diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageView.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageView.java
index 3b31a27ea..e70de26e9 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageView.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageView.java
@@ -1948,7 +1948,8 @@ public class MessageView extends K9Activity implements OnClickListener
                 onShowAdditionalHeaders();
                 break;
             case R.id.select_text:
-                emulateShiftHeld(mMessageContentView);
+                mToggleScrollView.setScrolling(false);
+                mMessageContentView.emulateShiftHeld();
                 break;
             default:
                 return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
@@ -2677,25 +2678,6 @@ public class MessageView extends K9Activity implements OnClickListener
         updateDecryptLayout();
     }
 
-    /*
-     * Emulate the shift key being pressed to trigger the text selection mode
-     * of a WebView.
-     */
-    private void emulateShiftHeld(WebView view)
-    {
-        try
-        {
-            mToggleScrollView.setScrolling(false);
 
-            KeyEvent shiftPressEvent = new KeyEvent(0, 0, KeyEvent.ACTION_DOWN,
-                                                    KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT, 0, 0);
-            shiftPressEvent.dispatch(view);
-            Toast.makeText(this, R.string.select_text_now, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
-        }
-        catch (Exception e)
-        {
-            Log.e(K9.LOG_TAG, "Exception in emulateShiftHeld()", e);
-        }
-    }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/view/MessageWebView.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/view/MessageWebView.java
index d16023469..0bf85078b 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/view/MessageWebView.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/view/MessageWebView.java
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.Log;
+import android.view.KeyEvent;
 import android.webkit.WebSettings;
 import android.webkit.WebView;
+import android.widget.Toast;
 import com.fsck.k9.K9;
+import com.fsck.k9.R;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 
@@ -117,4 +120,24 @@ public class MessageWebView extends WebView {
         // Disable network images by default.  This is overriden by preferences.
         blockNetworkData(true);
     }
+
+        /*
+     * Emulate the shift key being pressed to trigger the text selection mode
+     * of a WebView.
+     */
+    public void emulateShiftHeld()
+    {
+        try
+        {
+
+            KeyEvent shiftPressEvent = new KeyEvent(0, 0, KeyEvent.ACTION_DOWN,
+                                                    KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT, 0, 0);
+            shiftPressEvent.dispatch(this);
+            Toast.makeText(getContext() , R.string.select_text_now, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+            Log.e(K9.LOG_TAG, "Exception in emulateShiftHeld()", e);
+        }
+    }
 }