diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/regex_builder.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/regex_builder.py
index bdd219d733..d3cb82465a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/regex_builder.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/regex_builder.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 import re
 
-from PyQt4.QtCore import SIGNAL, Qt
+from PyQt4.QtCore import SIGNAL, Qt, pyqtSignal
 from PyQt4.QtGui import QDialog, QWidget, QDialogButtonBox, \
                         QBrush, QTextCursor, QTextEdit
 
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.choose_format import ChooseFormatDialog
 
 class RegexBuilder(QDialog, Ui_RegexBuilder):
 
-    def __init__(self, db, book_id, regex, *args):
-        QDialog.__init__(self, *args)
+    def __init__(self, db, book_id, regex, doc=None, parent=None):
+        QDialog.__init__(self, parent)
         self.setupUi(self)
 
         self.regex.setText(regex)
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ class RegexBuilder(QDialog, Ui_RegexBuilder):
 
         if not db or not book_id:
             self.button_box.addButton(QDialogButtonBox.Open)
-        elif not self.select_format(db, book_id):
+        elif not doc and not self.select_format(db, book_id):
             self.cancelled = True
             return
+        
+        if doc:
+            self.preview.setPlainText(doc)
+            
         self.cancelled = False
         self.connect(self.button_box, SIGNAL('clicked(QAbstractButton*)'), self.button_clicked)
         self.connect(self.regex, SIGNAL('textChanged(QString)'), self.regex_valid)
@@ -152,25 +156,37 @@ class RegexBuilder(QDialog, Ui_RegexBuilder):
                 self.open_book(files[0])
         if button == self.button_box.button(QDialogButtonBox.Ok):
             self.accept()
+    
+    def doc(self):
+        return unicode(self.preview.toPlainText())
 
 class RegexEdit(QWidget, Ui_Edit):
 
+    doc_update = pyqtSignal(unicode)
+
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         QWidget.__init__(self, parent)
         self.setupUi(self)
 
         self.book_id = None
         self.db = None
+        self.doc_cache = None
 
         self.connect(self.button, SIGNAL('clicked()'), self.builder)
 
     def builder(self):
-        bld = RegexBuilder(self.db, self.book_id, self.edit.text(), self)
+        bld = RegexBuilder(self.db, self.book_id, self.edit.text(), self.doc_cache, self)
         if bld.cancelled:
             return
+        if not self.doc_cache:
+            self.doc_cache = bld.doc()
+            self.doc_update.emit(self.doc_cache)
         if bld.exec_() == bld.Accepted:
             self.edit.setText(bld.regex.text())
 
+    def doc(self):
+        return self.doc_cache
+
     def setObjectName(self, *args):
         QWidget.setObjectName(self, *args)
         if hasattr(self, 'edit'):
@@ -184,6 +200,9 @@ class RegexEdit(QWidget, Ui_Edit):
 
     def set_db(self, db):
         self.db = db
+        
+    def set_doc(self, doc):
+        self.doc_cache = doc
 
     def break_cycles(self):
         self.db = None
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
index ba156c5b2a..9c10ef667f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
@@ -34,14 +34,27 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
         self.opt_sr3_search.set_msg(_('&Search Regular Expression'))
         self.opt_sr3_search.set_book_id(book_id)
         self.opt_sr3_search.set_db(db)
+        
+        self.opt_sr1_search.doc_update.connect(self.update_doc)
+        self.opt_sr2_search.doc_update.connect(self.update_doc)
+        self.opt_sr3_search.doc_update.connect(self.update_doc)
 
     def break_cycles(self):
         Widget.break_cycles(self)
+        
+        self.opt_sr1_search.doc_update.disconnect()
+        self.opt_sr2_search.doc_update.disconnect()
+        self.opt_sr3_search.doc_update.disconnect()
 
         self.opt_sr1_search.break_cycles()
         self.opt_sr2_search.break_cycles()
         self.opt_sr3_search.break_cycles()
 
+    def update_doc(self, doc):
+        self.opt_sr1_search.set_doc(doc)
+        self.opt_sr2_search.set_doc(doc)
+        self.opt_sr3_search.set_doc(doc)
+
     def pre_commit_check(self):
         for x in ('sr1_search', 'sr2_search', 'sr3_search'):
             x = getattr(self, 'opt_'+x)