diff --git a/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCost.java b/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCost.java
index 3b90a03cb77..54bab8c80f1 100644
--- a/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCost.java
+++ b/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCost.java
@@ -226,6 +226,13 @@ public final class ManaCost implements Comparable<ManaCost> {
         return this.stringValue;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return unformatted cost string
+     */
+    public String getCostString() {
+        return ManaCostParser.stripFormatting(this.toString());
+    }
+
     /**
      * TODO: Write javadoc for this method.
      * @return
diff --git a/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCostParser.java b/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCostParser.java
index 1d515063002..91c4109a593 100644
--- a/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCostParser.java
+++ b/forge-core/src/main/java/forge/card/mana/ManaCostParser.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ public class ManaCostParser implements IParserManaCost {
     private final String[] cost;
     private int nextToken;
     private int colorlessCost;
-    
+
     /**
      * Parse the given cost and output formatted cost string
      * 
@@ -22,6 +22,15 @@ public class ManaCostParser implements IParserManaCost {
     	return manaCost.toString();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Strip formatting from the given formatted cost string
+     * 
+     * @param formattedCost
+     */
+    public static String stripFormatting(final String formattedCost) {
+        return formattedCost.replaceAll("\\{([A-Z0-9/]+)\\}", "$1 ").trim();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Instantiates a new parser cardname txt mana cost.
      * 
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java
index 553d168a06c..1b6dbf1283b 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/ai/ComputerUtilMana.java
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ public class ComputerUtilMana {
 
         if (abMana.isComboMana()) {
             int amount = manaAb.hasParam("Amount") ? AbilityUtils.calculateAmount(source, manaAb.getParam("Amount"), saRoot) : 1;
-            final ManaCostBeingPaid testCost = new ManaCostBeingPaid(cost.toString().replace("X ", ""));
+            final ManaCostBeingPaid testCost = new ManaCostBeingPaid(cost.getCostString().replace("X ", ""));
             final String[] comboColors = abMana.getComboColors().split(" ");
             for (int nMana = 1; nMana <= amount; nMana++) {
                 String choice = "";
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/GameActionUtil.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/GameActionUtil.java
index 697de450802..2d352fae94e 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/GameActionUtil.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/GameActionUtil.java
@@ -306,10 +306,10 @@ public final class GameActionUtil {
             if (sa.isSpell() && keyword.equals("You may cast CARDNAME any time you could cast an instant if you pay 2 more to cast it.")) {
                 final SpellAbility newSA = sa.copy();
                 newSA.setBasicSpell(false);
-                String cost = source.getManaCost().toString();
+                String cost = source.getManaCost().getCostString();
                 ManaCostBeingPaid newCost = new ManaCostBeingPaid(cost);
                 newCost.increaseColorlessMana(2);
-                cost = newCost.toString();
+                cost = newCost.getCostString();
                 final Cost actualcost = new Cost(cost, false);
                 newSA.setPayCosts(actualcost);
                 SpellAbilityRestriction sar = new SpellAbilityRestriction();
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/AbilityUtils.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/AbilityUtils.java
index 1aeeb117809..3e0b04a9974 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/AbilityUtils.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/AbilityUtils.java
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ package forge.game.ability;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
-
 import forge.ai.ComputerUtil;
 import forge.ai.ComputerUtilCost;
 import forge.card.MagicColor;
 import forge.card.mana.ManaCostShard;
+
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
         final List<Card> cards = new ArrayList<Card>();
         final String defined = (def == null) ? "Self" : def; // default to Self
         final Game game = hostCard.getGame();
-        
+
         Card c = null;
 
         if (defined.equals("Self")) {
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
             else if (defined.startsWith("Tapped")) {
                 list = sa.getRootAbility().getPaidList("Tapped");
             }
-            
+
             else if (defined.startsWith("Untapped")) {
                 list = sa.getRootAbility().getPaidList("Untapped");
             }
@@ -297,14 +297,14 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
     public static int calculateAmount(final Card card, String amount, final SpellAbility ability) {
         // return empty strings and constants
         if (StringUtils.isBlank(amount)) { return 0; }
-        final Game game = card.getController().getGame(); 
+        final Game game = card.getController().getGame();
 
         // Strip and save sign for calculations
         final boolean startsWithPlus = amount.charAt(0) == '+';
         final boolean startsWithMinus = amount.charAt(0) == '-';
         if (startsWithPlus || startsWithMinus) { amount = amount.substring(1); }
         int multiplier = startsWithMinus ? -1 : 1;
-        
+
         // return result soon for plain numbers
         if (StringUtils.isNumeric(amount)) { return Integer.parseInt(amount) * multiplier; }
 
@@ -321,8 +321,8 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
             }
             svarval = card.getSVar(amount);
         }
-        
-        if (StringUtils.isBlank(svarval)) { 
+
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(svarval)) {
             // Some variables may be not chosen yet at this moment
             // So return 0 and don't issue an error.
             if (amount.equals("ChosenX")) {
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
             }
 
             return CardFactoryUtil.handlePaid(list, calcX[1], card) * multiplier;
-        } 
+        }
 
         if (calcX[0].matches("Enchanted")) {
             // Add whole Enchanted list to handlePaid
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
 
         if (ability == null)
             return 0;
-        
+
         // Player attribute counting
         if (calcX[0].startsWith("TargetedPlayer")) {
             final ArrayList<Player> players = new ArrayList<Player>();
@@ -705,7 +705,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
         if (eqIndex >= 0) {
             char reference = valid.charAt(eqIndex + 2); // take whatever goes after EQ
             if( Character.isLetter(reference)) {
-                String varName = valid.substring(eqIndex + 2, eqIndex + 3); 
+                String varName = valid.substring(eqIndex + 2, eqIndex + 3);
                 valid = valid.replace("EQ" + varName, "EQ" + Integer.toString(calculateAmount(source, varName, sa)));
             }
         }
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
                 if (!players.contains(p)) {
                     players.add(p);
                 }
-            } 
+            }
         } else if (defined.equals("Remembered")) {
             for (final Object rem : card.getRemembered()) {
                 if (rem instanceof Player) {
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
         } else if (defined.startsWith("OppNonTriggered")) {
             players.addAll(sa.getActivatingPlayer().getOpponents());
             players.removeAll(getDefinedPlayers(card, defined.substring(6), sa));
-            
+
         } else if (defined.startsWith("Replaced")) {
             final SpellAbility root = sa.getRootAbility();
             Object o = null;
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
         final ArrayList<SpellAbility> sas = new ArrayList<SpellAbility>();
         final String defined = (def == null) ? "Self" : def; // default to Self
         final Game game = sa.getActivatingPlayer().getGame();
-        
+
         SpellAbility s = null;
 
         // TODO - this probably needs to be fleshed out a bit, but the basics
@@ -1130,20 +1130,20 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
         final boolean execSubsWhenPaid = "WhenPaid".equals(resolveSubs) || StringUtils.isBlank(resolveSubs);
         final boolean execSubsWhenNotPaid = "WhenNotPaid".equals(resolveSubs) || StringUtils.isBlank(resolveSubs);
         final boolean isSwitched = sa.hasParam("UnlessSwitched");
-        
+
         // The cost
         if (unlessCost.equals("CardManaCost")) {
-            unlessCost = source.getManaCost().toString();
+            unlessCost = source.getManaCost().getCostString();
         } else if (unlessCost.equals("RememberedCostMinus2")) {
             if (source.getRemembered().isEmpty() || !(source.getRemembered().get(0) instanceof Card)) {
                 sa.resolve();
                 resolveSubAbilities(sa, game);
             }
             Card rememberedCard = (Card) source.getRemembered().get(0);
-            unlessCost = rememberedCard.getManaCost().toString();
+            unlessCost = rememberedCard.getManaCost().getCostString();
             ManaCostBeingPaid newCost = new ManaCostBeingPaid(unlessCost.toString());
             newCost.decreaseColorlessMana(2);
-            unlessCost = newCost.toString();
+            unlessCost = newCost.getCostString();
         } else if( !StringUtils.isBlank(sa.getSVar(unlessCost)) || !StringUtils.isBlank(source.getSVar(unlessCost))) {
             // check for X costs (stored in SVars
             int xCost = calculateAmount(source, sa.getParam("UnlessCost").replace(" ", ""), sa);
@@ -1151,12 +1151,11 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
             ManaCostBeingPaid toPay = new ManaCostBeingPaid("0");
             byte xColor = MagicColor.fromName(sa.hasParam("UnlessXColor") ? sa.getParam("UnlessXColor") : "1");
             toPay.increaseShard(ManaCostShard.valueOf(xColor), xCost);
-            unlessCost = toPay.toString();
+            unlessCost = toPay.getCostString();
         }
 
         final Cost cost = new Cost(unlessCost, true);
 
-
         boolean paid = false;
         for (Player payer : payers) {
             final Ability ability = new AbilityStatic(source, cost, sa.getTargetRestrictions()) { @Override public void resolve() { } };
@@ -1172,7 +1171,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
             }
         }
 
-        if( paid == isSwitched ) { 
+        if( paid == isSwitched ) {
             sa.resolve();
         }
 
@@ -1262,7 +1261,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
                     return CardFactoryUtil.doXMath(Integer.parseInt(sq[2]), expr, c); // not Kicked
                 }
             }
-            
+
           //Count$SearchedLibrary.<DefinedPlayer>
             if(sq[0].contains("SearchedLibrary")) {
                 int sum = 0;
@@ -1270,7 +1269,7 @@ public class AbilityUtils {
                 {
                     sum += p.getLibrarySearched();
                 }
-                
+
                 return sum;
             }
 
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/ManaEffect.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/ManaEffect.java
index fb680c1b163..b2cc4ca9c80 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/ManaEffect.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/ability/effects/ManaEffect.java
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ public class ManaEffect extends SpellAbilityEffect {
                         if (card.getEnchanting() != null ) {
                             Card enchanted = card.getEnchantingCard();
                             // Remove X and phyrexian mana
-                            choice = enchanted.getManaCost().toString().replaceAll("X|/P", "").trim();
+                            choice = enchanted.getManaCost().getCostString().replaceAll("X|/P", "").trim();
                         }
                     }
                     if (choice.equals("no cost") || choice.isEmpty()) {
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/Card.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/Card.java
index bcfcc59d0fa..8fc1e638e7e 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/Card.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/Card.java
@@ -2113,7 +2113,6 @@ public class Card extends GameEntity implements Comparable<Card> {
             } else if (keyword.equals("Unblockable")) {
                 sbLong.append(this.getName()).append(" can't be blocked.\r\n");
             }
-
             else {
                 if ((i != 0) && (sb.length() != 0)) {
                     sb.append(", ");
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/CardFactoryUtil.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/CardFactoryUtil.java
index aaebb5a207e..f0c2c670438 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/CardFactoryUtil.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/card/CardFactoryUtil.java
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ public class CardFactoryUtil {
      * @return a int.
      */
     public static int getNumberOfManaSymbolsByColor(final String colorAbb, final Card card) {
-        return countOccurrences(card.getManaCost().toString().trim(), colorAbb);
+        return countOccurrences(card.getManaCost().getCostString(), colorAbb);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java
index e7e5b2ac6fa..c513f994468 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/mana/ManaCostBeingPaid.java
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ public class ManaCostBeingPaid {
     private final String sourceRestriction;
     private byte sunburstMap = 0;
     private int cntX = 0;
-    
+
     /**
      * Copy constructor
      * @param manaCostBeingPaid
@@ -494,6 +494,13 @@ public class ManaCostBeingPaid {
         return this.toString(true);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return unformatted cost string
+     */
+    public String getCostString() {
+        return ManaCostParser.stripFormatting(this.toString());
+    }
+
     /**
      * <p>
      * getConvertedManaCost.
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/staticability/StaticAbilityCostChange.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/staticability/StaticAbilityCostChange.java
index eb10ca7ec9e..f48fca30066 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/staticability/StaticAbilityCostChange.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/game/staticability/StaticAbilityCostChange.java
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ public class StaticAbilityCostChange {
 
         if (!params.containsKey("Color")) {
             manaCost.increaseColorlessMana(value);
-            if (manaCost.toString().equals("0") && params.containsKey("MinMana")) {
+            if (manaCost.toString().equals("{0}") && params.containsKey("MinMana")) {
                 manaCost.increaseColorlessMana(Integer.valueOf(params.get("MinMana")));
             }
         } else {
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ public class StaticAbilityCostChange {
      */
     public static void applyReduceCostAbility(final StaticAbility staticAbility, final SpellAbility sa, final ManaCostBeingPaid manaCost) {
         //Can't reduce zero cost
-        if (manaCost.toString().equals("0")) {
+        if (manaCost.toString().equals("{0}")) {
             return;
         }
         final HashMap<String, String> params = staticAbility.getMapParams();
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gui/input/InputPayManaSimple.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gui/input/InputPayManaSimple.java
index 3c7523445a0..57890a014cc 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gui/input/InputPayManaSimple.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gui/input/InputPayManaSimple.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class InputPayManaSimple extends InputPayMana {
 
     public InputPayManaSimple(final Game game, final SpellAbility sa, final ManaCostBeingPaid manaCostToPay) {
         super(sa);
-        this.originalManaCost = manaCostToPay.toString(); // Change
+        this.originalManaCost = manaCostToPay.getCostString(); // Change
         this.originalCard = sa.getSourceCard();
 
         if (sa.getSourceCard().isCopiedSpell() && sa.isSpell()) {
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/test/java/forge/card/mana/ManaPartTest.java b/forge-gui/src/test/java/forge/card/mana/ManaPartTest.java
index a134aa40bc5..58d07632bfd 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/test/java/forge/card/mana/ManaPartTest.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/test/java/forge/card/mana/ManaPartTest.java
@@ -379,10 +379,10 @@ public class ManaPartTest {
         this.check(35, p24.isAnyPartPayableWith(MagicColor.GREEN));
 
         p24.payMana("B");
-        this.check(36, p24.toString().equals("2/B 2/B"));
+        this.check(36, p24.toString().equals("{2/B}{2/B}"));
 
         p24.payMana("B");
-        this.check(37, p24.toString().equals("2/B"));
+        this.check(37, p24.toString().equals("{2/B}"));
 
         p24.payMana("B");
         this.check(38, p24.isPaid());
@@ -390,18 +390,18 @@ public class ManaPartTest {
         final ManaCostBeingPaid p25 = new ManaCostBeingPaid("2/G");
 
         p25.payMana("1");
-        this.check(39, p25.toString().equals("1"));
+        this.check(39, p25.toString().equals("{1}"));
 
         p25.payMana("W");
         this.check(40, p25.isPaid());
 
-        final ManaCostBeingPaid p27 = new ManaCostBeingPaid("2/R 2/R");
+        final ManaCostBeingPaid p27 = new ManaCostBeingPaid("{2/R}{2/R}");
 
         p27.payMana("1");
-        this.check(41, p27.toString().equals("2/R 1"));
+        this.check(41, p27.toString().equals("{2/R}{1}"));
 
         p27.payMana("W");
-        this.check(42, p27.toString().equals("2/R"));
+        this.check(42, p27.toString().equals("{2/R}"));
 
         final ManaCostBeingPaid p26 = new ManaCostBeingPaid("2/W 2/W");