diff --git a/src/normal.cc b/src/normal.cc
index cc611d9f..c8ff9c78 100644
--- a/src/normal.cc
+++ b/src/normal.cc
@@ -22,86 +22,6 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-void erase(Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections)
-{
-    for (auto& sel : reversed(selections))
-    {
-        erase(buffer, sel);
-    }
-    selections.update();
-    selections.avoid_eol();
-    buffer.check_invariant();
-}
-
-template<InsertMode mode>
-BufferIterator prepare_insert(Buffer& buffer, const Selection& sel)
-{
-    switch (mode)
-    {
-    case InsertMode::Insert:
-        return buffer.iterator_at(sel.min());
-    case InsertMode::Replace:
-        return Kakoune::erase(buffer, sel);
-    case InsertMode::Append:
-    {
-        // special case for end of lines, append to current line instead
-        auto pos = buffer.iterator_at(sel.max());
-        return *pos == '\n' ? pos : utf8::next(pos);
-    }
-    case InsertMode::InsertAtLineBegin:
-        return buffer.iterator_at(sel.min().line);
-    case InsertMode::AppendAtLineEnd:
-        return buffer.iterator_at({sel.max().line, buffer[sel.max().line].length() - 1});
-    case InsertMode::InsertAtNextLineBegin:
-        return buffer.iterator_at(sel.max().line+1);
-    case InsertMode::OpenLineBelow:
-        return buffer.insert(buffer.iterator_at(sel.max().line + 1), "\n");
-    case InsertMode::OpenLineAbove:
-        return buffer.insert(buffer.iterator_at(sel.min().line), "\n");
-    }
-    kak_assert(false);
-    return {};
-}
-
-template<InsertMode mode>
-void insert(Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections, memoryview<String> strings)
-{
-    if (strings.empty())
-        return;
-
-    selections.update();
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < selections.size(); ++i)
-    {
-        size_t index = selections.size() - 1 - i;
-        auto& sel = selections[index];
-        auto pos = prepare_insert<mode>(buffer, sel);
-        const String& str = strings[std::min(index, strings.size()-1)];
-        pos = buffer.insert(pos, str);
-        if (mode == InsertMode::Replace)
-        {
-             if (pos == buffer.end())
-                 --pos;
-            sel.anchor() = pos.coord();
-            sel.cursor() = (str.empty() ?
-                pos : pos + str.byte_count_to(str.char_length() - 1)).coord();
-
-           // update following selections
-           auto changes = compute_modifications(buffer, selections.timestamp());
-           for (size_t j = index+1; j < selections.size(); ++j)
-           {
-               auto& sel = selections[j];
-               sel.anchor() = update_pos(changes, sel.anchor());
-               sel.cursor() = update_pos(changes, sel.cursor());
-           }
-           selections.update_timestamp();
-        }
-    }
-    selections.update();
-    selections.avoid_eol();
-    selections.check_invariant();
-    buffer.check_invariant();
-}
-
 using namespace std::placeholders;
 
 enum class SelectMode
@@ -172,7 +92,7 @@ constexpr Select<mode, T> make_select(T func)
 }
 
 template<SelectMode mode = SelectMode::Replace>
-void select_coord(const Buffer& buffer, ByteCoord coord, SelectionList& selections)
+void select_coord(Buffer& buffer, ByteCoord coord, SelectionList& selections)
 {
     coord = buffer.clamp(coord);
     if (mode == SelectMode::Replace)
@@ -405,7 +325,7 @@ void replace_with_char(Context& context, int)
             CharCount count = char_length(buffer, sel);
             strings.emplace_back(key.key, count);
         }
-        insert<InsertMode::Replace>(buffer, selections, strings);
+        selections.insert(strings, InsertMode::Replace);
     }, "replace with char", "enter char to replace with\n");
 }
 
@@ -428,7 +348,7 @@ void for_each_char(Context& context, int)
         for (auto& c : sel)
             c = func(c);
     }
-    insert<InsertMode::Replace>(context.buffer(), context.selections(), sels);
+    context.selections().insert(sels, InsertMode::Replace);
 }
 
 void command(Context& context, int)
@@ -493,7 +413,7 @@ void pipe(Context& context, int)
                 strings.push_back(str);
             }
             ScopedEdition edition(context);
-            insert<mode>(buffer, selections, strings);
+            selections.insert(strings, mode);
         });
 }
 
@@ -543,7 +463,7 @@ void erase_selections(Context& context, int)
 {
     RegisterManager::instance()['"'] = context.selections_content();
     ScopedEdition edition(context);
-    erase(context.buffer(), context.selections());
+    context.selections().erase();
 }
 
 void cat_erase_selections(Context& context, int)
@@ -553,7 +473,7 @@ void cat_erase_selections(Context& context, int)
     for (auto& sel : sels)
         str += sel;
     RegisterManager::instance()['"'] = memoryview<String>(str);
-    erase(context.buffer(), context.selections());
+    context.selections().erase();
 }
 
 
@@ -587,10 +507,8 @@ void paste(Context& context, int)
         }
     }
     ScopedEdition edition(context);
-    if (linewise)
-        insert<adapt_for_linewise(mode)>(context.buffer(), context.selections(), strings);
-    else
-        insert<mode>(context.buffer(), context.selections(), strings);
+    context.selections().insert(strings,
+                                linewise ? adapt_for_linewise(mode) : mode);
 }
 
 template<typename T>
@@ -717,7 +635,7 @@ void select_regex(Context& context, int)
         else
             RegisterManager::instance()['/'] = String{ex.str()};
         if (not ex.empty() and not ex.str().empty())
-            select_all_matches(context.buffer(), context.selections(), ex);
+            select_all_matches(context.selections(), ex);
     });
 }
 
@@ -729,7 +647,7 @@ void split_regex(Context& context, int)
         else
             RegisterManager::instance()['/'] = String{ex.str()};
         if (not ex.empty() and not ex.str().empty())
-            split_selections(context.buffer(), context.selections(), ex);
+            split_selections(context.selections(), ex);
     });
 }
 
@@ -775,7 +693,7 @@ void join_select_spaces(Context& context, int)
         return;
     context.selections() = selections;
     ScopedEdition edition(context);
-    insert<InsertMode::Replace>(buffer, context.selections(), " "_str);
+    context.selections().insert(" "_str, InsertMode::Replace);
 }
 
 void join(Context& context, int param)
@@ -853,7 +771,7 @@ void indent(Context& context, int)
     {
         ScopedEdition edition(context);
         SelectionList selections{buffer, std::move(sels)};
-        insert<InsertMode::Insert>(buffer, selections, indent);
+        selections.insert(indent, InsertMode::Insert);
     }
 }
 
@@ -898,7 +816,7 @@ void deindent(Context& context, int)
     {
         ScopedEdition edition(context);
         SelectionList selections{context.buffer(), std::move(sels)};
-        erase(context.buffer(), selections);
+        selections.erase();
     }
 }
 
@@ -1008,7 +926,7 @@ void rotate_selections_content(Context& context, int group)
         std::rotate(it, end-count, end);
         it = end;
     }
-    insert<InsertMode::Replace>(context.buffer(), context.selections(), strings);
+    context.selections().insert(strings, InsertMode::Replace);
     context.selections().rotate_main(count);
 }
 
@@ -1236,7 +1154,7 @@ void spaces_to_tabs(Context& context, int ts)
     }
 }
 
-static boost::optional<SelectionList> compute_modified_ranges(const Buffer& buffer, size_t timestamp)
+static boost::optional<SelectionList> compute_modified_ranges(Buffer& buffer, size_t timestamp)
 {
     std::vector<Selection> ranges;
     for (auto& change : buffer.changes_since(timestamp))
@@ -1402,12 +1320,12 @@ KeyMap keymap =
 
     { '.', repeat_last_insert },
 
-    { '%', [](Context& context, int) { select_whole_buffer(context.buffer(), context.selections()); } },
+    { '%', [](Context& context, int) { select_whole_buffer(context.selections()); } },
 
     { ':', command },
     { '|', pipe<InsertMode::Replace> },
     { alt('|'), pipe<InsertMode::Append> },
-    { ' ', [](Context& context, int count) { if (count == 0) clear_selections(context.buffer(), context.selections());
+    { ' ', [](Context& context, int count) { if (count == 0) clear_selections(context.selections());
                                              else keep_selection(context.selections(), count-1); } },
     { alt(' '), [](Context& context, int count) { if (count == 0) flip_selections(context.selections());
                                                   else remove_selection(context.selections(), count-1); } },
diff --git a/src/normal.hh b/src/normal.hh
index e72d0d20..c35027ce 100644
--- a/src/normal.hh
+++ b/src/normal.hh
@@ -11,18 +11,6 @@ namespace Kakoune
 
 class Context;
 
-enum class InsertMode : unsigned
-{
-    Insert,
-    Append,
-    Replace,
-    InsertAtLineBegin,
-    InsertAtNextLineBegin,
-    AppendAtLineEnd,
-    OpenLineBelow,
-    OpenLineAbove
-};
-
 using KeyMap = std::unordered_map<Key, std::function<void (Context& context, int param)>>;
 extern KeyMap keymap;
 
diff --git a/src/selection.cc b/src/selection.cc
index 176bc076..7b99cc6d 100644
--- a/src/selection.cc
+++ b/src/selection.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "utf8.hh"
 #include "modification.hh"
+#include "buffer_utils.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
@@ -102,24 +103,24 @@ struct UpdateErase
 
 }
 
-SelectionList::SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, Selection s, size_t timestamp)
+SelectionList::SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, Selection s, size_t timestamp)
     : m_buffer(&buffer), m_selections({ s }), m_timestamp(timestamp)
 {
     check_invariant();
 }
 
-SelectionList::SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, Selection s)
+SelectionList::SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, Selection s)
     : SelectionList(buffer, s, buffer.timestamp())
 {}
 
-SelectionList::SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s, size_t timestamp)
+SelectionList::SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s, size_t timestamp)
     : m_buffer(&buffer), m_selections(std::move(s)), m_timestamp(timestamp)
 {
     kak_assert(size() > 0);
     check_invariant();
 }
 
-SelectionList::SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s)
+SelectionList::SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s)
     : SelectionList(buffer, std::move(s), buffer.timestamp())
 {}
 
@@ -221,4 +222,83 @@ void SelectionList::avoid_eol()
         _avoid_eol(buffer(), sel);
 }
 
+void SelectionList::erase()
+{
+    for (auto& sel : reversed(m_selections))
+    {
+        Kakoune::erase(*m_buffer, sel);
+    }
+    update();
+    avoid_eol();
+    m_buffer->check_invariant();
+}
+
+BufferIterator prepare_insert(Buffer& buffer, const Selection& sel, InsertMode mode)
+{
+    switch (mode)
+    {
+    case InsertMode::Insert:
+        return buffer.iterator_at(sel.min());
+    case InsertMode::Replace:
+        return erase(buffer, sel);
+    case InsertMode::Append:
+    {
+        // special case for end of lines, append to current line instead
+        auto pos = buffer.iterator_at(sel.max());
+        return *pos == '\n' ? pos : utf8::next(pos);
+    }
+    case InsertMode::InsertAtLineBegin:
+        return buffer.iterator_at(sel.min().line);
+    case InsertMode::AppendAtLineEnd:
+        return buffer.iterator_at({sel.max().line, buffer[sel.max().line].length() - 1});
+    case InsertMode::InsertAtNextLineBegin:
+        return buffer.iterator_at(sel.max().line+1);
+    case InsertMode::OpenLineBelow:
+        return buffer.insert(buffer.iterator_at(sel.max().line + 1), "\n");
+    case InsertMode::OpenLineAbove:
+        return buffer.insert(buffer.iterator_at(sel.min().line), "\n");
+    }
+    kak_assert(false);
+    return {};
+}
+
+void SelectionList::insert(memoryview<String> strings, InsertMode mode)
+{
+    if (strings.empty())
+        return;
+
+    update();
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < m_selections.size(); ++i)
+    {
+        size_t index = m_selections.size() - 1 - i;
+        auto& sel = m_selections[index];
+        auto pos = prepare_insert(*m_buffer, sel, mode);
+        const String& str = strings[std::min(index, strings.size()-1)];
+        pos = m_buffer->insert(pos, str);
+        if (mode == InsertMode::Replace)
+        {
+             if (pos == m_buffer->end())
+                 --pos;
+            sel.anchor() = pos.coord();
+            sel.cursor() = (str.empty() ?
+                pos : pos + str.byte_count_to(str.char_length() - 1)).coord();
+
+           // update following selections
+           auto changes = compute_modifications(*m_buffer, timestamp());
+           for (size_t j = index+1; j < m_selections.size(); ++j)
+           {
+               auto& sel = m_selections[j];
+               sel.anchor() = update_pos(changes, sel.anchor());
+               sel.cursor() = update_pos(changes, sel.cursor());
+           }
+           update_timestamp();
+        }
+    }
+    update();
+    avoid_eol();
+    check_invariant();
+    m_buffer->check_invariant();
+}
+
+
 }
diff --git a/src/selection.hh b/src/selection.hh
index cd60f817..a1bf8e5c 100644
--- a/src/selection.hh
+++ b/src/selection.hh
@@ -55,12 +55,24 @@ static bool compare_selections(const Selection& lhs, const Selection& rhs)
     return lhs.min() < rhs.min();
 }
 
+enum class InsertMode : unsigned
+{
+    Insert,
+    Append,
+    Replace,
+    InsertAtLineBegin,
+    InsertAtNextLineBegin,
+    AppendAtLineEnd,
+    OpenLineBelow,
+    OpenLineAbove
+};
+
 struct SelectionList
 {
-    SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, Selection s);
-    SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, Selection s, size_t timestamp);
-    SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s);
-    SelectionList(const Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s, size_t timestamp);
+    SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, Selection s);
+    SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, Selection s, size_t timestamp);
+    SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s);
+    SelectionList(Buffer& buffer, std::vector<Selection> s, size_t timestamp);
 
     void update();
 
@@ -103,17 +115,7 @@ struct SelectionList
     const_iterator begin() const { return m_selections.begin(); }
     const_iterator end() const { return m_selections.end(); }
 
-    template<typename... Args>
-    iterator insert(Args... args)
-    {
-        return m_selections.insert(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-    }
-
-    template<typename... Args>
-    iterator erase(Args... args)
-    {
-        return m_selections.erase(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-    }
+    void remove(size_t index) { m_selections.erase(begin() + index); }
 
     size_t size() const { return m_selections.size(); }
 
@@ -140,22 +142,25 @@ struct SelectionList
                     (*this)[i] = std::move((*this)[j]);
             }
         }
-        erase(begin() + i + 1, end());
+        m_selections.erase(begin() + i + 1, end());
         kak_assert(std::is_sorted(begin(), end(), compare_selections));
     }
 
     void sort_and_merge_overlapping();
 
-    const Buffer& buffer() const { return *m_buffer; }
+    Buffer& buffer() const { return *m_buffer; }
 
     size_t timestamp() const { return m_timestamp; }
     void update_timestamp() { m_timestamp = m_buffer->timestamp(); }
 
+    void insert(memoryview<String> strings, InsertMode mode);
+    void erase();
+
 private:
     size_t m_main = 0;
     std::vector<Selection> m_selections;
 
-    safe_ptr<const Buffer> m_buffer;
+    safe_ptr<Buffer> m_buffer;
     size_t m_timestamp;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/selectors.cc b/src/selectors.cc
index bcae7a06..fb416aff 100644
--- a/src/selectors.cc
+++ b/src/selectors.cc
@@ -429,15 +429,16 @@ Selection trim_partial_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection)
     return Selection(first.coord(), last.coord());
 }
 
-void select_whole_buffer(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections)
+void select_whole_buffer(SelectionList& selections)
 {
+    auto& buffer = selections.buffer();
     selections = SelectionList{ buffer, Selection({0,0}, buffer.back_coord()) };
 }
 
-void select_all_matches(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections,
-                        const Regex& regex)
+void select_all_matches(SelectionList& selections, const Regex& regex)
 {
     std::vector<Selection> result;
+    auto& buffer = selections.buffer();
     for (auto& sel : selections)
     {
         auto sel_end = utf8::next(buffer.iterator_at(sel.max()));
@@ -466,10 +467,10 @@ void select_all_matches(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections,
     selections = std::move(result);
 }
 
-void split_selections(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections,
-                      const Regex& regex)
+void split_selections(SelectionList& selections, const Regex& regex)
 {
     std::vector<Selection> result;
+    auto& buffer = selections.buffer();
     for (auto& sel : selections)
     {
         auto begin = buffer.iterator_at(sel.min());
diff --git a/src/selectors.hh b/src/selectors.hh
index d5b0523d..717dff93 100644
--- a/src/selectors.hh
+++ b/src/selectors.hh
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-inline void clear_selections(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections)
+inline void clear_selections(SelectionList& selections)
 {
     auto& sel = selections.main();
     auto& pos = sel.cursor();
     sel.anchor() = pos;
     selections.avoid_eol();
 
-    selections = SelectionList{ buffer, std::move(sel) };
+    selections = SelectionList{ selections.buffer(), std::move(sel) };
 }
 
 inline void flip_selections(SelectionList& selections)
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ inline void remove_selection(SelectionList& selections, int index)
     if (selections.size() > 1 and index < selections.size())
     {
         size_t real_index = (index + selections.main_index() + 1) % selections.size();
-        selections.erase(selections.begin() + real_index);
+        selections.remove(real_index);
         size_t main_index = selections.main_index();
         if (real_index <= main_index)
             selections.set_main_index((main_index > 0 ? main_index
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ Selection select_whole_paragraph(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selectio
 Selection select_whole_indent(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection,
                               ObjectFlags flags);
 Selection select_whole_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection);
-void select_whole_buffer(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections);
+void select_whole_buffer(SelectionList& selections);
 Selection trim_partial_lines(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& selection);
 
 enum Direction { Forward, Backward };
@@ -266,10 +266,10 @@ Selection find_next_match(const Buffer& buffer, const Selection& sel, const Rege
     return {begin.coord(), end.coord(), std::move(captures)};
 }
 
-void select_all_matches(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections,
+void select_all_matches(SelectionList& selections,
                         const Regex& regex);
 
-void split_selections(const Buffer& buffer, SelectionList& selections,
+void split_selections(SelectionList& selections,
                       const Regex& separator_regex);
 
 using CodepointPair = std::pair<Codepoint, Codepoint>;