diff --git a/src/core/PieceTable.cc b/src/core/PieceTable.cc
index 9a36aa9..68b3108 100644
--- a/src/core/PieceTable.cc
+++ b/src/core/PieceTable.cc
@@ -426,15 +426,21 @@ void PieceTable::begin_insert(const Cursor & cursor, bool before)
     {
         offset += cursor.iterator.num_bytes_in_code_point();
     }
+    Change * change = add_change();
+    m_inserting_piece = add_piece();
+    m_inserting_piece->start = &m_append_buffer[m_append_buffer_index];
+    m_inserting_piece->length = 0u;
     if (offset == 0u)
     {
         /* Insert happens at piece boundary between piece->prev and piece. */
-        m_insert_before_piece = piece->prev;
+        change->before = piece->prev;
+        change->after = piece;
     }
     else if (offset >= piece->length)
     {
         /* Insert happens at piece boundary between piece and piece->next. */
-        m_insert_before_piece = piece;
+        change->before = piece;
+        change->after = piece->next;
     }
     else
     {
@@ -453,50 +459,42 @@ void PieceTable::begin_insert(const Cursor & cursor, bool before)
         new_piece_2->prev = new_piece_1;
         new_piece_2->next = piece->next;
 
-        Change * change = add_change();
-        change->before = piece->prev;
-        change->after = piece->next;
-        change->chains[0][0] = piece;
-        change->chains[0][1] = nullptr;
-        change->chains[1][0] = new_piece_1;
-        change->chains[1][1] = new_piece_2;
+        Change * change2 = add_change();
+        change2->before = piece->prev;
+        change2->after = piece->next;
+        change2->chains[0][0] = piece;
+        change2->chains[0][1] = nullptr;
+        change2->chains[1][0] = new_piece_1;
+        change2->chains[1][1] = new_piece_2;
 
-        apply_change(change, 1u);
+        apply_change(change2, 1u);
 
-        m_insert_before_piece = new_piece_1;
+        change->before = new_piece_1;
+        change->after = new_piece_2;
     }
 
-    m_inserting_piece = nullptr;
+    change->chains[0][0] = nullptr;
+    change->chains[0][1] = nullptr;
+    change->chains[1][0] = m_inserting_piece;
+    change->chains[1][1] = nullptr;
+
+    apply_change(change, 1u);
 }
 
 void PieceTable::insert_code_point(uint32_t code_point)
 {
-    if (m_inserting_piece == nullptr)
+    if (in_insert_mode())
     {
-        m_inserting_piece = add_piece();
-        m_inserting_piece->start = &m_append_buffer[m_append_buffer_index];
-        m_inserting_piece->length = 0u;
-        m_inserting_piece->prev = m_insert_before_piece;
-        m_inserting_piece->next = m_insert_before_piece->next;
-
-        Change * change = add_change();
-        change->before = m_insert_before_piece;
-        change->after = m_insert_before_piece->next;
-        change->chains[0][0] = nullptr;
-        change->chains[0][1] = nullptr;
-        change->chains[1][0] = m_inserting_piece;
-        change->chains[1][1] = nullptr;
-
-        apply_change(change, 1u);
+        /* TODO: worry about append buffer page boundaries */
+        uint8_t bytes = Encoding::encode(code_point, encoding, &m_append_buffer[m_append_buffer_index]);
+        m_inserting_piece->length += bytes;
+        m_append_buffer_index += bytes;
     }
-
-    uint8_t bytes = Encoding::encode(code_point, encoding, &m_append_buffer[m_append_buffer_index]);
-    m_inserting_piece->length += bytes;
-    m_append_buffer_index += bytes;
 }
 
 void PieceTable::end_insert()
 {
+    m_inserting_piece = nullptr;
 }
 
 void PieceTable::insertion_test(Cursor & c)
diff --git a/src/core/PieceTable.h b/src/core/PieceTable.h
index 4c545a3..e343049 100644
--- a/src/core/PieceTable.h
+++ b/src/core/PieceTable.h
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ public:
 
     void undo();
 
+    bool in_insert_mode() { return m_inserting_piece != nullptr; }
+
 protected:
     Piece * add_piece()
     {
@@ -199,7 +201,6 @@ protected:
     uint32_t m_piece_index;
     PagedBuffer<Change> m_changes;
     uint32_t m_changes_index;
-    Piece * m_insert_before_piece;
     Piece * m_inserting_piece;
 
     std::list<std::shared_ptr<Cursor>> m_cursors;