diff --git a/src/Buffer.test.ts b/src/Buffer.test.ts
index 82aa0224..085f3d99 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.test.ts
+++ b/src/Buffer.test.ts
@@ -269,4 +269,81 @@ describe('Buffer', () => {
       assert.equal(buffer.markers.length, 0);
     });
   });
+
+  describe ('translateBufferLineToString', () => {
+    it('should handle selecting a section of ascii text', () => {
+      buffer.lines.set(0, [
+        [ null, 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)],
+        [ null, 'b', 1, 'b'.charCodeAt(0)],
+        [ null, 'c', 1, 'c'.charCodeAt(0)],
+        [ null, 'd', 1, 'd'.charCodeAt(0)]
+      ]);
+
+      const str = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 2);
+      assert.equal(str, 'ab');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle a cut-off double width character by including it', () => {
+      buffer.lines.set(0, [
+        [ null, '語', 2, 35486 ],
+        [ null, '', 0, null],
+        [ null, 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]
+      ]);
+
+      const str1 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 1);
+      assert.equal(str1, '語');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle a zero width character in the middle of the string by not including it', () => {
+      buffer.lines.set(0, [
+        [ null, '語', 2, '語'.charCodeAt(0) ],
+        [ null, '', 0, null],
+        [ null, 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]
+      ]);
+
+      const str0 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 1);
+      assert.equal(str0, '語');
+
+      const str1 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 2);
+      assert.equal(str1, '語');
+
+      const str2 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 3);
+      assert.equal(str2, '語a');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle single width emojis', () => {
+      buffer.lines.set(0, [
+        [ null, '😁', 1, '😁'.charCodeAt(0) ],
+        [ null, 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]
+      ]);
+
+      const str1 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 1);
+      assert.equal(str1, '😁');
+
+      const str2 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 2);
+      assert.equal(str2, '😁a');
+    });
+
+    it('should handle double width emojis', () => {
+      buffer.lines.set(0, [
+        [ null, '😁', 2, '😁'.charCodeAt(0) ],
+        [ null, '', 0, null]
+      ]);
+
+      const str1 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 1);
+      assert.equal(str1, '😁');
+
+      const str2 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 2);
+      assert.equal(str2, '😁');
+
+      buffer.lines.set(0, [
+        [ null, '😁', 2, '😁'.charCodeAt(0) ],
+        [ null, '', 0, null],
+        [ null, 'a', 1, 'a'.charCodeAt(0)]
+      ]);
+
+      const str3 = buffer.translateBufferLineToString(0, true, 0, 3);
+      assert.equal(str3, '😁a');
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/Buffer.ts b/src/Buffer.ts
index 5ac2a4f2..3b48e8a6 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.ts
+++ b/src/Buffer.ts
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ export class Buffer implements IBuffer {
         if (startCol >= i) {
           startIndex--;
         }
-        if (endCol >= i) {
+        if (endCol > i) {
           endIndex--;
         }
       } else {
diff --git a/src/SelectionManager.test.ts b/src/SelectionManager.test.ts
index 8e89ea3f..70d3fc1b 100644
--- a/src/SelectionManager.test.ts
+++ b/src/SelectionManager.test.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import { assert } from 'chai';
 import { CharMeasure } from './utils/CharMeasure';
-import { SelectionManager } from './SelectionManager';
+import { SelectionManager, SelectionMode } from './SelectionManager';
 import { SelectionModel } from './SelectionModel';
 import { BufferSet } from './BufferSet';
 import { LineData, CharData, ITerminal, IBuffer } from './Types';
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ class TestSelectionManager extends SelectionManager {
 
   public get model(): SelectionModel { return this._model; }
 
+  public set selectionMode(mode: SelectionMode) { this._activeSelectionMode = mode; }
+
   public selectLineAt(line: number): void { this._selectLineAt(line); }
   public selectWordAt(coords: [number, number]): void { this._selectWordAt(coords, true); }
 
@@ -378,4 +380,61 @@ describe('SelectionManager', () => {
       assert.equal(selectionManager.hasSelection, true);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('column selection', () => {
+    it('should select a column of text', () => {
+      buffer.lines.length = 3;
+      buffer.lines.set(0, stringToRow('abcdefghij'));
+      buffer.lines.set(1, stringToRow('klmnopqrst'));
+      buffer.lines.set(2, stringToRow('uvwxyz'));
+
+      selectionManager.selectionMode = SelectionMode.COLUMN;
+      selectionManager.model.selectionStart = [2, 0];
+      selectionManager.model.selectionEnd = [4, 2];
+
+      assert.equal(selectionManager.selectionText, 'cd\nmn\nwx');
+    });
+
+    it('should select a column of text without chopping up double width characters', () => {
+      buffer.lines.length = 3;
+      buffer.lines.set(0, stringToRow('a'));
+      buffer.lines.set(1, stringToRow('語'));
+      buffer.lines.set(2, stringToRow('b'));
+
+      selectionManager.selectionMode = SelectionMode.COLUMN;
+      selectionManager.model.selectionStart = [0, 0];
+      selectionManager.model.selectionEnd = [1, 2];
+
+      assert.equal(selectionManager.selectionText, 'a\n語\nb');
+    });
+
+    it('should select a column of text with single character emojis', () => {
+      buffer.lines.length = 3;
+      buffer.lines.set(0, stringToRow('a'));
+      buffer.lines.set(1, stringToRow('☃'));
+      buffer.lines.set(2, stringToRow('c'));
+
+      selectionManager.selectionMode = SelectionMode.COLUMN;
+      selectionManager.model.selectionStart = [0, 0];
+      selectionManager.model.selectionEnd = [1, 2];
+
+      assert.equal(selectionManager.selectionText, 'a\n☃\nc');
+    });
+
+    it('should select a column of text with double character emojis', () => {
+      // TODO the case this is testing works for me in the demo webapp,
+      // but doing it programmatically fails.
+      buffer.lines.length = 3;
+      buffer.lines.set(0, stringToRow('a'));
+      buffer.lines.set(1, stringToRow('😁'));
+      buffer.lines.set(2, stringToRow('c'));
+
+      selectionManager.selectionMode = SelectionMode.COLUMN;
+      selectionManager.model.selectionStart = [0, 0];
+      selectionManager.model.selectionEnd = [1, 2];
+
+      assert.equal(selectionManager.selectionText, 'a\n😁\nc');
+    });
+  });
 });
+
diff --git a/src/SelectionManager.ts b/src/SelectionManager.ts
index 1b056e83..4f86c6de 100644
--- a/src/SelectionManager.ts
+++ b/src/SelectionManager.ts
@@ -54,10 +54,11 @@ interface IWordPosition {
 /**
  * A selection mode, this drives how the selection behaves on mouse move.
  */
-const enum SelectionMode {
+export const enum SelectionMode {
   NORMAL,
   WORD,
-  LINE
+  LINE,
+  COLUMN
 }
 
 /**
@@ -80,7 +81,12 @@ export class SelectionManager extends EventEmitter implements ISelectionManager
   /**
    * The current selection mode.
    */
-  private _activeSelectionMode: SelectionMode;
+  protected _activeSelectionMode: SelectionMode;
+
+  /**
+   * The modifier keys required to trigger block select mode with left click + drag
+   */
+  private _columnSelectRequiredModifiers: string[];
 
   /**
    * A setInterval timer that is active while the mouse is down whose callback
@@ -114,6 +120,7 @@ export class SelectionManager extends EventEmitter implements ISelectionManager
 
     this._model = new SelectionModel(_terminal);
     this._activeSelectionMode = SelectionMode.NORMAL;
+    this._columnSelectRequiredModifiers = this._initColumnSelectModifierKeys();
   }
 
   private get _buffer(): IBuffer {
@@ -177,30 +184,41 @@ export class SelectionManager extends EventEmitter implements ISelectionManager
       return '';
     }
 
-    // Get first row
-    const startRowEndCol = start[1] === end[1] ? end[0] : null;
     const result: string[] = [];
-    result.push(this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(start[1], true, start[0], startRowEndCol));
 
-    // Get middle rows
-    for (let i = start[1] + 1; i <= end[1] - 1; i++) {
-      const bufferLine = this._buffer.lines.get(i);
-      const lineText = this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(i, true);
-      if ((<any>bufferLine).isWrapped) {
-        result[result.length - 1] += lineText;
-      } else {
-        result.push(lineText);
+    if (this._activeSelectionMode === SelectionMode.COLUMN) {
+      // Ignore zero width selections
+      if (start[0] !== end[0]) {
+        for (let i = start[1]; i <= end[1]; i++) {
+          const lineText = this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(i, true, start[0], end[0]);
+          result.push(lineText);
+        }
       }
-    }
+    } else {
+      // Get first row
+      const startRowEndCol = start[1] === end[1] ? end[0] : null;
+      result.push(this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(start[1], true, start[0], startRowEndCol));
 
-    // Get final row
-    if (start[1] !== end[1]) {
-      const bufferLine = this._buffer.lines.get(end[1]);
-      const lineText = this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(end[1], true, 0, end[0]);
-      if ((<any>bufferLine).isWrapped) {
-        result[result.length - 1] += lineText;
-      } else {
-        result.push(lineText);
+      // Get middle rows
+      for (let i = start[1] + 1; i <= end[1] - 1; i++) {
+        const bufferLine = this._buffer.lines.get(i);
+        const lineText = this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(i, true);
+        if ((<any>bufferLine).isWrapped) {
+          result[result.length - 1] += lineText;
+        } else {
+          result.push(lineText);
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Get final row
+      if (start[1] !== end[1]) {
+        const bufferLine = this._buffer.lines.get(end[1]);
+        const lineText = this._buffer.translateBufferLineToString(end[1], true, 0, end[0]);
+        if ((<any>bufferLine).isWrapped) {
+          result[result.length - 1] += lineText;
+        } else {
+          result.push(lineText);
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -249,7 +267,7 @@ export class SelectionManager extends EventEmitter implements ISelectionManager
    */
   private _refresh(): void {
     this._refreshAnimationFrame = null;
-    this.emit('refresh', { start: this._model.finalSelectionStart, end: this._model.finalSelectionEnd });
+    this.emit('refresh', { start: this._model.finalSelectionStart, end: this._model.finalSelectionEnd, columnSelectMode: this._activeSelectionMode === SelectionMode.COLUMN });
   }
 
   /**
@@ -398,7 +416,11 @@ export class SelectionManager extends EventEmitter implements ISelectionManager
       this._onIncrementalClick(event);
     } else {
       if (event.detail === 1) {
-        this._onSingleClick(event);
+        if (this.isColumnSelectMode(event)) {
+          this._onColumnSelectSingleClick(event);
+        } else {
+          this._onSingleClick(event);
+        }
       } else if (event.detail === 2) {
         this._onDoubleClick(event);
       } else if (event.detail === 3) {
@@ -502,6 +524,40 @@ export class SelectionManager extends EventEmitter implements ISelectionManager
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Configures the modifier key for enabling column selection mode
+   */
+  private _initColumnSelectModifierKeys(): string[] {
+    if (this._terminal.browser.isMac) {
+      return ['altKey'];
+    }
+
+    // Linux and Windows
+    return ['shiftKey'];
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Begin a block selection
+   */
+  private _onColumnSelectSingleClick(event: MouseEvent): void {
+    this._onSingleClick(event); // Perform all the normal setup actions
+    this._activeSelectionMode = SelectionMode.COLUMN;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Checks if all required key modifiers are pressed in order to enable block
+   * select mode
+   * @param event the mouse click event
+   */
+  public isColumnSelectMode(event: KeyboardEvent | MouseEvent): boolean {
+    for (let i = 0; i < this._columnSelectRequiredModifiers.length; i++) {
+      if (!(<any>event)[this._columnSelectRequiredModifiers[i]]) {
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Handles the mousemove event when the mouse button is down, recording the
    * end of the selection and refreshing the selection.
diff --git a/src/Terminal.ts b/src/Terminal.ts
index 9f581461..b754b6f6 100644
--- a/src/Terminal.ts
+++ b/src/Terminal.ts
@@ -590,6 +590,8 @@ export class Terminal extends EventEmitter implements ITerminal, IDisposable, II
       if (!wasMondifierKeyOnlyEvent(ev)) {
         this.focus();
       }
+
+      self._keyUp(ev);
     }, true);
 
     on(this.textarea, 'keydown', (ev: KeyboardEvent) => this._keyDown(ev), true);
@@ -696,7 +698,7 @@ export class Terminal extends EventEmitter implements ITerminal, IDisposable, II
 
     this.selectionManager = new SelectionManager(this, this.charMeasure);
     this.element.addEventListener('mousedown', (e: MouseEvent) => this.selectionManager.onMouseDown(e));
-    this.selectionManager.on('refresh', data => this.renderer.onSelectionChanged(data.start, data.end));
+    this.selectionManager.on('refresh', data => this.renderer.onSelectionChanged(data.start, data.end, data.columnSelectMode));
     this.selectionManager.on('newselection', text => {
       // If there's a new selection, put it into the textarea, focus and select it
       // in order to register it as a selection on the OS. This event is fired
@@ -1098,6 +1100,17 @@ export class Terminal extends EventEmitter implements ITerminal, IDisposable, II
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Change the cursor style for different selection modes
+   */
+  public updateCursorStyle(ev: KeyboardEvent): void {
+    if (this.selectionManager.isColumnSelectMode(ev)) {
+      this.element.classList.add('xterm-cursor-crosshair');
+    } else {
+      this.element.classList.remove('xterm-cursor-crosshair');
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Display the cursor element
    */
@@ -1415,6 +1428,8 @@ export class Terminal extends EventEmitter implements ITerminal, IDisposable, II
 
     const result = evaluateKeyboardEvent(event, this.applicationCursor, this.browser.isMac, this.options.macOptionIsMeta);
 
+    this.updateCursorStyle(event);
+
     // if (result.key === C0.DC3) { // XOFF
     //   this._writeStopped = true;
     // } else if (result.key === C0.DC1) { // XON
@@ -1486,6 +1501,11 @@ export class Terminal extends EventEmitter implements ITerminal, IDisposable, II
     }
   }
 
+  protected _keyUp(ev: KeyboardEvent): boolean {
+    this.updateCursorStyle(ev);
+    return true;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Handle a keypress event.
    * Key Resources:
diff --git a/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts b/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
index b2a40290..2e9de389 100644
--- a/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/BaseRenderLayer.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export abstract class BaseRenderLayer implements IRenderLayer {
   public onFocus(terminal: ITerminal): void {}
   public onCursorMove(terminal: ITerminal): void {}
   public onGridChanged(terminal: ITerminal, startRow: number, endRow: number): void {}
-  public onSelectionChanged(terminal: ITerminal, start: [number, number], end: [number, number]): void {}
+  public onSelectionChanged(terminal: ITerminal, start: [number, number], end: [number, number], columnSelectMode: boolean = false): void {}
 
   public onThemeChanged(terminal: ITerminal, colorSet: IColorSet): void {
     this._refreshCharAtlas(terminal, colorSet);
diff --git a/src/renderer/Renderer.ts b/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
index c41dece5..a3743289 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/Renderer.ts
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ export class Renderer extends EventEmitter implements IRenderer {
     this._runOperation(l => l.onFocus(this._terminal));
   }
 
-  public onSelectionChanged(start: [number, number], end: [number, number]): void {
-    this._runOperation(l => l.onSelectionChanged(this._terminal, start, end));
+  public onSelectionChanged(start: [number, number], end: [number, number], columnSelectMode: boolean = false): void {
+    this._runOperation(l => l.onSelectionChanged(this._terminal, start, end, columnSelectMode));
   }
 
   public onCursorMove(): void {
diff --git a/src/renderer/SelectionRenderLayer.ts b/src/renderer/SelectionRenderLayer.ts
index e2212246..a9542cd7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/SelectionRenderLayer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/SelectionRenderLayer.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export class SelectionRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
     }
   }
 
-  public onSelectionChanged(terminal: ITerminal, start: [number, number], end: [number, number]): void {
+  public onSelectionChanged(terminal: ITerminal, start: [number, number], end: [number, number], columnSelectMode: boolean): void {
     // Selection has not changed
     if (this._state.start === start || this._state.end === end) {
       return;
@@ -62,21 +62,30 @@ export class SelectionRenderLayer extends BaseRenderLayer {
       return;
     }
 
-    // Draw first row
-    const startCol = viewportStartRow === viewportCappedStartRow ? start[0] : 0;
-    const startRowEndCol = viewportCappedStartRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : terminal.cols;
     this._ctx.fillStyle = this._colors.selection.css;
-    this.fillCells(startCol, viewportCappedStartRow, startRowEndCol - startCol, 1);
 
-    // Draw middle rows
-    const middleRowsCount = Math.max(viewportCappedEndRow - viewportCappedStartRow - 1, 0);
-    this.fillCells(0, viewportCappedStartRow + 1, terminal.cols, middleRowsCount);
+    if (columnSelectMode) {
+      const startCol = viewportStartRow === viewportCappedStartRow ? start[0] : 0;
+      const width = end[0] - startCol;
+      const height = viewportCappedEndRow - viewportCappedStartRow + 1;
+      this.fillCells(startCol, viewportCappedStartRow, width, height);
 
-    // Draw final row
-    if (viewportCappedStartRow !== viewportCappedEndRow) {
-      // Only draw viewportEndRow if it's not the same as viewportStartRow
-      const endCol = viewportEndRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : terminal.cols;
-      this.fillCells(0, viewportCappedEndRow, endCol, 1);
+    } else {
+      // Draw first row
+      const startCol = viewportStartRow === viewportCappedStartRow ? start[0] : 0;
+      const startRowEndCol = viewportCappedStartRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : terminal.cols;
+      this.fillCells(startCol, viewportCappedStartRow, startRowEndCol - startCol, 1);
+
+      // Draw middle rows
+      const middleRowsCount = Math.max(viewportCappedEndRow - viewportCappedStartRow - 1, 0);
+      this.fillCells(0, viewportCappedStartRow + 1, terminal.cols, middleRowsCount);
+
+      // Draw final row
+      if (viewportCappedStartRow !== viewportCappedEndRow) {
+        // Only draw viewportEndRow if it's not the same as viewportStartRow
+        const endCol = viewportEndRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : terminal.cols;
+        this.fillCells(0, viewportCappedEndRow, endCol, 1);
+      }
     }
 
     // Save state for next render
diff --git a/src/renderer/Types.ts b/src/renderer/Types.ts
index bafc9ad4..6d9b293d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Types.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/Types.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export interface IRenderer extends IEventEmitter {
   onCharSizeChanged(): void;
   onBlur(): void;
   onFocus(): void;
-  onSelectionChanged(start: [number, number], end: [number, number]): void;
+  onSelectionChanged(start: [number, number], end: [number, number], columnSelectMode: boolean): void;
   onCursorMove(): void;
   onOptionsChanged(): void;
   clear(): void;
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export interface IRenderLayer {
   /**
    * Calls when the selection changes.
    */
-  onSelectionChanged(terminal: ITerminal, start: [number, number], end: [number, number]): void;
+  onSelectionChanged(terminal: ITerminal, start: [number, number], end: [number, number], columnSelectMode: boolean): void;
 
   /**
    * Resize the render layer.
diff --git a/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts b/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
index 8c335dca..5f3b1c2a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/dom/DomRenderer.ts
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ export class DomRenderer extends EventEmitter implements IRenderer {
     this._rowContainer.classList.add(FOCUS_CLASS);
   }
 
-  public onSelectionChanged(start: [number, number], end: [number, number]): void {
+  public onSelectionChanged(start: [number, number], end: [number, number], columnSelectMode: boolean): void {
     // Remove all selections
     while (this._selectionContainer.children.length) {
       this._selectionContainer.removeChild(this._selectionContainer.children[0]);
@@ -241,18 +241,25 @@ export class DomRenderer extends EventEmitter implements IRenderer {
 
     // Create the selections
     const documentFragment = document.createDocumentFragment();
-    // Draw first row
     const startCol = viewportStartRow === viewportCappedStartRow ? start[0] : 0;
-    const endCol = viewportCappedStartRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : this._terminal.cols;
-    documentFragment.appendChild(this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedStartRow, startCol, endCol));
-    // Draw middle rows
-    const middleRowsCount = viewportCappedEndRow - viewportCappedStartRow - 1;
-    documentFragment.appendChild(this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedStartRow + 1, 0, this._terminal.cols, middleRowsCount));
-    // Draw final row
-    if (viewportCappedStartRow !== viewportCappedEndRow) {
-      // Only draw viewportEndRow if it's not the same as viewporttartRow
-      const endCol = viewportEndRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : this._terminal.cols;
-      documentFragment.appendChild(this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedEndRow, 0, endCol));
+
+    if (columnSelectMode) {
+      documentFragment.appendChild(
+        this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedStartRow, startCol, end[0], viewportCappedEndRow - viewportStartRow + 1)
+      );
+    } else {
+      // Draw first row
+      const endCol = viewportCappedStartRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : this._terminal.cols;
+      documentFragment.appendChild(this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedStartRow, startCol, endCol));
+      // Draw middle rows
+      const middleRowsCount = viewportCappedEndRow - viewportCappedStartRow - 1;
+      documentFragment.appendChild(this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedStartRow + 1, 0, this._terminal.cols, middleRowsCount));
+      // Draw final row
+      if (viewportCappedStartRow !== viewportCappedEndRow) {
+        // Only draw viewportEndRow if it's not the same as viewporttartRow
+        const endCol = viewportEndRow === viewportCappedEndRow ? end[0] : this._terminal.cols;
+        documentFragment.appendChild(this._createSelectionElement(viewportCappedEndRow, 0, endCol));
+      }
     }
     this._selectionContainer.appendChild(documentFragment);
   }
diff --git a/src/xterm.css b/src/xterm.css
index 6e7d2f96..b435a63f 100644
--- a/src/xterm.css
+++ b/src/xterm.css
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@
     cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.xterm.xterm-cursor-crosshair {
+    /* Block selection mode */
+    cursor: crosshair;
+}
+
 .xterm .xterm-accessibility,
 .xterm .xterm-message {
     position: absolute;