diff --git a/richtextfx/src/main/java/org/fxmisc/richtext/ParagraphText.java b/richtextfx/src/main/java/org/fxmisc/richtext/ParagraphText.java
index 755b5e364..926b6eaca 100644
--- a/richtextfx/src/main/java/org/fxmisc/richtext/ParagraphText.java
+++ b/richtextfx/src/main/java/org/fxmisc/richtext/ParagraphText.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import java.util.function.Function;
 import java.util.function.Supplier;
 import java.util.function.UnaryOperator;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import org.fxmisc.richtext.model.Paragraph;
 import org.fxmisc.richtext.model.StyledSegment;
@@ -70,7 +71,8 @@ public ObjectProperty<Paint> highlightTextFillProperty() {
         return highlightTextFill;
     }
 
-    private final Paragraph<PS, SEG, S> paragraph;
+    private Paragraph<PS, SEG, S> paragraph;
+    private Function<StyledSegment<SEG, S>, Node> nodeMaker;
 
     private final CustomCssShapeHelper<Paint> backgroundShapeHelper;
     private final CustomCssShapeHelper<BorderAttributes> borderShapeHelper;
@@ -88,7 +90,6 @@ public ObjectProperty<Paint> highlightTextFillProperty() {
     private int selectionShapeStartIndex = 0;
 
     ParagraphText(Paragraph<PS, SEG, S> par, Function<StyledSegment<SEG, S>, Node> nodeFactory) {
-        this.paragraph = par;
 
         getStyleClass().add("paragraph-text");
 
@@ -149,17 +150,6 @@ public ObjectProperty<Paint> highlightTextFillProperty() {
 //            }
 //        });
 
-        // populate with text nodes
-        par.getStyledSegments().stream().map(nodeFactory).forEach(n -> {
-            if (n instanceof TextExt) {
-                TextExt t = (TextExt) n;
-                // XXX: binding selectionFill to textFill,
-                // see the note at highlightTextFill
-                JavaFXCompatibility.Text_selectionFillProperty(t).bind(t.fillProperty());
-            }
-            getChildren().add(n);
-        });
-
         // set up custom css shape helpers
         UnaryOperator<Path> configurePath = shape -> {
             shape.setManaged(false);
@@ -218,20 +208,45 @@ public ObjectProperty<Paint> highlightTextFillProperty() {
                 addToForeground,
                 clearUnusedShapes
         );
+
+        // populate with text nodes
+        nodeMaker = nodeFactory;
+        setParagraph( par );
     }
 
     void dispose() {
-        // this removes listeners (in selections and carets listeners) and avoids memory leaks
-    	selections.removeListener( selectionPathListener );
-    	carets.removeListener( caretNodeListener );
-        selections.clear();
         carets.clear();
+        selections.clear();
+        // this removes listeners (in selections and carets listeners) and avoids memory leaks
+        selections.removeListener( selectionPathListener );
+        carets.removeListener( caretNodeListener );
+        setParagraph( null );
     }
 
     public Paragraph<PS, SEG, S> getParagraph() {
         return paragraph;
     }
 
+    public void setParagraph(Paragraph<PS, SEG, S> par) {
+        getChildren().stream().filter( n -> n instanceof TextExt ).map( n -> (TextExt) n )
+            .forEach( t -> JavaFXCompatibility.Text_selectionFillProperty(t).unbind() ); 
+
+        getChildren().setAll( selections.values() );
+        
+        if ( par != null ) getChildren().addAll( par.getStyledSegments().stream().map(nodeMaker)
+        .peek( n -> {
+            if (n instanceof TextExt) {
+                TextExt t = (TextExt) n;
+                // XXX: binding selectionFill to textFill,
+                // see the note at highlightTextFill
+                JavaFXCompatibility.Text_selectionFillProperty(t).bind(t.fillProperty());
+            }
+        }).collect( Collectors.toList() ) );
+
+        getChildren().addAll( carets );
+        paragraph = par;
+    }
+
     public <T extends Node & Caret> double getCaretOffsetX(T caret) {
         layout(); // ensure layout, is a no-op if not dirty
         checkWithinParagraph(caret);