diff --git a/addons/website/models/ir_ui_view.py b/addons/website/models/ir_ui_view.py
index ad95a6b9ff7..b935d6e3465 100644
--- a/addons/website/models/ir_ui_view.py
+++ b/addons/website/models/ir_ui_view.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import copy
 from urlparse import urlparse
 
 from lxml import etree, html
@@ -84,19 +85,24 @@ class view(osv.osv):
         return out
 
     def replace_arch_section(self, cr, uid, view_id, section_xpath, replacement, context=None):
-        # remove branding from replacement section
-        for att in ir.ir_ui_view.MOVABLE_BRANDING:
-            replacement.attrib.pop(att, None)
+        # the root of the arch section shouldn't actually be replaced as it's
+        # not really editable itself, only the content truly is editable.
 
+        [view] = self.browse(cr, uid, [view_id], context=context)
+        arch = etree.fromstring(view.arch.encode('utf-8'))
+        # => get the replacement root
         if not section_xpath:
-            # replace all of the arch, not just a fragment
-            arch = replacement
+            root = arch
         else:
-            arch = etree.fromstring(self.browse(cr, uid, view_id, context=context).arch.encode('utf-8'))
             # ensure there's only one match
-            [previous_section] = arch.xpath(section_xpath)
+            [root] = arch.xpath(section_xpath)
 
-            previous_section.getparent().replace(previous_section, replacement)
+        root.text = replacement.text
+        root.tail = replacement.tail
+        # replace all children
+        del root[:]
+        for child in replacement:
+            root.append(copy.deepcopy(child))
 
         return arch
 
diff --git a/addons/website/tests/test_views.py b/addons/website/tests/test_views.py
index 812981cd706..8041a7e5f1c 100644
--- a/addons/website/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/addons/website/tests/test_views.py
@@ -92,10 +92,17 @@ class TestViewSaving(common.TransactionCase):
         self.eq(View.to_field_ref(self.cr, self.uid, embedded, context=None),
                 h.SPAN({'t-field': 'bob', 'class': 'foo bar', 'id': 'whop'}))
 
-
     def test_replace_arch(self):
         replacement = h.P("Wheee")
 
+        result = self.registry('ir.ui.view').replace_arch_section(
+            self.cr, self.uid, self.view_id, None, replacement)
+
+        self.eq(result, h.DIV("Wheee"))
+
+    def test_replace_arch_2(self):
+        replacement = h.DIV(h.P("Wheee"))
+
         result = self.registry('ir.ui.view').replace_arch_section(
             self.cr, self.uid, self.view_id, None, replacement)
 
@@ -110,7 +117,7 @@ class TestViewSaving(common.TransactionCase):
 
         self.eq(result, h.DIV(
             h.DIV(
-                h.H1("I am the greatest title alive!"),
+                h.H3("I am the greatest title alive!"),
                 h.UL(
                     h.LI("Item 1"),
                     h.LI("Item 2"),