diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/__init__.py
index 6cd6f8872d..73b478ac47 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/__init__.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ class Widget(QWidget):
     ICON  = I('config.png')
     HELP  = ''
     COMMIT_NAME = None
+    # If True, leading and trailing spaces are removed from line and text edit
+    # fields
+    STRIP_TEXT_FIELDS = True
 
     changed_signal = pyqtSignal()
     set_help = pyqtSignal(object)
@@ -123,7 +126,6 @@ class Widget(QWidget):
             if name in getattr(recs, 'disabled_options', []):
                 gui_opt.setDisabled(True)
 
-
     def get_value(self, g):
         from calibre.gui2.convert.xpath_wizard import XPathEdit
         from calibre.gui2.convert.regex_builder import RegexEdit
@@ -135,7 +137,9 @@ class Widget(QWidget):
             return g.value()
         elif isinstance(g, (QLineEdit, QTextEdit)):
             func = getattr(g, 'toPlainText', getattr(g, 'text', None))()
-            ans = unicode(func).strip()
+            ans = unicode(func)
+            if self.STRIP_TEXT_FIELDS:
+                ans = ans.strip()
             if not ans:
                 ans = None
             return ans
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
index 407e7922e7..b9e2644008 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 import re
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import QLineEdit, QTextEdit
-
 from calibre.gui2.convert.search_and_replace_ui import Ui_Form
 from calibre.gui2.convert import Widget
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog
@@ -18,6 +16,7 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     HELP  = _('Modify the document text and structure using user defined patterns.')
     COMMIT_NAME = 'search_and_replace'
     ICON = I('search.png')
+    STRIP_TEXT_FIELDS = False
 
     def __init__(self, parent, get_option, get_help, db=None, book_id=None):
         Widget.__init__(self, parent,
@@ -74,13 +73,5 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
                              _('Invalid regular expression: %s')%err, show=True)
                 return False
         return True
-    
-    def get_vaule(self, g):
-        if isinstance(g, (QLineEdit, QTextEdit)):
-            func = getattr(g, 'toPlainText', getattr(g, 'text', None))()
-            ans = unicode(func)
-            if not ans:
-                ans = None
-            return ans
-        else:
-            return Widget.get_value(self, g)
+
+