diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a89a5c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*~*
diff --git a/anki-editor.el b/anki-editor.el
index 609ad94..0ba3f66 100644
--- a/anki-editor.el
+++ b/anki-editor.el
@@ -549,42 +549,41 @@ Where the subtree is created depends on PREFIX."
 	     (values (and value (split-string value))))
     (mapcar #'org-entry-restore-space values)))
 
+(defun anki-editor--export-subtree ()
+  (let ((org-export-show-temporary-export-buffer nil)
+        (outbuf "*anki-editor-export*"))
+    (org-export-to-buffer
+        anki-editor--ox-anki-html-backend
+        outbuf nil t nil t
+        anki-editor--ox-export-ext-plist)
+    (with-current-buffer outbuf
+      (buffer-substring-no-properties (point-min) (point-max)))))
+
 (defun anki-editor--build-fields ()
-  "Build a list of fields from subheadings of current heading, each element of which is a cons cell, the car of which is field name and the cdr of which is field content."
+  "Build a list of fields from subheadings of current heading, each
+element of which is a cons cell, the car of which is field name
+and the cdr of which is field content."
   (save-excursion
     (let (fields
           (point-of-last-child (point)))
       (when (org-goto-first-child)
         (while (/= point-of-last-child (point))
           (setq point-of-last-child (point))
-          (let* ((inhibit-message t)  ;; suppress echo message from `org-babel-exp-src-block'
+          (let* ((inhibit-message t)  ;; suppress echo message from
+                                      ;; `org-babel-exp-src-block'
                  (field-heading (org-element-at-point))
                  (field-name (substring-no-properties
                               (org-element-property
                                :raw-value
-                               field-heading)))
-                 (contents-begin (org-element-property :contents-begin field-heading))
-                 (contents-end (org-element-property :contents-end field-heading)))
+                               field-heading))))
 
             (push (cons field-name
-                        (cond
-                         ((and contents-begin contents-end) (or (org-export-string-as
-                                                                 (buffer-substring
-                                                                  contents-begin
-                                                                  ;; in case the buffer is narrowed,
-                                                                  ;; e.g. by `org-map-entries' when
-                                                                  ;; scope is `tree'
-                                                                  (min (point-max) contents-end))
-                                                                 anki-editor--ox-anki-html-backend
-                                                                 t
-                                                                 anki-editor--ox-export-ext-plist)
-
-                                                                ;; 8.2.10 version of
-                                                                ;; `org-export-filter-apply-functions'
-                                                                ;; returns nil for an input of empty string,
-                                                                ;; which will cause AnkiConnect to fail
-                                                                ""))
-                         (t "")))
+                        (or (anki-editor--export-subtree)
+                            ;; 8.2.10 version of
+                            ;; `org-export-filter-apply-functions'
+                            ;; returns nil for an input of empty string,
+                            ;; which will cause AnkiConnect to fail
+                            ""))
                   fields)
             (org-forward-heading-same-level nil t))))
       (reverse fields))))