diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/menubar.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/menubar.js
index a3d3ec0..e7da920 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/menubar.js
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/menubar.js
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         this.element.find('#to_markdown').click(function () {
             IPython.notebook.to_markdown();
         });
-        this.element.find('#to_plaintext').click(function () {
-            IPython.notebook.to_plaintext();
+        this.element.find('#to_raw').click(function () {
+            IPython.notebook.to_raw();
         });
         this.element.find('#to_heading1').click(function () {
             IPython.notebook.to_heading(undefined, 1);
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js
index 8836013..12ac322 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
                 that.control_key_active = false;
                 return false;
             } else if (event.which === 84 && that.control_key_active) {
-                // To Plaintext = t
-                that.to_plaintext();
+                // To Raw = t
+                that.to_raw();
                 that.control_key_active = false;
                 return false;
             } else if (event.which === 49 && that.control_key_active) {
@@ -523,8 +523,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
                 cell = new IPython.MarkdownCell(this);
             } else if (type === 'html') {
                 cell = new IPython.HTMLCell(this);
-            } else if (type === 'plaintext') {
-                cell = new IPython.PlaintextCell(this);
+            } else if (type === 'raw') {
+                cell = new IPython.RawCell(this);
             } else if (type === 'heading') {
                 cell = new IPython.HeadingCell(this);
             };
@@ -557,8 +557,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
                 cell = new IPython.MarkdownCell(this);
             } else if (type === 'html') {
                 cell = new IPython.HTMLCell(this);
-            } else if (type === 'plaintext') {
-                cell = new IPython.PlaintextCell(this);
+            } else if (type === 'raw') {
+                cell = new IPython.RawCell(this);
             } else if (type === 'heading') {
                 cell = new IPython.HeadingCell(this);
             };
@@ -640,14 +640,14 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
     };
 
 
-    Notebook.prototype.to_plaintext = function (index) {
+    Notebook.prototype.to_raw = function (index) {
         var i = this.index_or_selected(index);
         if (this.is_valid_cell_index(i)) {
             var source_element = this.get_cell_element(i);
             var source_cell = source_element.data("cell");
             var target_cell = null;
-            if (!(source_cell instanceof IPython.PlaintextCell)) {
-                target_cell = this.insert_cell_below('plaintext',i);
+            if (!(source_cell instanceof IPython.RawCell)) {
+                target_cell = this.insert_cell_below('raw',i);
                 var text = source_cell.get_text();
                 if (text === source_cell.placeholder) {
                     text = '';
@@ -1197,6 +1197,12 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
             var new_cell = null;
             for (i=0; i<ncells; i++) {
                 cell_data = new_cells[i];
+                // VERSIONHACK: plaintext -> raw
+                // handle never-released plaintext name for raw cells
+                if (cell_data.cell_type === 'plaintext'){
+                    cell_data.cell_type = 'raw';
+                }
+                
                 new_cell = this.insert_cell_below(cell_data.cell_type);
                 new_cell.fromJSON(cell_data);
             };
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/quickhelp.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/quickhelp.js
index 4edd117..3376883 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/quickhelp.js
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/quickhelp.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
             {key: 'Ctrl-m k', help: 'move cell up'},
             {key: 'Ctrl-m y', help: 'code cell'},
             {key: 'Ctrl-m m', help: 'markdown cell'},
-            {key: 'Ctrl-m t', help: 'plaintext cell'},
+            {key: 'Ctrl-m t', help: 'raw cell'},
             {key: 'Ctrl-m 1-6', help: 'heading 1-6 cell'},
             {key: 'Ctrl-m p', help: 'select previous'},
             {key: 'Ctrl-m n', help: 'select next'},
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/textcell.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/textcell.js
index 4ee76b1..edf7298 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/textcell.js
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/textcell.js
@@ -237,33 +237,33 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
     };
 
 
-    // PlaintextCell
+    // RawCell
 
-    var PlaintextCell = function (notebook) {
+    var RawCell = function (notebook) {
         this.placeholder = "Type plain text and LaTeX: $\\alpha^2$";
         this.code_mirror_mode = 'rst';
         IPython.TextCell.apply(this, arguments);
-        this.cell_type = 'plaintext';
+        this.cell_type = 'raw';
     };
 
 
-    PlaintextCell.prototype = new TextCell();
+    RawCell.prototype = new TextCell();
 
 
-    PlaintextCell.prototype.render = function () {
+    RawCell.prototype.render = function () {
         this.rendered = true;
         this.edit();
     };
 
 
-    PlaintextCell.prototype.select = function () {
+    RawCell.prototype.select = function () {
         IPython.Cell.prototype.select.apply(this);
         this.code_mirror.refresh();
         this.code_mirror.focus();
     };
 
 
-    PlaintextCell.prototype.at_top = function () {
+    RawCell.prototype.at_top = function () {
         var cursor = this.code_mirror.getCursor();
         if (cursor.line === 0) {
             return true;
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
     };
 
 
-    PlaintextCell.prototype.at_bottom = function () {
+    RawCell.prototype.at_bottom = function () {
         var cursor = this.code_mirror.getCursor();
         if (cursor.line === (this.code_mirror.lineCount()-1)) {
             return true;
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
     IPython.TextCell = TextCell;
     IPython.HTMLCell = HTMLCell;
     IPython.MarkdownCell = MarkdownCell;
-    IPython.PlaintextCell = PlaintextCell;
+    IPython.RawCell = RawCell;
     IPython.HeadingCell = HeadingCell;
 
 
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/toolbar.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/toolbar.js
index 564ed0a..a7e337c 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/toolbar.js
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/toolbar.js
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
                 IPython.notebook.to_code();
             } else if (cell_type === 'markdown')  {
                 IPython.notebook.to_markdown();
-            } else if (cell_type === 'plaintext')  {
-                IPython.notebook.to_plaintext();
+            } else if (cell_type === 'raw')  {
+                IPython.notebook.to_raw();
             } else if (cell_type === 'heading1')  {
                 IPython.notebook.to_heading(undefined, 1);
             } else if (cell_type === 'heading2')  {
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
index 97f384d..7a6e3e9 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ data-notebook-id={{notebook_id}}
                 <hr/>
                 <li id="to_code"><a href="#">Code</a></li>
                 <li id="to_markdown"><a href="#">Markdown </a></li>
-                <li id="to_plaintext"><a href="#">Plaintext</a></li>
+                <li id="to_raw"><a href="#">Raw Text</a></li>
                 <li id="to_heading1"><a href="#">Heading 1</a></li>
                 <li id="to_heading2"><a href="#">Heading 2</a></li>
                 <li id="to_heading3"><a href="#">Heading 3</a></li>
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ data-notebook-id={{notebook_id}}
         <select id="cell_type">
              <option value="code">Code</option>
              <option value="markdown">Markdown</option>
-             <option value="plaintext">Plaintext</option>
+             <option value="raw">Raw Text</option>
              <option value="heading1">Heading 1</option>
              <option value="heading2">Heading 2</option>
              <option value="heading3">Heading 3</option>
diff --git a/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbbase.py b/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbbase.py
index 8387484..2bc2fd4 100644
--- a/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbbase.py
+++ b/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbbase.py
@@ -114,6 +114,10 @@ def new_code_cell(input=None, prompt_number=None, outputs=None,
 def new_text_cell(cell_type, source=None, rendered=None):
     """Create a new text cell."""
     cell = NotebookNode()
+    # VERSIONHACK: plaintext -> raw
+    # handle never-released plaintext name for raw cells
+    if cell_type == 'plaintext':
+        cell_type = 'raw'
     if source is not None:
         cell.source = unicode(source)
     if rendered is not None:
diff --git a/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbpy.py b/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbpy.py
index aab6523..1130cee 100644
--- a/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbpy.py
+++ b/IPython/nbformat/v3/nbpy.py
@@ -68,11 +68,12 @@ class PyReader(NotebookReader):
                 state = u'markdowncell'
                 cell_lines = []
                 kwargs = {}
-            elif line.startswith(u'# <plaintextcell>'):
+            # VERSIONHACK: plaintext -> raw
+            elif line.startswith(u'# <rawcell>') or line.startswith(u'# <plaintextcell>'):
                 cell = self.new_cell(state, cell_lines, **kwargs)
                 if cell is not None:
                     cells.append(cell)
-                state = u'plaintextcell'
+                state = u'rawcell'
                 cell_lines = []
                 kwargs = {}
             elif line.startswith(u'# <headingcell'):
@@ -113,10 +114,10 @@ class PyReader(NotebookReader):
             text = self._remove_comments(lines)
             if text:
                 return new_text_cell(u'markdown',source=text)
-        elif state == u'plaintextcell':
+        elif state == u'rawcell':
             text = self._remove_comments(lines)
             if text:
-                return new_text_cell(u'plaintext',source=text)
+                return new_text_cell(u'raw',source=text)
         elif state == u'headingcell':
             text = self._remove_comments(lines)
             level = kwargs.get('level',1)
@@ -172,10 +173,10 @@ class PyWriter(NotebookWriter):
                         lines.extend([u'# <markdowncell>',u''])
                         lines.extend([u'# ' + line for line in input.splitlines()])
                         lines.append(u'')
-                elif cell.cell_type == u'plaintext':
+                elif cell.cell_type == u'raw':
                     input = cell.get(u'source')
                     if input is not None:
-                        lines.extend([u'# <plaintextcell>',u''])
+                        lines.extend([u'# <rawcell>',u''])
                         lines.extend([u'# ' + line for line in input.splitlines()])
                         lines.append(u'')
                 elif cell.cell_type == u'heading':
diff --git a/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/nbexamples.py b/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/nbexamples.py
index 16a54c4..d853634 100644
--- a/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/nbexamples.py
+++ b/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/nbexamples.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ ws.cells.append(new_text_cell(
 ))
 
 ws.cells.append(new_text_cell(
-    u'plaintext',
+    u'raw',
     source='A random array',
 ))
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ import numpy
 
 # A random array
 
-# <plaintextcell>
+# <rawcell>
 
 # A random array
 
diff --git a/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/test_nbbase.py b/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/test_nbbase.py
index d3e1190..6800d69 100644
--- a/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/test_nbbase.py
+++ b/IPython/nbformat/v3/tests/test_nbbase.py
@@ -59,14 +59,14 @@ class TestCell(TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(tc.source, u'hi')
         self.assertEquals(tc.rendered, u'hi')
 
-    def test_empty_plaintext_cell(self):
-        tc = new_text_cell(u'plaintext')
-        self.assertEquals(tc.cell_type, u'plaintext')
+    def test_empty_raw_cell(self):
+        tc = new_text_cell(u'raw')
+        self.assertEquals(tc.cell_type, u'raw')
         self.assertEquals(u'source' not in tc, True)
         self.assertEquals(u'rendered' not in tc, True)
 
-    def test_plaintext_cell(self):
-        tc = new_text_cell(u'plaintext', 'hi', 'hi')
+    def test_raw_cell(self):
+        tc = new_text_cell(u'raw', 'hi', 'hi')
         self.assertEquals(tc.source, u'hi')
         self.assertEquals(tc.rendered, u'hi')