diff --git a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js
index 3c554f4162..cbc5ba1352 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.Surface.js
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.documentOnFocus = function () {
 		'compositionstart.ve-ce-Surface': ve.bind( this.onDocumentCompositionStart, this ),
 		'compositionend.ve-ce-Surface': ve.bind( this.onDocumentCompositionEnd, this )
 	} );
-	this.surfaceObserver.start( true );
+	this.surfaceObserver.start( true, true );
 };
 
 /**
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.documentOnFocus = function () {
  */
 ve.ce.Surface.prototype.documentOnBlur = function () {
 	this.$document.off( '.ve-ce-Surface' );
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true );
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true, true );
 	this.dragging = false;
 };
 
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentMouseDown = function ( e ) {
 	// this.$$( e.target ).closest( '.ve-ce-documentNode' ).length === 0
 
 	if ( e.which === 1 ) {
-		this.surfaceObserver.stop( true );
+		this.surfaceObserver.stop( true, true );
 	}
 
 	// Handle triple click
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentMouseDown = function ( e ) {
  * @emits selectionEnd
  */
 ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentMouseUp = function ( e ) {
-	this.surfaceObserver.start();
+	this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 	if ( !e.shiftKey && this.selecting ) {
 		this.emit( 'selectionEnd' );
 		this.selecting = false;
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentKeyDown = function ( e ) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true );
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true, false );
 	switch ( e.keyCode ) {
 		case ve.Keys.LEFT:
 		case ve.Keys.RIGHT:
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentKeyDown = function ( e ) {
 			}
 			break;
 	}
-	this.surfaceObserver.start();
+	this.surfaceObserver.start( false, false );
 };
 
 /**
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentKeyPress = function ( e ) {
 
 	this.handleInsertion();
 	setTimeout( ve.bind( function () {
-		this.surfaceObserver.start();
+		this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 	}, this ) );
 };
 
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentKeyUp = function ( e ) {
  * @param {jQuery.Event} e Cut event
  */
 ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onCut = function ( e ) {
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop();
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( false, true );
 	this.onCopy( e );
 	setTimeout( ve.bind( function () {
 		var selection, tx;
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onCut = function ( e ) {
 
 		this.model.change( tx, new ve.Range( selection.start ) );
 		this.surfaceObserver.clear();
-		this.surfaceObserver.start();
+		this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 	}, this ) );
 };
 
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onPaste = function () {
 		view = this,
 		selection = this.model.getSelection();
 
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop();
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( false, true );
 
 	// Pasting into a range? Remove first.
 	if ( !rangy.getSelection( this.$document[0] ).isCollapsed ) {
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentCompositionStart = function () {
  */
 ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onDocumentCompositionEnd = function () {
 	this.inIme = false;
-	this.surfaceObserver.start();
+	this.surfaceObserver.start( false, false );
 };
 
 /*! Custom Events */
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onContentChange = function ( node, previous, next ) {
  * @method
  */
 ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onLock = function () {
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop();
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( false, true );
 };
 
 /**
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onLock = function () {
  */
 ve.ce.Surface.prototype.onUnlock = function () {
 	this.surfaceObserver.clear( this.model.getSelection() );
-	this.surfaceObserver.start();
+	this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 };
 
 /*! Relocation */
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.handleLeftOrRightArrowKey = function ( e ) {
 	// Selection is going to be displayed programmatically so prevent default browser behaviour
 	e.preventDefault();
 	// Stop with final poll cycle so we have correct information in model
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true );
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true, false );
 	selection = this.model.getSelection();
 	if ( this.$$( e.target ).css( 'direction' ) === 'rtl' ) {
 		// If the language direction is RTL, switch left/right directions:
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.handleLeftOrRightArrowKey = function ( e ) {
 	);
 
 	this.model.change( null, range );
-	this.surfaceObserver.start();
+	this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1034,7 +1034,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.handleUpOrDownArrowKey = function ( e ) {
 		nativeSel.modify( 'extend', 'left', 'character' );
 		return;
 	}
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true );
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true, true );
 	selection = this.model.getSelection();
 	rangySelection = rangy.getSelection( this.$document[0] );
 	// Perform programatic handling only for selection that is expanded and backwards according to
@@ -1058,18 +1058,18 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.handleUpOrDownArrowKey = function ( e ) {
 			if ( !$element.hasClass( 've-ce-branchNode-slug' ) ) {
 				$element.remove();
 			}
-			this.surfaceObserver.start();
-			this.surfaceObserver.stop( false );
+			this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
+			this.surfaceObserver.stop( false, true );
 			if ( e.shiftKey === true ) { // expanded range
 				range = new ve.Range( selection.from, this.model.getSelection().to );
 			} else { // collapsed range (just a cursor)
 				range = new ve.Range( this.model.getSelection().to );
 			}
 			this.model.change( null, range );
-			this.surfaceObserver.start();
+			this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 		}, this ), 0 );
 	} else {
-		this.surfaceObserver.start();
+		this.surfaceObserver.start( false, true );
 	}
 };
 
@@ -1125,7 +1125,7 @@ ve.ce.Surface.prototype.handleInsertion = function () {
 		}
 	}
 
-	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true );
+	this.surfaceObserver.stop( true, true );
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.js b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.js
index 1124813ba9..e49f406b90 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ce/ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.js
@@ -82,15 +82,16 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.clear = function ( range ) {
 /**
  * Start polling.
  *
- * If {async} is false or undefined the first poll cycle will occur immediately and synchronously.
+ * If {postpone} is false or undefined the first poll cycle will occur immediately and synchronously.
  *
  * @method
- * @param {boolean} async Poll the first time asynchronously
+ * @param {boolean} postpone Add the first poll to the end of the event queue
+ * @param {boolean} emitContentChanges Allow contentChange to be emitted
  */
-ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.start = function ( async ) {
+ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.start = function ( postpone, emitContentChanges ) {
 	this.domDocument = this.documentView.getDocumentNode().getElementDocument();
 	this.polling = true;
-	this.poll( async );
+	this.poll( postpone, emitContentChanges );
 };
 
 /**
@@ -101,11 +102,12 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.start = function ( async ) {
  *
  * @method
  * @param {boolean} poll Poll one last time before stopping future polling
+ * @param {boolean} emitContentChanges Allow contentChange to be emitted
  */
-ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.stop = function ( poll ) {
+ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.stop = function ( poll, emitContentChanges ) {
 	if ( this.polling === true ) {
 		if ( poll === true ) {
-			this.poll();
+			this.poll( false, emitContentChanges );
 		}
 		this.polling = false;
 		clearTimeout( this.timeoutId );
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.stop = function ( poll ) {
 /**
  * Poll for changes.
  *
- * If `async` is false or undefined then polling will occcur asynchronously.
+ * If `postpone` is false or undefined then polling will occcur immediately.
  *
  * TODO: fixing selection in certain cases, handling selection across multiple nodes in Firefox
  *
@@ -124,12 +126,13 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.stop = function ( poll ) {
  * with a mouse.
  *
  * @method
- * @param {boolean} async Poll asynchronously
+ * @param {boolean} postpone Append the poll action to the end of the event queue
+ * @param {boolean} emitContentChanges Allow contentChange to be emitted
  * @emits contentChange
  * @emits selectionChange
  */
-ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.poll = function ( async ) {
-	var delayPoll, $nodeOrSlug, node, text, hash, range, rangyRange;
+ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.poll = function ( postpone, emitContentChanges ) {
+	var $nodeOrSlug, node, text, hash, range, rangyRange;
 
 	if ( this.polling === false ) {
 		return;
@@ -140,15 +143,13 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.poll = function ( async ) {
 		this.timeoutId = null;
 	}
 
-	delayPoll = ve.bind( function ( async ) {
+	if ( postpone === true ) {
 		this.timeoutId = setTimeout(
 			ve.bind( this.poll, this ),
-			async === true ? 0 : this.frequency
+			0,
+			false,
+			emitContentChanges
 		);
-	}, this );
-
-	if ( async === true ) {
-		delayPoll( true );
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -178,20 +179,20 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.poll = function ( async ) {
 			this.hash = ve.ce.getDomHash( node.$[0] );
 			this.node = node;
 		}
-	} else {
-		if ( node !== null ) {
-			text = ve.ce.getDomText( node.$[0] );
-			hash = ve.ce.getDomHash( node.$[0] );
-			if ( this.text !== text || this.hash !== hash ) {
+	} else if ( node !== null ) {
+		text = ve.ce.getDomText( node.$[0] );
+		hash = ve.ce.getDomHash( node.$[0] );
+		if ( this.text !== text || this.hash !== hash ) {
+			if ( emitContentChanges ) {
 				this.emit(
 					'contentChange',
 					node,
 					{ 'text': this.text, 'hash': this.hash, 'range': this.range },
 					{ 'text': text, 'hash': hash, 'range': range }
 				);
-				this.text = text;
-				this.hash = hash;
 			}
+			this.text = text;
+			this.hash = hash;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -205,5 +206,10 @@ ve.ce.SurfaceObserver.prototype.poll = function ( async ) {
 		this.range = range;
 	}
 
-	delayPoll();
+	this.timeoutId = setTimeout(
+		ve.bind( this.poll, this ),
+		this.frequency,
+		false,
+		emitContentChanges
+	);
 };
diff --git a/modules/ve/test/ve.test.js b/modules/ve/test/ve.test.js
index c87ba9c7ee..a48a1d0100 100644
--- a/modules/ve/test/ve.test.js
+++ b/modules/ve/test/ve.test.js
@@ -454,18 +454,18 @@ QUnit.test( 'createDocumentFromHtml', function ( assert ) {
 // TODO: ve.getCharacterOffset
 
 QUnit.test( 'graphemeSafeSubstring', function ( assert ) {
-	var i, text = '12𨋢45𨋢789𨋢bc', cases = [
+	var i, text = '12\ud860\udee245\ud860\udee2789\ud860\udee2bc', cases = [
 			{
 				'msg': 'start and end inside multibyte',
 				'start': 3,
 				'end': 12,
-				'expected': [ '𨋢45𨋢789𨋢', '45𨋢789' ]
+				'expected': [ '\ud860\udee245\ud860\udee2789\ud860\udee2', '45\ud860\udee2789' ]
 			},
 			{
 				'msg': 'start and end next to multibyte',
 				'start': 4,
 				'end': 11,
-				'expected': [ '45𨋢789', '45𨋢789' ]
+				'expected': [ '45\ud860\udee2789', '45\ud860\udee2789' ]
 			},
 			{
 				'msg': 'complete string',
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ QUnit.test( 'graphemeSafeSubstring', function ( assert ) {
 				'msg': 'collapsed selection inside multibyte',
 				'start': 3,
 				'end': 3,
-				'expected': [ '𨋢', '' ]
+				'expected': [ '\ud860\udee2', '' ]
 			}
 		];
 	QUnit.expect( cases.length * 2 );
diff --git a/modules/ve/ui/ve.ui.Surface.js b/modules/ve/ui/ve.ui.Surface.js
index e31ab14407..1510eff8be 100644
--- a/modules/ve/ui/ve.ui.Surface.js
+++ b/modules/ve/ui/ve.ui.Surface.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ ve.ui.Surface.prototype.initialize = function () {
 	// By re-asserting the current selection and forcing a poll we force selection to be something
 	// reasonable - otherwise in Firefox, the initial selection is (0,0), causing bug 42277
 	this.model.getFragment().select();
-	this.view.surfaceObserver.poll();
+	this.view.surfaceObserver.poll( false, true );
 	this.model.startHistoryTracking();
 };