::IncrementalInserter(Editor& editor, InsertMode mode)
 
         case InsertMode::OpenLineAbove:
         case InsertMode::InsertAtLineBegin:
-            first = buffer.iterator_at(sel.min().line);
+            first = sel.min().line;
             if (mode == InsertMode::OpenLineAbove)
                 first = buffer.char_prev(first);
             else
@@ -497,7 +493,7 @@ IncrementalInserter::IncrementalInserter(Editor& editor, InsertMode mode)
                 while (*first_non_blank == ' ' or *first_non_blank == '\t')
                     ++first_non_blank;
                 if (*first_non_blank != '\n')
-                    first = first_non_blank;
+                    first = first_non_blank.coord();
             }
             last = first;
             break;
diff --git a/src/filters.cc b/src/filters.cc
index 27447951..61d98bca 100644
--- a/src/filters.cc
+++ b/src/filters.cc
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ void preserve_indent(Buffer& buffer, Selection& selection, String& content)
                first_non_white != buffer.end())
             ++first_non_white;
 
-        content += buffer.string(line_begin, first_non_white);
+        content += buffer.string(line_begin, first_non_white.coord());
     }
 }
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ void cleanup_whitespaces(Buffer& buffer, Selection& selection, String& content)
             --whitespace_start;
         ++whitespace_start;
         if (whitespace_start != position)
-            buffer.erase(whitespace_start, position);
+            buffer.erase(whitespace_start.coord(), position.coord());
     }
 }
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ struct RegexFilter
 
                     auto& first = selection.first();
                     auto& last = selection.last();
-                    buffer.insert(position, suffix);
+                    buffer.insert(last, suffix);
                     if (first == last)
                         first = buffer.advance(first, -suffix.length());
                     last = buffer.advance(last, -suffix.length());
diff --git a/src/input_handler.cc b/src/input_handler.cc
index 956ca959..6dc74390 100644
--- a/src/input_handler.cc
+++ b/src/input_handler.cc
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ static BufferCompletion complete_word(const Buffer& buffer,
     if (not is_word(*begin))
         ++begin;
 
-    String ex = R"(\<\Q)" + buffer.string(begin, end) + R"(\E\w+\>)";
+    String ex = R"(\<\Q)" + String{begin, end} + R"(\E\w+\>)";
     Regex re(ex.begin(), ex.end());
     using RegexIt = boost::regex_iterator<BufferIterator>;
 
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ static BufferCompletion complete_word(const Buffer& buffer,
         auto& match = (*it)[0];
         if (match.first <= pos and pos < match.second)
             continue;
-        matches.insert(buffer.string(match.first, match.second));
+        matches.insert(String{match.first, match.second});
     }
     if (other_buffers)
     {
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ static BufferCompletion complete_word(const Buffer& buffer,
             for (RegexIt it(buf->begin(), buf->end(), re), re_end; it != re_end; ++it)
             {
                 auto& match = (*it)[0];
-                matches.insert(buf->string(match.first, match.second));
+                matches.insert(String{match.first, match.second});
             }
         }
     }
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ static BufferCompletion complete_word(const Buffer& buffer,
               make_move_iterator(matches.end()),
               inserter(result, result.begin()));
     std::sort(result.begin(), result.end());
-    return { begin, end, std::move(result), buffer.timestamp() };
+    return { begin.coord(), end.coord(), std::move(result), buffer.timestamp() };
 }
 
 static BufferCompletion complete_opt(const Buffer& buffer,
@@ -561,12 +561,11 @@ static BufferCompletion complete_opt(const Buffer& buffer,
         BufferCoord coord{ str_to_int(match[1].str()) - 1, str_to_int(match[2].str()) - 1 };
         if (not buffer.is_valid(coord))
             return {};
-        auto beg = buffer.iterator_at(coord);
-        auto end = beg;
+        auto end = coord;
         if (match[3].matched)
         {
             ByteCount len = str_to_int(match[3].str());
-            end = beg + len;
+            end = buffer.advance(coord, len);
         }
         size_t timestamp = (size_t)str_to_int(match[4].str());
 
@@ -576,8 +575,8 @@ static BufferCompletion complete_opt(const Buffer& buffer,
 
         if (timestamp == buffer.timestamp() and
             cursor_pos.line == coord.line and cursor_pos.column <= coord.column and
-            buffer.distance(beg, cursor_pos) < longest_completion)
-            return { beg, end, { opt.begin() + 1, opt.end() }, timestamp };
+            buffer.distance(coord, cursor_pos) < longest_completion)
+            return { coord, end, { opt.begin() + 1, opt.end() }, timestamp };
     }
     return {};
 }
@@ -614,8 +613,8 @@ public:
             if (offset >= beg_offset and offset + end_offset < buffer_len and
                 std::equal(pos - beg_offset, pos, begin))
             {
-                auto beg = pos - beg_offset;
-                buffer.erase(beg, pos + end_offset);
+                auto beg = buffer.advance(sel.last(), -beg_offset);
+                buffer.erase(beg, buffer.advance(sel.last(), end_offset));
                 buffer.insert(beg, candidate);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index fc60a0f3..31f3b582 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ void goto_commands(Context& context)
             }
             case 'e':
                 context.push_jump();
-                editor.select(editor.buffer().end()-1, mode);
+                editor.select(editor.buffer().back_coord(), mode);
                 break;
             case 't':
                 if (context.has_window())
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ void scroll(Context& context)
     auto cursor_pos = utf8::advance(buffer.iterator_at(position.line),
                                     buffer.iterator_at(position.line+1),
                                     position.column);
-    window.select(cursor_pos);
+    window.select(cursor_pos.coord());
     window.set_position(position);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/selectors.cc b/src/selectors.cc
index 59891df9..06eb6842 100644
--- a/src/selectors.cc
+++ b/src/selectors.cc
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ void skip_while_reverse(Iterator& it, const BeginIterator& begin, T condition)
 
 Range utf8_range(const Utf8Iterator& first, const Utf8Iterator& last)
 {
-    return {first.underlying_iterator(), last.underlying_iterator()};
+    return {first.underlying_iterator().coord(), last.underlying_iterator().coord()};
 }
 
 }
@@ -448,8 +448,8 @@ Selection select_whole_sentence(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection
             --last;
         }
     }
-    return (flags & ObjectFlags::ToEnd) ? Selection{first, last}
-                                        : Selection{last, first};
+    return (flags & ObjectFlags::ToEnd) ? Selection{first.coord(), last.coord()}
+                                        : Selection{last.coord(), first.coord()};
 }
 
 Selection select_whole_paragraph(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection, ObjectFlags flags)
@@ -490,8 +490,8 @@ Selection select_whole_paragraph(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selectio
         }
         --last;
     }
-    return (flags & ObjectFlags::ToEnd) ? Selection{first, last}
-                                        : Selection{last, first};
+    return (flags & ObjectFlags::ToEnd) ? Selection{first.coord(), last.coord()}
+                                        : Selection{last.coord(), first.coord()};
 }
 
 Selection select_whole_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection)
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ Selection select_whole_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection)
     if (to_line_end == buffer.end())
         --to_line_end;
 
-    return Selection(first, last);
+    return Selection(first.coord(), last.coord());
 }
 
 Selection trim_partial_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection)
@@ -527,12 +527,12 @@ Selection trim_partial_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection)
     while (*(to_line_end+1) != '\n' and to_line_end != to_line_start)
         --to_line_end;
 
-    return Selection(first, last);
+    return Selection(first.coord(), last.coord());
 }
 
 Selection select_whole_buffer(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection&)
 {
-    return Selection(buffer.begin(), utf8::previous(buffer.end()));
+    return Selection({0,0}, buffer.back_coord());
 }
 
 using MatchResults = boost::match_results<BufferIterator>;
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ Selection select_next_match(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection, co
     end = utf8::previous(end);
     if (not forward)
         std::swap(begin, end);
-    return Selection{begin, end, std::move(captures)};
+    return Selection{begin.coord(), end.coord(), std::move(captures)};
 }
 template Selection select_next_match<true>(const Buffer&, const Selection&, const Regex&);
 template Selection select_next_match<false>(const Buffer&, const Selection&, const Regex&);
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ SelectionList select_all_matches(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selectio
         for (auto& match : *re_it)
             captures.push_back(String(match.first, match.second));
 
-        result.push_back(Selection(begin, begin == end ? end : utf8::previous(end),
+        result.push_back(Selection(begin.coord(), (begin == end ? end : utf8::previous(end)).coord(),
                                    std::move(captures)));
     }
     return result;
@@ -634,10 +634,10 @@ SelectionList split_selection(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection,
     {
         BufferIterator end = (*re_it)[0].first;
 
-        result.push_back(Selection(begin, (begin == end) ? end : utf8::previous(end)));
+        result.push_back(Selection(begin.coord(), (begin == end) ? end.coord() : utf8::previous(end).coord()));
         begin = (*re_it)[0].second;
     }
-    result.push_back(Selection(begin, selection.max()));
+    result.push_back(Selection(begin.coord(), selection.max()));
     return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/unit_tests.cc b/src/unit_tests.cc
index 90c707c6..52f11ea1 100644
--- a/src/unit_tests.cc
+++ b/src/unit_tests.cc
@@ -13,41 +13,39 @@ void test_buffer()
     Buffer buffer("test", Buffer::Flags::None, { "allo ?\n", "mais que fais la police\n",  " hein ?\n", " youpi\n" });
     kak_assert(buffer.line_count() == 4);
 
-    BufferIterator i = buffer.begin();
-    kak_assert(*i == 'a');
-    i += 6;
-    kak_assert(i.coord() == BufferCoord{0 COMMA 6});
-    i += 1;
-    kak_assert(i.coord() == BufferCoord{1 COMMA 0});
-    --i;
-    kak_assert(i.coord() == BufferCoord{0 COMMA 6});
-    ++i;
-    kak_assert(i.coord() == BufferCoord{1 COMMA 0});
-    buffer.insert(i, "tchou kanaky\n");
+    BufferCoord pos = {0,0};
+    kak_assert(buffer.byte_at(pos) == 'a');
+    pos = buffer.advance(pos, 6);
+    kak_assert(pos == BufferCoord{0 COMMA 6});
+    pos = buffer.next(pos);
+    kak_assert(pos == BufferCoord{1 COMMA 0});
+    pos = buffer.prev(pos);
+    kak_assert(pos == BufferCoord{0 COMMA 6});
+    pos = buffer.advance(pos, 1);
+    kak_assert(pos == BufferCoord{1 COMMA 0});
+    buffer.insert(pos, "tchou kanaky\n");
     kak_assert(buffer.line_count() == 5);
 
-    BufferIterator begin = buffer.iterator_at({ 4, 1 });
-    BufferIterator end = buffer.iterator_at({ 4, 5 }) + 1;
-    String str = buffer.string(begin, end);
+    String str = buffer.string({ 4, 1 }, buffer.next({ 4, 5 }));
     kak_assert(str == "youpi");
 
     // check insert at end behaviour: auto add end of line if necessary
-    begin = buffer.end() - 1;
-    buffer.insert(buffer.end(), "tchou");
-    kak_assert(buffer.string(begin+1, buffer.end()) == "tchou\n");
+    pos = buffer.back_coord();
+    buffer.insert(pos, "tchou");
+    kak_assert(buffer.string(pos, buffer.end_coord()) == "tchou\n");
 
-    begin = buffer.end() - 1;
-    buffer.insert(buffer.end(), "kanaky\n");
-    kak_assert(buffer.string(begin+1, buffer.end()) == "kanaky\n");
+    pos = buffer.back_coord();
+    buffer.insert(buffer.end_coord(), "kanaky\n");
+    kak_assert(buffer.string(buffer.next(pos), buffer.end_coord()) == "kanaky\n");
 
     buffer.commit_undo_group();
-    buffer.erase(begin+1, buffer.end());
-    buffer.insert(buffer.end(), "mutch\n");
+    buffer.erase(buffer.next(pos), buffer.end_coord());
+    buffer.insert(buffer.end_coord(), "mutch\n");
     buffer.commit_undo_group();
     buffer.undo();
-    kak_assert(buffer.string(buffer.end() - 7, buffer.end()) == "kanaky\n");
+    kak_assert(buffer.string(buffer.advance(buffer.end_coord(), -7), buffer.end_coord()) == "kanaky\n");
     buffer.redo();
-    kak_assert(buffer.string(buffer.end() - 6, buffer.end()) == "mutch\n");
+    kak_assert(buffer.string(buffer.advance(buffer.end_coord(), -6), buffer.end_coord()) == "mutch\n");
 }
 
 void test_editor()
@@ -68,7 +66,7 @@ void test_editor()
     }
     editor.undo();
 
-    Selection sel{ buffer.iterator_at(2_line), buffer.end()-1 };
+    Selection sel{ 2_line, buffer.back_coord() };
     editor.select(sel, SelectMode::Replace);
     editor.insert("",InsertMode::Replace);
     kak_assert(not buffer.is_end(editor.main_selection().first()));
@@ -79,13 +77,13 @@ void test_incremental_inserter()
     Buffer buffer("test", Buffer::Flags::None, { "test\n", "\n", "youpi\n", "matin\n" });
     Editor editor(buffer);
 
-    editor.select(buffer.begin());
+    editor.select({0,0});
     {
         IncrementalInserter inserter(editor, InsertMode::OpenLineAbove);
         kak_assert(editor.is_editing());
         kak_assert(editor.selections().size() == 1);
-        kak_assert(editor.selections().front().first() == buffer.begin());
-        kak_assert(editor.selections().front().last() == buffer.begin());
+        kak_assert(editor.selections().front().first() == BufferCoord{0 COMMA 0});
+        kak_assert(editor.selections().front().last() == BufferCoord{0 COMMA 0});
         kak_assert(*buffer.begin() == L'\n');
     }
     kak_assert(not editor.is_editing());