diff --git a/src/xterm.js b/src/xterm.js
index 2f3a57ee2..684ba45d6 100644
--- a/src/xterm.js
+++ b/src/xterm.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 import { CompositionHelper } from './CompositionHelper';
 import { EventEmitter } from './EventEmitter';
 import { Viewport } from './Viewport';
-import { rightClickHandler, pasteHandler, copyHandler } from './handlers/Clipboard';
+import { rightClickHandler, pasteHandler, copyHandler, prepareTextForClipboard } from './handlers/Clipboard';
 import { CircularList } from './utils/CircularList';
 import { C0 } from './EscapeSequences';
 import { InputHandler } from './InputHandler';
@@ -1373,6 +1373,15 @@ Terminal.prototype.deregisterLinkMatcher = function(matcherId) {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Gets the terminal's current selection, this is useful for implementing copy
+ * behavior outside of xterm.js.
+ */
+Terminal.prototype.getSelectionText = function() {
+  // TODO: Should prepareTextForClipboard logic be moved to SelectionManager?
+  return prepareTextForClipboard(this.selectionManager.selectionText);
+}
+
 /**
  * Selects all text within the terminal.
  */