diff --git a/cmd/micro/buffer.go b/cmd/micro/buffer.go
index fbcb602a..0357db52 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/buffer.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/buffer.go
@@ -155,11 +155,7 @@ func (b *Buffer) ReOpen() {
 		messenger.Error(err.Error())
 		return
 	}
-	if txt == "" {
-		b.r = new(rope.Rope)
-	} else {
-		b.r = rope.New(txt)
-	}
+	b.EventHandler.ApplyDiff(txt)
 
 	b.ModTime, _ = GetModTime(b.Path)
 	b.IsModified = false
diff --git a/cmd/micro/eventhandler.go b/cmd/micro/eventhandler.go
index 2c0e6482..84f7465c 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/eventhandler.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/eventhandler.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"time"
+
+	dmp "github.com/sergi/go-diff/diffmatchpatch"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -55,6 +57,25 @@ func NewEventHandler(buf *Buffer) *EventHandler {
 	return eh
 }
 
+// ApplyDiff takes a string and runs the necessary insertion and deletion events to make
+// the buffer equal to that string
+// This means that we can transform the buffer into any string and still preserve undo/redo
+// through insert and delete events
+func (eh *EventHandler) ApplyDiff(new string) {
+	messenger.Message("Applying diff")
+	differ := dmp.New()
+	diff := differ.DiffMain(eh.buf.String(), new, false)
+	var charNum int
+	for _, d := range diff {
+		if d.Type == dmp.DiffInsert {
+			eh.Insert(charNum, d.Text)
+		} else if d.Type == dmp.DiffDelete {
+			eh.Remove(charNum, charNum+Count(d.Text))
+		}
+		charNum += Count(d.Text)
+	}
+}
+
 // Insert creates an insert text event and executes it
 func (eh *EventHandler) Insert(start int, text string) {
 	e := &TextEvent{