diff --git a/escher/include/escher/text_input.h b/escher/include/escher/text_input.h
index 59c576132..633fcd790 100644
--- a/escher/include/escher/text_input.h
+++ b/escher/include/escher/text_input.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ protected:
     virtual const char * editedText() const = 0;
     virtual size_t editedTextLength() const = 0;
   };
-protected:
+
   /* If the text to be appended is too long to be added without overflowing the
    * buffer, nothing is done (not even adding few letters from the text to reach
    * the maximum buffer capacity) and false is returned. */
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ protected:
     return const_cast<ContentView *>(nonEditableContentView());
   }
   virtual const ContentView * nonEditableContentView() const = 0;
+  bool moveCursorLeft();
+  bool moveCursorRight();
 private:
   virtual void willSetCursorLocation(const char * * location) {}
   virtual bool privateRemoveEndOfLine();
diff --git a/escher/src/text_area.cpp b/escher/src/text_area.cpp
index 34254fb70..2aac54475 100644
--- a/escher/src/text_area.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/text_area.cpp
@@ -99,18 +99,9 @@ bool TextArea::handleEvent(Ion::Events::Event event) {
   } else if (handleBoxEvent(app(), event)) {
     return true;
   } else if (event == Ion::Events::Left) {
-    if (cursorLocation() <= text()) {
-      assert(cursorLocation() == text());
-      return false;
-    }
-    UTF8Decoder decoder(text(), cursorLocation());
-    return setCursorLocation(decoder.previousGlyphPosition());
+    return TextInput::moveCursorLeft();
   } else if (event == Ion::Events::Right) {
-    if (UTF8Helper::CodePointIs(cursorLocation(), UCodePointNull)) {
-      return false;
-    }
-    UTF8Decoder decoder(cursorLocation());
-    return setCursorLocation(decoder.nextGlyphPosition());
+    return TextInput::moveCursorRight();
   } else if (event == Ion::Events::Up) {
     contentView()->moveCursorGeo(0, -1);
   } else if (event == Ion::Events::Down) {
diff --git a/escher/src/text_field.cpp b/escher/src/text_field.cpp
index 122727cee..8d23fcc54 100644
--- a/escher/src/text_field.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/text_field.cpp
@@ -432,23 +432,21 @@ void TextField::scrollToCursor() {
 }
 
 bool TextField::privateHandleMoveEvent(Ion::Events::Event event) {
-  if (event == Ion::Events::Left && isEditing() && cursorLocation() > m_contentView.draftTextBuffer()) {
-    assert(isEditing());
-    UTF8Decoder decoder(m_contentView.draftTextBuffer(), cursorLocation());
-    return setCursorLocation(decoder.previousGlyphPosition());
+  if (!isEditing()) {
+    return false;
   }
-  if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftLeft && isEditing()) {
-    assert(isEditing());
-    return setCursorLocation(m_contentView.draftTextBuffer());
+  const char * draftBuffer = m_contentView.draftTextBuffer();
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Left && cursorLocation() > draftBuffer) {
+    return TextInput::moveCursorLeft();
   }
-  if (event == Ion::Events::Right && isEditing() && cursorLocation() < m_contentView.draftTextBuffer() + draftTextLength()) {
-    assert(isEditing());
-    UTF8Decoder decoder(cursorLocation());
-    return setCursorLocation(decoder.nextGlyphPosition());
+  if (event == Ion::Events::Right && cursorLocation() < draftBuffer + draftTextLength()) {
+    return TextInput::moveCursorRight();
   }
-  if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftRight && isEditing()) {
-    assert(isEditing());
-    return setCursorLocation(m_contentView.draftTextBuffer() + draftTextLength());
+  if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftLeft) {
+    return setCursorLocation(draftBuffer);
+  }
+  if (event == Ion::Events::ShiftRight) {
+    return setCursorLocation(draftBuffer + draftTextLength());
   }
   return false;
 }
diff --git a/escher/src/text_input.cpp b/escher/src/text_input.cpp
index 46fd78484..a5cb7f293 100644
--- a/escher/src/text_input.cpp
+++ b/escher/src/text_input.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,23 @@ bool TextInput::removeEndOfLine() {
   return false;
 }
 
+bool TextInput::moveCursorLeft() {
+  if (cursorLocation() <= text()) {
+    assert(cursorLocation() == text());
+    return false;
+  }
+  UTF8Decoder decoder(text(), cursorLocation());
+  return setCursorLocation(decoder.previousGlyphPosition());
+}
+
+bool TextInput::moveCursorRight() {
+  if (UTF8Helper::CodePointIs(cursorLocation(), UCodePointNull)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  UTF8Decoder decoder(cursorLocation());
+  return setCursorLocation(decoder.nextGlyphPosition());
+}
+
 bool TextInput::privateRemoveEndOfLine() {
   return contentView()->removeEndOfLine();
 }