diff --git a/content/handlers/html/html.c b/content/handlers/html/html.c
index a133d15a9..5b74e42da 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/html.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/html.c
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ html_create_html_data(html_content *c, const http_parameter *params)
 		return NSERROR_NOMEM;
 	}
 
-	selection_prepare(&c->sel, (struct content *)c);
+	c->sel = selection_create((struct content *)c);
 
 	nerror = http_parameter_list_find_item(params, corestring_lwc_charset, &charset);
 	if (nerror == NSERROR_OK) {
@@ -1056,7 +1056,7 @@ static void html_reformat(struct content *c, int width, int height)
 	if (c->height < layout->y + layout->descendant_y1)
 		c->height = layout->y + layout->descendant_y1;
 
-	selection_reinit(&htmlc->sel);
+	selection_reinit(htmlc->sel);
 
 	htmlc->reflowing = false;
 	htmlc->had_initial_layout = true;
@@ -1184,6 +1184,8 @@ static void html_destroy(struct content *c)
 		}
 	}
 
+	selection_destroy(html->sel);
+
 	/* Destroy forms */
 	for (f = html->forms; f != NULL; f = g) {
 		g = f->prev;
@@ -1304,7 +1306,7 @@ html_open(struct content *c,
 	html->drag_owner.no_owner = true;
 
 	/* text selection */
-	selection_init(&html->sel);
+	selection_init(html->sel);
 	html->selection_type = HTML_SELECTION_NONE;
 	html->selection_owner.none = true;
 
@@ -1323,7 +1325,7 @@ static nserror html_close(struct content *c)
 	html_content *htmlc = (html_content *) c;
 	nserror ret = NSERROR_OK;
 
-	selection_clear(&htmlc->sel, false);
+	selection_clear(htmlc->sel, false);
 
 	/* clear the html content reference to the browser window */
 	htmlc->bw = NULL;
@@ -1359,7 +1361,7 @@ static void html_clear_selection(struct content *c)
 		break;
 	case HTML_SELECTION_SELF:
 		assert(html->selection_owner.none == false);
-		selection_clear(&html->sel, true);
+		selection_clear(html->sel, true);
 		break;
 	case HTML_SELECTION_CONTENT:
 		content_clear_selection(html->selection_owner.content->object);
@@ -1388,7 +1390,7 @@ static char *html_get_selection(struct content *c)
 				gadget->data.text.ta);
 	case HTML_SELECTION_SELF:
 		assert(html->selection_owner.none == false);
-		return selection_get_copy(&html->sel);
+		return selection_get_copy(html->sel);
 	case HTML_SELECTION_CONTENT:
 		return content_get_selection(
 				html->selection_owner.content->object);
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/interaction.c b/content/handlers/html/interaction.c
index 79846ae6a..421535c69 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/interaction.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/interaction.c
@@ -401,14 +401,14 @@ mouse_action_drag_selection(html_content *html,
 
 	if (!mouse) {
 		/* End of selection drag */
-		if (selection_dragging_start(&html->sel)) {
+		if (selection_dragging_start(html->sel)) {
 			dir = 1;
 		}
 
 		idx = html_selection_drag_end(html, mouse, x, y, dir);
 
 		if (idx != 0) {
-			selection_track(&html->sel, mouse, idx);
+			selection_track(html->sel, mouse, idx);
 		}
 
 		drag_owner.no_owner = true;
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ mouse_action_drag_selection(html_content *html,
 		return NSERROR_OK;
 	}
 
-	if (selection_dragging_start(&html->sel)) {
+	if (selection_dragging_start(html->sel)) {
 		dir = 1;
 	}
 
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ mouse_action_drag_selection(html_content *html,
 				       &idx,
 				       &pixel_offset);
 
-		selection_track(&html->sel, mouse, box->byte_offset + idx);
+		selection_track(html->sel, mouse, box->byte_offset + idx);
 	}
 	return NSERROR_OK;
 }
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ default_mouse_action(html_content *html,
 					       &idx,
 					       &pixel_offset);
 
-			if (selection_click(&html->sel,
+			if (selection_click(html->sel,
 					    html->bw,
 					    mouse,
 					    mas->text.box->byte_offset + idx)) {
@@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ default_mouse_action(html_content *html,
 				html_drag_type drag_type;
 				union html_drag_owner drag_owner;
 
-				if (selection_dragging(&html->sel)) {
+				if (selection_dragging(html->sel)) {
 					drag_type = HTML_DRAG_SELECTION;
 					drag_owner.no_owner = true;
 					html_set_drag_type(html,
@@ -1244,10 +1244,10 @@ default_mouse_action(html_content *html,
 
 		} else if (mouse & BROWSER_MOUSE_PRESS_1) {
 			sel_owner.none = true;
-			selection_clear(&html->sel, true);
+			selection_clear(html->sel, true);
 		}
 
-		if (selection_active(&html->sel)) {
+		if (selection_active(html->sel)) {
 			sel_owner.none = false;
 			html_set_selection(html,
 					   HTML_SELECTION_SELF,
@@ -1518,7 +1518,7 @@ html_mouse_action(struct content *c,
 bool html_keypress(struct content *c, uint32_t key)
 {
 	html_content *html = (html_content *) c;
-	struct selection *sel = &html->sel;
+	struct selection *sel = html->sel;
 
 	/** \todo
 	 * At the moment, the front end interface for keypress only gives
@@ -1763,7 +1763,7 @@ void html_set_selection(html_content *html, html_selection_type selection_type,
 		case HTML_SELECTION_SELF:
 			if (same_type)
 				break;
-			selection_clear(&html->sel, true);
+			selection_clear(html->sel, true);
 			break;
 		case HTML_SELECTION_TEXTAREA:
 			if (same_type && html->selection_owner.textarea ==
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/private.h b/content/handlers/html/private.h
index 43b0e84f2..2bd9cff9d 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/private.h
+++ b/content/handlers/html/private.h
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@
 
 #include "netsurf/types.h"
 #include "content/content_protected.h"
-#include "desktop/selection.h"
 #include "content/handlers/css/utils.h"
 
 
 struct gui_layout_table;
 struct scrollbar_msg_data;
 struct content_redraw_data;
+struct selection;
 
 typedef enum {
 	HTML_DRAG_NONE,			/** No drag */
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ typedef struct html_content {
 	union html_focus_owner focus_owner;
 
 	/** HTML content's own text selection object */
-	struct selection sel;
+	struct selection *sel;
 
 	/**
 	 * Open core-handled form SELECT menu, or NULL if none
diff --git a/content/handlers/html/redraw.c b/content/handlers/html/redraw.c
index 08a284b57..9807512b9 100644
--- a/content/handlers/html/redraw.c
+++ b/content/handlers/html/redraw.c
@@ -1148,7 +1148,7 @@ static bool html_redraw_text_box(const html_content *html, struct box *box,
 			 scale,
 			 excluded,
 			 (struct content *)html,
-			 &html->sel,
+			 html->sel,
 			 ctx))
 		return false;
 
diff --git a/content/handlers/text/textplain.c b/content/handlers/text/textplain.c
index 8bc05e6d0..c72846998 100644
--- a/content/handlers/text/textplain.c
+++ b/content/handlers/text/textplain.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ typedef struct textplain_content {
 	int formatted_width;
 	struct browser_window *bw;
 
-	struct selection sel;	/** Selection state */
+	struct selection *sel; /** Selection state */
 
 } textplain_content;
 
@@ -168,8 +168,7 @@ textplain_create_internal(textplain_content *c, lwc_string *encoding)
 	c->physical_line_count = 0;
 	c->formatted_width = 0;
 	c->bw = NULL;
-
-	selection_prepare(&c->sel, (struct content *)c);
+	c->sel = selection_create((struct content *)c);
 
 	return NSERROR_OK;
 
@@ -538,6 +537,10 @@ static void textplain_destroy(struct content *c)
 	if (text->utf8_data != NULL) {
 		free(text->utf8_data);
 	}
+
+	if (text->sel != NULL) {
+		selection_destroy(text->sel);
+	}
 }
 
 
@@ -707,9 +710,9 @@ textplain_mouse_action(struct content *c,
 	browser_window_set_drag_type(bw, DRAGGING_NONE, NULL);
 
 	idx = textplain_offset_from_coords(c, x, y, dir);
-	if (selection_click(&text->sel, text->bw, mouse, idx)) {
+	if (selection_click(text->sel, text->bw, mouse, idx)) {
 
-		if (selection_dragging(&text->sel)) {
+		if (selection_dragging(text->sel)) {
 			browser_window_set_drag_type(bw,
 						     DRAGGING_SELECTION, NULL);
 			status = messages_get("Selecting");
@@ -753,11 +756,11 @@ textplain_mouse_track(struct content *c,
 		int dir = -1;
 		size_t idx;
 
-		if (selection_dragging_start(&text->sel))
+		if (selection_dragging_start(text->sel))
 			dir = 1;
 
 		idx = textplain_offset_from_coords(c, x, y, dir);
-		selection_track(&text->sel, mouse, idx);
+		selection_track(text->sel, mouse, idx);
 
 		browser_window_set_drag_type(bw, DRAGGING_NONE, NULL);
 	}
@@ -768,10 +771,10 @@ textplain_mouse_track(struct content *c,
 		int dir = -1;
 		size_t idx;
 
-		if (selection_dragging_start(&text->sel)) dir = 1;
+		if (selection_dragging_start(text->sel)) dir = 1;
 
 		idx = textplain_offset_from_coords(c, x, y, dir);
-		selection_track(&text->sel, mouse, idx);
+		selection_track(text->sel, mouse, idx);
 	}
 		break;
 
@@ -794,7 +797,7 @@ textplain_mouse_track(struct content *c,
 static bool textplain_keypress(struct content *c, uint32_t key)
 {
 	textplain_content *text = (textplain_content *) c;
-	struct selection *sel = &text->sel;
+	struct selection *sel = text->sel;
 
 	switch (key) {
 	case NS_KEY_COPY_SELECTION:
@@ -1129,7 +1132,7 @@ textplain_redraw(struct content *c,
 				       line_height,
 				       data->scale,
 				       text,
-				       &text->sel,
+				       text->sel,
 				       ctx)) {
 				return false;
 			}
@@ -1156,7 +1159,7 @@ textplain_redraw(struct content *c,
 
 			if (bw) {
 				unsigned tab_ofst = line[lineno].start + next_offset;
-				struct selection *sel = &text->sel;
+				struct selection *sel = text->sel;
 				bool highlighted = false;
 
 				unsigned start_idx, end_idx;
@@ -1220,7 +1223,7 @@ textplain_open(struct content *c,
 	text->bw = bw;
 
 	/* text selection */
-	selection_init(&text->sel);
+	selection_init(text->sel);
 
 	return NSERROR_OK;
 }
@@ -1246,7 +1249,7 @@ static char *textplain_get_selection(struct content *c)
 {
 	textplain_content *text = (textplain_content *) c;
 
-	return selection_get_copy(&text->sel);
+	return selection_get_copy(text->sel);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/content/textsearch.c b/content/textsearch.c
index 18f9073dc..802832089 100644
--- a/content/textsearch.c
+++ b/content/textsearch.c
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ static void search_show_all(bool all, struct textsearch_context *context)
 
 			a->sel = selection_create(context->c);
 			if (a->sel != NULL) {
+				selection_init(a->sel);
 				selection_set_position(a->sel,
 						       a->start_idx,
 						       a->end_idx);
diff --git a/desktop/selection.c b/desktop/selection.c
index 06cfdae8f..4d3d335ef 100644
--- a/desktop/selection.c
+++ b/desktop/selection.c
@@ -45,6 +45,26 @@ struct selection_string {
 };
 
 
+typedef enum {
+	DRAG_NONE,
+	DRAG_START,
+	DRAG_END
+} seln_drag_state;
+
+struct selection {
+	struct content *c;
+	struct box *root;
+
+	unsigned max_idx;  /* total bytes in text representation */
+
+	unsigned start_idx;  /* offset in bytes within text representation */
+	unsigned end_idx;
+
+	bool defined;
+
+	seln_drag_state drag_state;
+};
+
 /**
  * Redraws the given range of text.
  *
@@ -236,7 +256,6 @@ struct selection *selection_create(struct content *c)
 	sel = calloc(1, sizeof(struct selection));
 	if (sel) {
 		selection_prepare(sel, c);
-		selection_init(sel);
 	}
 
 	return sel;
diff --git a/desktop/selection.h b/desktop/selection.h
index 86ff395a1..1b8d91c08 100644
--- a/desktop/selection.h
+++ b/desktop/selection.h
@@ -30,26 +30,8 @@ struct box;
 struct browser_window;
 struct plot_font_style;
 struct selection_string;
-
-typedef enum {
-	DRAG_NONE,
-	DRAG_START,
-	DRAG_END
-} seln_drag_state;
-
-struct selection {
-	struct content *c;
-	struct box *root;
-
-	unsigned max_idx;  /* total bytes in text representation */
-
-	unsigned start_idx;  /* offset in bytes within text representation */
-	unsigned end_idx;
-
-	bool defined;
-
-	seln_drag_state drag_state;
-};
+struct selection;
+struct content;
 
 /**
  * determine if a selecion is active