diff --git a/source/blender/editors/include/ED_mesh.h b/source/blender/editors/include/ED_mesh.h
index dc30c7b5355..2e11711637a 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/include/ED_mesh.h
+++ b/source/blender/editors/include/ED_mesh.h
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ void		EDBM_free_backbuf(void);
 int			EDBM_init_backbuf_border(struct ViewContext *vc, short xmin, short ymin, short xmax, short ymax);
 int			EDBM_init_backbuf_circle(struct ViewContext *vc, short xs, short ys, short rads);
 
+void EDBM_deselect_by_material(struct BMEditMesh *em, const short index, const short select);
+
 void EDBM_select_swap(struct BMEditMesh *em); /* exported for UV */
 void EDBM_set_actFace(struct BMEditMesh *em, struct BMFace *efa);
 
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c b/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c
index 885f9ef4553..8258f9f1a5b 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/mesh/bmesh_select.c
@@ -1362,6 +1362,21 @@ void EDBM_convertsel(BMEditMesh *em, short oldmode, short selectmode)
 }
 
 
+void EDBM_deselect_by_material(struct BMEditMesh *em, const short index, const short select)
+{
+	BMIter iter;
+	BMFace *efa;
+
+	BM_ITER(efa, &iter, em->bm, BM_FACES_OF_MESH, NULL) {
+		if (BM_TestHFlag(efa, BM_HIDDEN))
+			continue;
+		if(efa->mat_nr == index) {
+			BM_Select(em->bm, efa, select);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+
 void EDBM_select_swap(BMEditMesh *em) /* exported for UV */
 {
 	BMIter iter;
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c b/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c
index 591cc477b8a..05c80d42ecf 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c
@@ -225,15 +225,11 @@ static int material_slot_de_select(bContext *C, int select)
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 
 	if(ob->type == OB_MESH) {
-/*BMESH_TODO
 		BMEditMesh *em= ((Mesh*)ob->data)->edit_btmesh;
+
 		if(em) {
-			if(select)
-				EM_select_by_material(em, ob->actcol-1);
-			else
-				EM_deselect_by_material(em, ob->actcol-1);
+			EDBM_deselect_by_material(em, ob->actcol-1, select);
 		}
-*/
 	}
 	else if ELEM(ob->type, OB_CURVE, OB_SURF) {
 		ListBase *nurbs= ED_curve_editnurbs((Curve*)ob->data);