diff --git a/src/dialogxml/widgets/button.cpp b/src/dialogxml/widgets/button.cpp
index 08e1dcea0..5dcb5df43 100644
--- a/src/dialogxml/widgets/button.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogxml/widgets/button.cpp
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ void cButton::draw(){
 		} else if(type == BTN_PUSH) {
 			to_rect.top += 42;
 			style.colour = textClr;
-			int w = string_length(lbl, style);
+			int w = string_length(getText(), style);
 			to_rect.inset((w - 30) / -2,0);
 		}
-		std::string label = lbl, keyDesc = getAttachedKeyDescription();
+		std::string label = getText(), keyDesc = getAttachedKeyDescription();
 		for(size_t key_pos = label.find_first_of(KEY_PLACEHOLDER); key_pos < label.size(); key_pos = label.find_first_of(KEY_PLACEHOLDER)) {
 			label.replace(key_pos, 1, keyDesc);
 		}
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ void cButton::validatePostParse(ticpp::Element& elem, std::string fname, const s
 	if(labelledButtons.count(type)) {
 		if(!attrs.count("color") && !attrs.count("colour") && parent->getBg() == cDialog::BG_DARK)
 			setColour(sf::Color::White);
-		if(!lbl.empty() && !attrs.count("width"))
+		if(!getText().empty() && !attrs.count("width"))
 			throw xMissingAttr(elem.Value(), "width", elem.Row(), elem.Column(), fname);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.cpp b/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.cpp
index 40f78c9a9..8a67712cf 100644
--- a/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.cpp
@@ -603,8 +603,8 @@ cControl::storage_t cControl::store() const {
 
 void cControl::restore(storage_t to) {
 	if(to.find("text") != to.end())
-		lbl = boost::any_cast<std::string>(to["text"]);
-	else lbl = "";
+		setText(boost::any_cast<std::string>(to["text"]));
+	else setText("");
 	if(to.find("visible") != to.end())
 		boost::any_cast<bool>(to["visible"]) ? show() : hide();
 }
diff --git a/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.hpp b/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.hpp
index e1f4adb90..dd988aae7 100644
--- a/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.hpp
+++ b/src/dialogxml/widgets/control.hpp
@@ -435,8 +435,6 @@ protected:
 	/// The parent window of the control.
 	/// This is for use in implementing draw().
 	sf::RenderWindow* inWindow;
-	/// The control's current text.
-	std::string lbl;
 	/// Whether the control is visible
 	bool visible, depressed = false; ///< Whether the control is depressed; only applicable for clickable controls
 	/// The control's bounding rect.
@@ -457,6 +455,8 @@ protected:
 	void playClickSound();
 private:
 	friend class cDialog; // TODO: This is only so it can access parseColour... hack!
+	/// The control's current text.
+	std::string lbl;
 	eControlType type;
 	std::map<eDlogEvt, boost::any> event_handlers;
 	// Transient values only used during parsing
diff --git a/src/dialogxml/widgets/led.cpp b/src/dialogxml/widgets/led.cpp
index 6c1210f0f..87513e7c9 100644
--- a/src/dialogxml/widgets/led.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogxml/widgets/led.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void cLed::draw(){
 		style.colour = textClr;
 		to_rect.right = frame.right;
 		to_rect.left = frame.left + 18; // Possibly could be 20
-		win_draw_string(*inWindow,to_rect,lbl,wrapLabel ? eTextMode::WRAP : eTextMode::LEFT_TOP,style);
+		win_draw_string(*inWindow,to_rect,getText(),wrapLabel ? eTextMode::WRAP : eTextMode::LEFT_TOP,style);
 	}
 
 	inWindow->setActive();
diff --git a/src/dialogxml/widgets/message.cpp b/src/dialogxml/widgets/message.cpp
index 3d692b6dc..ec96ec995 100644
--- a/src/dialogxml/widgets/message.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogxml/widgets/message.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void cTextMsg::setFixed(bool w, bool h) {
 
 void cTextMsg::calculate_layout() {
 	to_rect = frame;
-	msg = lbl;
+	msg = getText();
 	for(const auto& key : keyRefs) {
 		size_t pos = msg.find_first_of(KEY_PLACEHOLDER);
 		if(pos == std::string::npos) break;
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ void cTextMsg::recalcRect() {
 	style.pointSize = textSize;
 	style.underline = underlined;
 	style.lineHeight = textSize + 2;
-	std::string test = lbl;
+	std::string test = getText();
 	size_t lines = 1, cur_line_chars = 0, max_line_chars = 0;
 	// Substitute | with newlines for measuring
 	for(auto& c : test) {
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ void cTextMsg::recalcRect() {
 	temp.create(frame.width(), frame.height());
 	rectangle test_rect = calc_rect;
 	test_rect.offset(-test_rect.left, -test_rect.top);
-	rects = draw_string_hilite(temp, test_rect, lbl, style, hilites, sf::Color::Black);
+	rects = draw_string_hilite(temp, test_rect, getText(), style, hilites, sf::Color::Black);
 	if(rects.empty()) return;
 	// Basically take the the union of the rects, and add 8 to its height or width
 	rectangle combo = rects.back();