diff --git a/autoload/minisnip.vim b/autoload/minisnip.vim
index 36dae0d..2b05158 100644
--- a/autoload/minisnip.vim
+++ b/autoload/minisnip.vim
@@ -122,10 +122,11 @@ function! s:SelectPlaceholder() abort
             let @s=substitute(@s, '\V' . g:minisnip_finalenddelim, '', '')
         catch /E486:/
             " There's no placeholder at all, enter insert mode
-            call feedkeys('i', 'n')
+            call feedkeys('A', 'n')
             return
         finally
             let &wrapscan = l:ws
+            unlet! s:minisnip_selected_text
         endtry
     finally
         let &wrapscan = l:ws
@@ -143,6 +144,20 @@ function! s:SelectPlaceholder() abort
        let l:skip = 0
     endif
 
+    " is this placeholder marked as 'visual'?
+    if @s =~ '\V\^' . g:minisnip_visualmarker
+        " remove the marker
+        let @s=substitute(@s, '\V\^' . g:minisnip_visualmarker, '', '')
+        if exists('s:minisnip_selected_text')
+            " get the text
+            let @s=s:minisnip_selected_text
+        endif
+        let l:visualmarker = 1
+        let l:skip = 1
+    else
+        let l:visualmarker = 0
+    endif
+
     " is this placeholder marked as 'evaluate'?
     if @s =~ '\V\^' . g:minisnip_evalmarker
         " remove the marker
@@ -163,6 +178,10 @@ function! s:SelectPlaceholder() abort
         call feedkeys(col("'>") - l:slen >= col('$') - 1 ? 'a' : 'i', 'n')
     elseif l:skip == 1
        normal! gv"sp
+       if l:visualmarker == 1
+           " if the text came by replacing a visual marker, indent the same
+           normal! gv=`]
+       endif
        let @s = l:old_s
        call s:SelectPlaceholder()
     else
@@ -174,6 +193,14 @@ function! s:SelectPlaceholder() abort
     let @s = l:old_s
 endfunction
 
+" function to get the selected text in a variable
+function! minisnip#CopyVisualSelection() abort
+    execute "'<,'>d"
+    let s:minisnip_selected_text = substitute(@", '\n\+$', '', '')
+    execute "normal! O\<Space>\<BS>\<Esc>"
+    startinsert!
+endfunction
+
 function! minisnip#complete() abort
     " Locate the start of the word
     let l:line = getline('.')
diff --git a/doc/minisnip.txt b/doc/minisnip.txt
index f16937e..ee4e18f 100644
--- a/doc/minisnip.txt
+++ b/doc/minisnip.txt
@@ -135,6 +135,33 @@ of how it can be used: >
 This will automatically fill the `#define` line with the value entered on the
 `#ifndef` line upon jumping to it.
 
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+                                                   *'g:minisnip_visualmarker'*
+Default: '~#'
+
+Marks a "visual" placeholder that gets replaced with the last visually
+selected text; after selecting the text, |'g:minisnip_trigger'| needs to be
+pressed before starting out with triggering a snippet.
+Here is an example of how it can be used: >
+    if (cond) {
+        {{+~#+}}
+    }
+
+Say the following text has to be surrounded by the above `if` snippet:
+    x = 10;
+    y = 20;
+
+First select the text and press `Tab` (or whatever is the value of
+|'g:minisnip_trigger'|), then trigger the `if` snippet as usual. Once the
+control reaches the visual placeholder, the output will be the following:
+    if (cond) {
+        x = 10;
+        y = 20;
+    }
+
+In case there is no text that was copied from the visual mode previously,
+the placeholder will simply land you to the insert mode.
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  *'g:minisnip_finalstartdelim'*
                                                    *'g:minisnip_finalenddelim'*
diff --git a/plugin/minisnip.vim b/plugin/minisnip.vim
index ea42291..b6a61a3 100644
--- a/plugin/minisnip.vim
+++ b/plugin/minisnip.vim
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ let g:minisnip_enddelim = get(g:, 'minisnip_enddelim', '+}}')
 let g:minisnip_finalstartdelim = get(g:, 'minisnip_finalstartdelim', '{{-')
 let g:minisnip_finalenddelim = get(g:, 'minisnip_finalenddelim', '-}}')
 let g:minisnip_evalmarker = get(g:, 'minisnip_evalmarker', '~')
+let g:minisnip_visualmarker = get(g:, 'minisnip_visualmarker', '~#')
 let g:minisnip_donotskipmarker = get(g:, 'minisnip_donotskipmarker', '`')
 let g:minisnip_backrefmarker = get(g:, 'minisnip_backrefmarker', '\\~')
 
@@ -33,12 +34,17 @@ snoremap <script> <expr> <Plug>(minisnip) minisnip#ShouldTrigger() ?
             \"\<esc>:call \minisnip#Minisnip()\<cr>" :
             \eval('"' . escape(g:minisnip_trigger, '\"<') . '"')
 inoremap <silent> <Plug>(minisnip-complete) <C-r>=minisnip#complete()<CR>
+xnoremap <silent> <Plug>(minisnip-visual) :<C-u>call minisnip#CopyVisualSelection()<CR>
 
 " add the default mappings if the user hasn't defined any
 if !hasmapto('<Plug>(minisnip)')
     execute 'imap <unique> ' . g:minisnip_trigger . ' <Plug>(minisnip)'
     execute 'smap <unique> ' . g:minisnip_trigger . ' <Plug>(minisnip)'
 endif
+" visual selection
+if !hasmapto('<Plug>(minisnip-visual)')
+    execute 'xmap <unique> ' . g:minisnip_trigger . ' <Plug>(minisnip-visual)'
+endif
 " Completion
 if !hasmapto('<Plug>(minisnip-complete)')
     imap <C-x><C-t> <Plug>(minisnip-complete)