diff --git a/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/commands/ReplaceCommand.java b/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/commands/ReplaceCommand.java
index 3ba000e68..d2865d617 100644
--- a/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/commands/ReplaceCommand.java
+++ b/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/commands/ReplaceCommand.java
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.utils.Function;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.utils.LineInformation;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.utils.StringUtils;
+import net.sourceforge.vrapper.utils.TextRange;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.utils.VimUtils;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.EditorAdaptor;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.Options;
+import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.modes.NormalMode;
 
 /**
  * Replaces the character at the current position with another one.
@@ -38,6 +40,46 @@ protected int execute(TextContent c, int offset, int count) {
     }
 
     abstract int replace(TextContent c, int offset, int count, int targetOffset);
+    
+    public static class Visual extends ReplaceCommand {
+        private final char replaceChar;
+        private int selectionOffset;
+        private String selectionText;
+
+        public Visual(char replacement) {
+            super();
+            this.replaceChar = replacement;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void execute(EditorAdaptor editorAdaptor)
+                throws CommandExecutionException {
+        	//grab current selection
+        	TextRange selectionRange = editorAdaptor.getSelection().getRegion(editorAdaptor, 0);
+        	selectionOffset = selectionRange.getLeftBound().getViewOffset();
+        	selectionText = editorAdaptor.getViewContent().getText(selectionRange);
+        	replace(editorAdaptor.getModelContent(), selectionOffset, 1, selectionOffset);
+            editorAdaptor.changeMode(NormalMode.NAME);
+        }
+
+		@Override
+        protected int replace(TextContent c, int offset, int count, int targetOffset) {
+        	String s = "";
+        	for(int i=0; i < selectionText.length(); i++) {
+        		//replace every character *except* newlines
+        		s += VimUtils.isNewLine(""+selectionText.charAt(i)) ? selectionText.charAt(i) : replaceChar;
+        	}
+            c.replace(selectionOffset, selectionText.length(), s);
+            return selectionOffset;
+        }
+        
+        public static final Function<Command, KeyStroke> VISUAL_KEYSTROKE = new Function<Command, KeyStroke>() {
+        	public Command call(KeyStroke arg) {
+        		return new Visual(arg.getCharacter());
+        	}
+        };
+    
+    }
 
     private static class Character extends ReplaceCommand {
 
diff --git a/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/modes/AbstractVisualMode.java b/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/modes/AbstractVisualMode.java
index ac3c9d42a..3c149aeb3 100644
--- a/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/modes/AbstractVisualMode.java
+++ b/net.sourceforge.vrapper.core/src/net/sourceforge/vrapper/vim/modes/AbstractVisualMode.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.modes;
 
 import static net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.StateUtils.union;
+import static net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.ConstructorWrappers.changeCaret;
 import static net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.ConstructorWrappers.convertKeyStroke;
 import static net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.ConstructorWrappers.leafBind;
 import static net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.ConstructorWrappers.leafCtrlBind;
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.RegisterState;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.VisualMotionState;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.keymap.vim.VisualTextObjectState;
+import net.sourceforge.vrapper.utils.CaretType;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.EditorAdaptor;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.VimConstants;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.CenterLineCommand;
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.JoinVisualLinesCommand;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.LeaveVisualModeCommand;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.PasteOperation;
+import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.ReplaceCommand;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.Selection;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.SelectionBasedTextOperationCommand;
 import net.sourceforge.vrapper.vim.commands.SetMarkCommand;
@@ -51,7 +54,8 @@ public AbstractVisualMode(EditorAdaptor editorAdaptor) {
     protected KeyMapResolver buildKeyMapResolver() {
         State<String> state = union(
                 state(
-                    leafBind('z', KeyMapResolver.NO_KEYMAP)),
+                    leafBind('z', KeyMapResolver.NO_KEYMAP),
+                    leafBind('r', KeyMapResolver.NO_KEYMAP)),
                 getKeyMapsForMotions(),
                 editorAdaptor.getPlatformSpecificStateProvider().getKeyMaps(VisualMode.NAME));
         final State<String> countEater = new CountConsumingState<String>(state);
@@ -146,6 +150,10 @@ protected State<Command> buildInitialState() {
                         leafBind('t', centerTopLine),
                         leafBind(SpecialKey.RETURN, centerTopLine)
                 ),
+                transitionBind('r', changeCaret(CaretType.UNDERLINE),
+                        convertKeyStroke(
+                                ReplaceCommand.Visual.VISUAL_KEYSTROKE,
+                                VimConstants.PRINTABLE_KEYSTROKES_WITH_NL)),
                 transitionBind('m',
                         convertKeyStroke(
                                 SetMarkCommand.KEYSTROKE_CONVERTER,