diff --git a/src/Yi/Rope.hs b/src/Yi/Rope.hs
--- a/src/Yi/Rope.hs
+++ b/src/Yi/Rope.hs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
    Yi.Rope.replicate, Yi.Rope.replicateChar,
 
    -- * IO
-   ConverterName, Yi.Rope.readFile, Yi.Rope.writeFile,
+   ConverterName, unCn, Yi.Rope.readFile, Yi.Rope.writeFile,
    Yi.Rope.writeFileUsingText, Yi.Rope.writeFileWithConverter,
 
    -- * Escape latches to underlying content. Note that these are safe
@@ -649,6 +649,10 @@
 -- text. It is mostly here due to the lack of 'Binary' instance for
 -- 'Converter' itself.
 newtype ConverterName = CN String deriving (Show, Eq, Ord, Read, Typeable)
+
+-- | Returns the underlying string.
+unCn :: ConverterName -> String
+unCn (CN s) = s
 
 -- | Simply 'put's/'get's the underlying 'String'.
 instance Binary ConverterName where
diff --git a/yi-rope.cabal b/yi-rope.cabal
--- a/yi-rope.cabal
+++ b/yi-rope.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                yi-rope
-version:             0.5.0.0
+version:             0.5.0.1
 synopsis:            A rope data structure used by Yi
 description:         A rope data structure used by Yi
 license:             GPL-2