diff --git a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
index b6c36a875..11bb7d71c 100644
--- a/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/atom/editor-spec.coffee
@@ -280,18 +280,24 @@ describe "Editor", ->
         editor.trigger keydownEvent('down')
         expect(selection.isEmpty()).toBeTruthy()
 
-
   describe "when text input events are triggered on the hidden input element", ->
-    it "inserts the typed character at the cursor position, both in the buffer and the pre element", ->
-      editor.setCursorPosition(row: 1, column: 6)
+    describe "when there is no selection", ->
+      it "inserts the typed character at the cursor position, both in the buffer and the pre element", ->
+        editor.setCursorPosition(row: 1, column: 6)
 
-      expect(editor.getCurrentLine().charAt(6)).not.toBe 'q'
+        expect(editor.getCurrentLine().charAt(6)).not.toBe 'q'
 
-      editor.hiddenInput.textInput 'q'
+        editor.hiddenInput.textInput 'q'
 
-      expect(editor.getCurrentLine().charAt(6)).toBe 'q'
-      expect(editor.getCursorPosition()).toEqual(row: 1, column: 7)
-      expect(editor.lines.find('pre:eq(1)')).toHaveText editor.getCurrentLine()
+        expect(editor.getCurrentLine().charAt(6)).toBe 'q'
+        expect(editor.getCursorPosition()).toEqual(row: 1, column: 7)
+        expect(editor.lines.find('pre:eq(1)')).toHaveText editor.getCurrentLine()
+
+    fdescribe "when there is a selection", ->
+      it "replaces the selected text with the typed text", ->
+        editor.selection.setRange(new Range([1, 6], [2, 4]))
+        editor.hiddenInput.textInput 'q'
+        expect(buffer.getLine(1)).toBe '  var qif (items.length <= 1) return items;'
 
   describe "when return is pressed", ->
     describe "when the cursor is at the beginning of a line", ->
@@ -361,4 +367,9 @@ describe "Editor", ->
         editor.setCursorPosition(row: 0, column: 0)
         editor.trigger keydownEvent('backspace')
 
+    fdescribe "when there is a selection", ->
+      it "deletes the selection, but not the character before it", ->
+        editor.selection.setRange(new Range([0,5], [0,9]))
+        editor.trigger keydownEvent('backspace')
+        expect(editor.buffer.getLine(0)).toBe 'var qsort = function () {'
 
diff --git a/src/atom/point.coffee b/src/atom/point.coffee
index 0c98d0724..8e1076f9a 100644
--- a/src/atom/point.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/point.coffee
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ class Point
     if object instanceof Point
       object
     else
-      { row, column } = object
+      if object instanceof Array
+        [row, column] = object
+      else
+        { row, column } = object
+
       new Point(row, column)
 
   constructor: (@row, @column) ->
diff --git a/src/atom/selection.coffee b/src/atom/selection.coffee
index 10d9984c3..897c180e3 100644
--- a/src/atom/selection.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/selection.coffee
@@ -87,12 +87,13 @@ class Selection extends Template
     backspace: ->
       range = @getRange()
 
-      if range.start.column == 0
-        return if range.start.row == 0
-        range.start.column = @editor.buffer.lines[range.start.row - 1].length
-        range.start.row--
-      else
-        range.start.column--
+      if range.isEmpty()
+        if range.start.column == 0
+          return if range.start.row == 0
+          range.start.column = @editor.buffer.lines[range.start.row - 1].length
+          range.start.row--
+        else
+          range.start.column--
 
       @editor.buffer.change(range, '')