diff --git a/helix-core/src/selection.rs b/helix-core/src/selection.rs
index 83bab5e3020f0..b70d9ee6402af 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/selection.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/selection.rs
@@ -222,9 +222,12 @@ impl Range {
 
     // groupAt
 
+    /// This returns a RopeSlice since returning a string might imply copying
+    /// the entire content within the range. If you really need the text in a
+    /// continuous slice, you can call Cow::<str>.from(...).
     #[inline]
-    pub fn fragment<'a, 'b: 'a>(&'a self, text: RopeSlice<'b>) -> Cow<'b, str> {
-        text.slice(self.from()..self.to()).into()
+    pub fn fragment<'a, 'b: 'a>(&'a self, text: RopeSlice<'b>) -> RopeSlice<'b> {
+        text.slice(self.from()..self.to())
     }
 
     //--------------------------------
@@ -544,7 +547,7 @@ impl Selection {
         self.transform(|range| Range::point(range.cursor(text)))
     }
 
-    pub fn fragments<'a>(&'a self, text: RopeSlice<'a>) -> impl Iterator<Item = Cow<str>> + 'a {
+    pub fn fragments<'a>(&'a self, text: RopeSlice<'a>) -> impl Iterator<Item = RopeSlice> + 'a {
         self.ranges.iter().map(move |range| range.fragment(text))
     }
 
@@ -611,7 +614,7 @@ pub fn keep_or_remove_matches(
 ) -> Option<Selection> {
     let result: SmallVec<_> = selection
         .iter()
-        .filter(|range| regex.is_match(&range.fragment(text)) ^ remove)
+        .filter(|range| regex.is_match(&Cow::from(range.fragment(text))) ^ remove)
         .copied()
         .collect();
 
@@ -636,7 +639,7 @@ pub fn select_on_matches(
         let sel_start = sel.from();
         let start_byte = text.char_to_byte(sel_start);
 
-        for mat in regex.find_iter(&fragment) {
+        for mat in regex.find_iter(&Cow::from(fragment)) {
             // TODO: retain range direction
 
             let start = text.byte_to_char(start_byte + mat.start());
@@ -678,7 +681,7 @@ pub fn split_on_matches(
 
         let mut start = sel_start;
 
-        for mat in regex.find_iter(&fragment) {
+        for mat in regex.find_iter(&Cow::from(fragment)) {
             // TODO: retain range direction
             let end = text.byte_to_char(start_byte + mat.start());
             result.push(Range::new(start, end));
@@ -1024,7 +1027,10 @@ mod test {
         );
 
         assert_eq!(
-            result.fragments(text.slice(..)).collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+            result
+                .fragments(text.slice(..))
+                .map(Cow::from)
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
             &["", "abcd", "efg", "rs", "xyz"]
         );
     }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 3ee75f6a392f2..9d224f839ae62 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -1287,7 +1287,7 @@ fn replace(cx: &mut Context) {
 
 fn switch_case_impl<F>(cx: &mut Context, change_fn: F)
 where
-    F: Fn(Cow<str>) -> Tendril,
+    F: Fn(RopeSlice) -> Tendril,
 {
     let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
     let selection = doc.selection(view.id);
@@ -1318,11 +1318,15 @@ fn switch_case(cx: &mut Context) {
 }
 
 fn switch_to_uppercase(cx: &mut Context) {
-    switch_case_impl(cx, |string| string.to_uppercase().into());
+    switch_case_impl(cx, |string| {
+        string.chunks().map(|chunk| chunk.to_uppercase()).collect()
+    });
 }
 
 fn switch_to_lowercase(cx: &mut Context) {
-    switch_case_impl(cx, |string| string.to_lowercase().into());
+    switch_case_impl(cx, |string| {
+        string.chunks().map(|chunk| chunk.to_lowercase()).collect()
+    });
 }
 
 pub fn scroll(cx: &mut Context, offset: usize, direction: Direction) {
@@ -1748,7 +1752,7 @@ fn search_selection(cx: &mut Context) {
     let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
     let contents = doc.text().slice(..);
     let query = doc.selection(view.id).primary().fragment(contents);
-    let regex = regex::escape(&query);
+    let regex = regex::escape(&Cow::from(query));
     cx.editor.registers.get_mut('/').push(regex);
     let msg = format!("register '{}' set to '{}'", '/', query);
     cx.editor.set_status(msg);
@@ -2044,7 +2048,7 @@ fn delete_selection_impl(cx: &mut Context, op: Operation) {
 
     if cx.register != Some('_') {
         // first yank the selection
-        let values: Vec<String> = selection.fragments(text).map(Cow::into_owned).collect();
+        let values: Vec<String> = selection.fragments(text).map(String::from).collect();
         let reg_name = cx.register.unwrap_or('"');
         let registers = &mut cx.editor.registers;
         let reg = registers.get_mut(reg_name);
@@ -3152,7 +3156,7 @@ fn yank(cx: &mut Context) {
     let values: Vec<String> = doc
         .selection(view.id)
         .fragments(text)
-        .map(Cow::into_owned)
+        .map(String::from)
         .collect();
 
     let msg = format!(
@@ -3180,7 +3184,7 @@ fn yank_joined_to_clipboard_impl(
     let values: Vec<String> = doc
         .selection(view.id)
         .fragments(text)
-        .map(Cow::into_owned)
+        .map(String::from)
         .collect();
 
     let msg = format!(
@@ -3218,7 +3222,7 @@ fn yank_main_selection_to_clipboard_impl(
 
     if let Err(e) = editor
         .clipboard_provider
-        .set_contents(value.into_owned(), clipboard_type)
+        .set_contents(String::from(value), clipboard_type)
     {
         bail!("Couldn't set system clipboard content: {}", e);
     }
@@ -3789,7 +3793,7 @@ fn rotate_selection_contents(cx: &mut Context, direction: Direction) {
     let selection = doc.selection(view.id);
     let mut fragments: Vec<_> = selection
         .fragments(text)
-        .map(|fragment| Tendril::from(fragment.as_ref()))
+        .map(|fragment| fragment.chunks().collect())
         .collect();
 
     let group = count
@@ -4398,13 +4402,14 @@ fn shell_keep_pipe(cx: &mut Context) {
 
             for (i, range) in selection.ranges().iter().enumerate() {
                 let fragment = range.fragment(text);
-                let (_output, success) = match shell_impl(shell, input, Some(fragment.as_bytes())) {
-                    Ok(result) => result,
-                    Err(err) => {
-                        cx.editor.set_error(err.to_string());
-                        return;
-                    }
-                };
+                let (_output, success) =
+                    match shell_impl(shell, input, Some(fragment.chunks().map(str::as_bytes))) {
+                        Ok(result) => result,
+                        Err(err) => {
+                            cx.editor.set_error(err.to_string());
+                            return;
+                        }
+                    };
 
                 // if the process exits successfully, keep the selection
                 if success {
@@ -4426,11 +4431,14 @@ fn shell_keep_pipe(cx: &mut Context) {
     );
 }
 
-fn shell_impl(
+fn shell_impl<'a, I>(
     shell: &[String],
     cmd: &str,
-    input: Option<&[u8]>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<(Tendril, bool)> {
+    input: Option<I>,
+) -> anyhow::Result<(Tendril, bool)>
+where
+    I: Iterator<Item = &'a [u8]>,
+{
     use std::io::Write;
     use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
     ensure!(!shell.is_empty(), "No shell set");
@@ -4451,7 +4459,9 @@ fn shell_impl(
     };
     if let Some(input) = input {
         let mut stdin = process.stdin.take().unwrap();
-        stdin.write_all(input)?;
+        for chunk in input {
+            stdin.write_all(chunk)?;
+        }
     }
     let output = process.wait_with_output()?;
 
@@ -4481,7 +4491,11 @@ fn shell(cx: &mut compositor::Context, cmd: &str, behavior: &ShellBehavior) {
 
     for range in selection.ranges() {
         let fragment = range.fragment(text);
-        let (output, success) = match shell_impl(shell, cmd, pipe.then(|| fragment.as_bytes())) {
+        let (output, success) = match shell_impl(
+            shell,
+            cmd,
+            pipe.then(|| fragment.chunks().map(str::as_bytes)),
+        ) {
             Ok(result) => result,
             Err(err) => {
                 cx.editor.set_error(err.to_string());
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
index d6db117e67e4e..254760cb4392a 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands/typed.rs
@@ -1292,7 +1292,7 @@ fn sort_impl(
 
     let mut fragments: Vec<_> = selection
         .fragments(text)
-        .map(|fragment| Tendril::from(fragment.as_ref()))
+        .map(|fragment| fragment.chunks().collect())
         .collect();
 
     fragments.sort_by(match reverse {
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@ fn reflow(
     let selection = doc.selection(view.id);
     let transaction = Transaction::change_by_selection(rope, selection, |range| {
         let fragment = range.fragment(rope.slice(..));
-        let reflowed_text = helix_core::wrap::reflow_hard_wrap(&fragment, max_line_len);
+        let reflowed_text = helix_core::wrap::reflow_hard_wrap(&Cow::from(fragment), max_line_len);
 
         (range.from(), range.to(), Some(reflowed_text))
     });
@@ -1485,7 +1485,7 @@ fn run_shell_command(
     }
 
     let shell = &cx.editor.config().shell;
-    let (output, success) = shell_impl(shell, &args.join(" "), None)?;
+    let (output, success) = shell_impl::<std::iter::Empty<_>>(shell, &args.join(" "), None)?;
     if success {
         cx.editor.set_status("Command succeed");
     } else {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
index 6ed9799b4ae39..4c26e14e2d404 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use helix_core::{
     },
     movement::Direction,
     syntax::{self, HighlightEvent},
-    unicode::width::UnicodeWidthStr,
+    unicode::width::{UnicodeWidthChar, UnicodeWidthStr},
     LineEnding, Position, Range, Selection, Transaction,
 };
 use helix_view::{
@@ -1030,8 +1030,10 @@ impl EditorView {
                     .selection(view.id)
                     .primary()
                     .fragment(doc.text().slice(..))
-                    .width()
-                    <= 1
+                    .chars()
+                    .map(|c| c.width().unwrap_or(0))
+                    .try_fold(0, |acc, w| if acc + w <= 1 { Some(acc + w) } else { None })
+                    .is_some()
                 {
                     return EventResult::Ignored(None);
                 }