diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js b/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
index 0aff6781ee..72091f2e1c 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
@@ -166,6 +166,17 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
             contentBody.format = newContent.format;
             contentBody.formatted_body = ` * ${newContent.formatted_body}`;
         }
+
+        // if nothing has changed then bail
+        const oldContent = this.props.editState.getEvent().getContent();
+        if (oldContent["msgtype"] === newContent["msgtype"] && oldContent["body"] === newContent["body"] &&
+            oldContent["format"] === newContent["format"] &&
+            oldContent["formatted_body"] === newContent["formatted_body"]) {
+            console.log("skipping");
+            this._cancelEdit();
+            return;
+        }
+
         const content = Object.assign({
             "m.new_content": newContent,
             "m.relates_to": {