diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
index 8f95c9cf5c..bfa4860160 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
@@ -383,8 +383,8 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
     render: function() {
         if (this.props.editState) {
-            const MessageEditor = sdk.getComponent('elements.MessageEditor');
-            return <MessageEditor editState={this.props.editState} className="mx_EventTile_content" />;
+            const EditMessageComposer = sdk.getComponent('rooms.EditMessageComposer');
+            return <EditMessageComposer editState={this.props.editState} className="mx_EventTile_content" />;
         }
         const mxEvent = this.props.mxEvent;
         const content = mxEvent.getContent();
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76de9a6794
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,232 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 New Vector Ltd
+Copyright 2019 The Matrix.org Foundation C.I.C.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+import React from 'react';
+import {_t} from '../../../languageHandler';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import dis from '../../../dispatcher';
+import EditorModel from '../../../editor/model';
+import HistoryManager from '../../../editor/history';
+import {setCaretPosition} from '../../../editor/caret';
+import {getCaretOffsetAndText} from '../../../editor/dom';
+import Autocomplete from '../rooms/Autocomplete';
+import {autoCompleteCreator} from '../../../editor/parts';
+import {renderModel} from '../../../editor/render';
+import {Room} from 'matrix-js-sdk';
+
+const IS_MAC = navigator.platform.indexOf("Mac") !== -1;
+
+export default class BasicMessageEditor extends React.Component {
+    static propTypes = {
+        model: PropTypes.instanceOf(EditorModel).isRequired,
+        room: PropTypes.instanceOf(Room).isRequired,
+    };
+
+    constructor(props, context) {
+        super(props, context);
+        this.state = {
+            autoComplete: null,
+        };
+        this._editorRef = null;
+        this._autocompleteRef = null;
+        this._modifiedFlag = false;
+    }
+
+    _updateEditorState = (caret, inputType, diff) => {
+        renderModel(this._editorRef, this.props.model);
+        if (caret) {
+            try {
+                setCaretPosition(this._editorRef, this.props.model, caret);
+            } catch (err) {
+                console.error(err);
+            }
+        }
+        this.setState({autoComplete: this.props.model.autoComplete});
+        this.historyManager.tryPush(this.props.model, caret, inputType, diff);
+    }
+
+    _onInput = (event) => {
+        this._modifiedFlag = true;
+        const sel = document.getSelection();
+        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, sel);
+        this.props.model.update(text, event.inputType, caret);
+    }
+
+    _insertText(textToInsert, inputType = "insertText") {
+        const sel = document.getSelection();
+        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, sel);
+        const newText = text.substr(0, caret.offset) + textToInsert + text.substr(caret.offset);
+        caret.offset += textToInsert.length;
+        this.props.model.update(newText, inputType, caret);
+    }
+
+    _isCaretAtStart() {
+        const {caret} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, document.getSelection());
+        return caret.offset === 0;
+    }
+
+    _isCaretAtEnd() {
+        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, document.getSelection());
+        return caret.offset === text.length;
+    }
+
+    _onKeyDown = (event) => {
+        const model = this.props.model;
+        const modKey = IS_MAC ? event.metaKey : event.ctrlKey;
+        let handled = false;
+        // undo
+        if (modKey && event.key === "z") {
+            if (this.historyManager.canUndo()) {
+                const {parts, caret} = this.historyManager.undo(this.props.model);
+                // pass matching inputType so historyManager doesn't push echo
+                // when invoked from rerender callback.
+                model.reset(parts, caret, "historyUndo");
+            }
+            handled = true;
+        // redo
+        } else if (modKey && event.key === "y") {
+            if (this.historyManager.canRedo()) {
+                const {parts, caret} = this.historyManager.redo();
+                // pass matching inputType so historyManager doesn't push echo
+                // when invoked from rerender callback.
+                model.reset(parts, caret, "historyRedo");
+            }
+            handled = true;
+        // insert newline on Shift+Enter
+        } else if (event.shiftKey && event.key === "Enter") {
+            this._insertText("\n");
+            handled = true;
+        // autocomplete or enter to send below shouldn't have any modifier keys pressed.
+        } else if (!(event.metaKey || event.altKey || event.shiftKey)) {
+            if (model.autoComplete) {
+                const autoComplete = model.autoComplete;
+                switch (event.key) {
+                    case "Enter":
+                        autoComplete.onEnter(event); break;
+                    case "ArrowUp":
+                        autoComplete.onUpArrow(event); break;
+                    case "ArrowDown":
+                        autoComplete.onDownArrow(event); break;
+                    case "Tab":
+                        autoComplete.onTab(event); break;
+                    case "Escape":
+                        autoComplete.onEscape(event); break;
+                    default:
+                        return; // don't preventDefault on anything else
+                }
+                handled = true;
+            }
+        }
+        if (handled) {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            event.stopPropagation();
+        }
+    }
+
+    _cancelEdit = () => {
+        dis.dispatch({action: "edit_event", event: null});
+        dis.dispatch({action: 'focus_composer'});
+    }
+
+    isModified() {
+        return this._modifiedFlag;
+    }
+
+    _onAutoCompleteConfirm = (completion) => {
+        this.props.model.autoComplete.onComponentConfirm(completion);
+    }
+
+    _onAutoCompleteSelectionChange = (completion) => {
+        this.props.model.autoComplete.onComponentSelectionChange(completion);
+    }
+
+    componentWillUnmount() {
+        this._editorRef.removeEventListener("input", this._onInput, true);
+    }
+
+    componentDidMount() {
+        const model = this.props.model;
+        model.setUpdateCallback(this._updateEditorState);
+        const partCreator = model.partCreator;
+        // TODO: does this allow us to get rid of EditorStateTransfer?
+        // not really, but we could not serialize the parts, and just change the autoCompleter
+        partCreator.setAutoCompleteCreator(autoCompleteCreator(
+            () => this._autocompleteRef,
+            query => this.setState({query}),
+        ));
+        this.historyManager = new HistoryManager(partCreator);
+        // initial render of model
+        this._updateEditorState(this._getInitialCaretPosition());
+        // attach input listener by hand so React doesn't proxy the events,
+        // as the proxied event doesn't support inputType, which we need.
+        this._editorRef.addEventListener("input", this._onInput, true);
+        this._editorRef.focus();
+    }
+
+    _getInitialCaretPosition() {
+        let caretPosition;
+        if (this.props.initialCaret) {
+            // if restoring state from a previous editor,
+            // restore caret position from the state
+            const caret = this.props.initialCaret;
+            caretPosition = this.props.model.positionForOffset(caret.offset, caret.atNodeEnd);
+        } else {
+            // otherwise, set it at the end
+            caretPosition = this.props.model.getPositionAtEnd();
+        }
+        return caretPosition;
+    }
+
+
+    isCaretAtStart() {
+        const {caret} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, document.getSelection());
+        return caret.offset === 0;
+    }
+
+    isCaretAtEnd() {
+        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, document.getSelection());
+        return caret.offset === text.length;
+    }
+
+    render() {
+        let autoComplete;
+        if (this.state.autoComplete) {
+            const query = this.state.query;
+            const queryLen = query.length;
+            autoComplete = <div className="mx_MessageEditor_AutoCompleteWrapper">
+                <Autocomplete
+                    ref={ref => this._autocompleteRef = ref}
+                    query={query}
+                    onConfirm={this._onAutoCompleteConfirm}
+                    onSelectionChange={this._onAutoCompleteSelectionChange}
+                    selection={{beginning: true, end: queryLen, start: queryLen}}
+                    room={this.props.room}
+                />
+            </div>;
+        }
+        return <div className={this.props.className}>
+                { autoComplete }
+                <div
+                    className="mx_MessageEditor_editor"
+                    contentEditable="true"
+                    tabIndex="1"
+                    onKeyDown={this._onKeyDown}
+                    ref={ref => this._editorRef = ref}
+                    aria-label={_t("Edit message")}
+                ></div>
+            </div>;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EditMessageComposer.js
similarity index 57%
rename from src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
rename to src/components/views/rooms/EditMessageComposer.js
index 3d113d5223..3ba14d9369 100644
--- a/src/components/views/elements/MessageEditor.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EditMessageComposer.js
@@ -20,21 +20,16 @@ import {_t} from '../../../languageHandler';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import dis from '../../../dispatcher';
 import EditorModel from '../../../editor/model';
-import HistoryManager from '../../../editor/history';
-import {setCaretPosition} from '../../../editor/caret';
 import {getCaretOffsetAndText} from '../../../editor/dom';
 import {htmlSerializeIfNeeded, textSerialize} from '../../../editor/serialize';
 import {findEditableEvent} from '../../../utils/EventUtils';
 import {parseEvent} from '../../../editor/deserialize';
-import Autocomplete from '../rooms/Autocomplete';
-import {PartCreator, autoCompleteCreator} from '../../../editor/parts';
-import {renderModel} from '../../../editor/render';
+import {PartCreator} from '../../../editor/parts';
 import EditorStateTransfer from '../../../utils/EditorStateTransfer';
 import {MatrixClient} from 'matrix-js-sdk';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 import {EventStatus} from 'matrix-js-sdk';
-
-const IS_MAC = navigator.platform.indexOf("Mac") !== -1;
+import BasicMessageComposer from "./BasicMessageComposer";
 
 function _isReply(mxEvent) {
     const relatesTo = mxEvent.getContent()["m.relates_to"];
@@ -110,7 +105,7 @@ function createEditContent(model, editedEvent) {
     }, contentBody);
 }
 
-export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
+export default class EditMessageComposer extends React.Component {
     static propTypes = {
         // the message event being edited
         editState: PropTypes.instanceOf(EditorStateTransfer).isRequired,
@@ -122,115 +117,29 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
 
     constructor(props, context) {
         super(props, context);
-        const room = this._getRoom();
         this.model = null;
-        this.state = {
-            autoComplete: null,
-            room,
-        };
         this._editorRef = null;
-        this._autocompleteRef = null;
-        this._modifiedFlag = false;
     }
 
+    _setEditorRef = ref => {
+        this._editorRef = ref;
+    };
+
     _getRoom() {
         return this.context.matrixClient.getRoom(this.props.editState.getEvent().getRoomId());
     }
 
-    _updateEditorState = (caret, inputType, diff) => {
-        renderModel(this._editorRef, this.model);
-        if (caret) {
-            try {
-                setCaretPosition(this._editorRef, this.model, caret);
-            } catch (err) {
-                console.error(err);
-            }
-        }
-        this.setState({autoComplete: this.model.autoComplete});
-        this.historyManager.tryPush(this.model, caret, inputType, diff);
-    }
-
-    _onInput = (event) => {
-        this._modifiedFlag = true;
-        const sel = document.getSelection();
-        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, sel);
-        this.model.update(text, event.inputType, caret);
-    }
-
-    _insertText(textToInsert, inputType = "insertText") {
-        const sel = document.getSelection();
-        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, sel);
-        const newText = text.substr(0, caret.offset) + textToInsert + text.substr(caret.offset);
-        caret.offset += textToInsert.length;
-        this.model.update(newText, inputType, caret);
-    }
-
-    _isCaretAtStart() {
-        const {caret} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, document.getSelection());
-        return caret.offset === 0;
-    }
-
-    _isCaretAtEnd() {
-        const {caret, text} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, document.getSelection());
-        return caret.offset === text.length;
-    }
-
     _onKeyDown = (event) => {
-        const modKey = IS_MAC ? event.metaKey : event.ctrlKey;
-        // undo
-        if (modKey && event.key === "z") {
-            if (this.historyManager.canUndo()) {
-                const {parts, caret} = this.historyManager.undo(this.model);
-                // pass matching inputType so historyManager doesn't push echo
-                // when invoked from rerender callback.
-                this.model.reset(parts, caret, "historyUndo");
-            }
-            event.preventDefault();
-        }
-        // redo
-        if (modKey && event.key === "y") {
-            if (this.historyManager.canRedo()) {
-                const {parts, caret} = this.historyManager.redo();
-                // pass matching inputType so historyManager doesn't push echo
-                // when invoked from rerender callback.
-                this.model.reset(parts, caret, "historyRedo");
-            }
-            event.preventDefault();
-        }
-        // insert newline on Shift+Enter
-        if (event.shiftKey && event.key === "Enter") {
-            event.preventDefault(); // just in case the browser does support this
-            this._insertText("\n");
-            return;
-        }
-        // autocomplete or enter to send below shouldn't have any modifier keys pressed.
         if (event.metaKey || event.altKey || event.shiftKey) {
             return;
         }
-        if (this.model.autoComplete) {
-            const autoComplete = this.model.autoComplete;
-            switch (event.key) {
-                case "Enter":
-                    autoComplete.onEnter(event); break;
-                case "ArrowUp":
-                    autoComplete.onUpArrow(event); break;
-                case "ArrowDown":
-                    autoComplete.onDownArrow(event); break;
-                case "Tab":
-                    autoComplete.onTab(event); break;
-                case "Escape":
-                    autoComplete.onEscape(event); break;
-                default:
-                    return; // don't preventDefault on anything else
-            }
-            event.preventDefault();
-        } else if (event.key === "Enter") {
+        if (event.key === "Enter") {
             this._sendEdit();
             event.preventDefault();
         } else if (event.key === "Escape") {
             this._cancelEdit();
         } else if (event.key === "ArrowUp") {
-            if (this._modifiedFlag || !this._isCaretAtStart()) {
+            if (this._editorRef.isModified() || !this._editorRef.isCaretAtStart()) {
                 return;
             }
             const previousEvent = findEditableEvent(this._getRoom(), false, this.props.editState.getEvent().getId());
@@ -239,7 +148,7 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
                 event.preventDefault();
             }
         } else if (event.key === "ArrowDown") {
-            if (this._modifiedFlag || !this._isCaretAtEnd()) {
+            if (this._editorRef.isModified() || !this._editorRef.isCaretAtEnd()) {
                 return;
             }
             const nextEvent = findEditableEvent(this._getRoom(), true, this.props.editState.getEvent().getId());
@@ -258,10 +167,10 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
         dis.dispatch({action: 'focus_composer'});
     }
 
-    _hasModifications(newContent) {
+    _isModifiedOrSameAsOld(newContent) {
         // if nothing has changed then bail
         const oldContent = this.props.editState.getEvent().getContent();
-        if (!this._modifiedFlag ||
+        if (!this._editorRef.isModified() ||
             (oldContent["msgtype"] === newContent["msgtype"] && oldContent["body"] === newContent["body"] &&
             oldContent["format"] === newContent["format"] &&
             oldContent["formatted_body"] === newContent["formatted_body"])) {
@@ -274,7 +183,7 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
         const editedEvent = this.props.editState.getEvent();
         const editContent = createEditContent(this.model, editedEvent);
         const newContent = editContent["m.new_content"];
-        if (!this._hasModifications(newContent)) {
+        if (!this._isModifiedOrSameAsOld(newContent)) {
             return;
         }
         const roomId = editedEvent.getRoomId();
@@ -296,40 +205,21 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
         }
     }
 
-    _onAutoCompleteConfirm = (completion) => {
-        this.model.autoComplete.onComponentConfirm(completion);
-    }
-
-    _onAutoCompleteSelectionChange = (completion) => {
-        this.model.autoComplete.onComponentSelectionChange(completion);
-    }
-
     componentWillUnmount() {
-        this._editorRef.removeEventListener("input", this._onInput, true);
         const sel = document.getSelection();
         const {caret} = getCaretOffsetAndText(this._editorRef, sel);
         const parts = this.model.serializeParts();
         this.props.editState.setEditorState(caret, parts);
     }
 
-    componentDidMount() {
+    componentWillMount() {
         this._createEditorModel();
-        // initial render of model
-        this._updateEditorState(this._getInitialCaretPosition());
-        // attach input listener by hand so React doesn't proxy the events,
-        // as the proxied event doesn't support inputType, which we need.
-        this._editorRef.addEventListener("input", this._onInput, true);
-        this._editorRef.focus();
     }
 
     _createEditorModel() {
         const {editState} = this.props;
         const room = this._getRoom();
-        const partCreator = new PartCreator(
-            autoCompleteCreator(() => this._autocompleteRef, query => this.setState({query})),
-            room,
-            this.context.matrixClient,
-        );
+        const partCreator = new PartCreator(room, this.context.matrixClient);
         let parts;
         if (editState.hasEditorState()) {
             // if restoring state from a previous editor,
@@ -339,13 +229,7 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
             // otherwise, parse the body of the event
             parts = parseEvent(editState.getEvent(), partCreator);
         }
-
-        this.historyManager = new HistoryManager(partCreator);
-        this.model = new EditorModel(
-            parts,
-            partCreator,
-            this._updateEditorState,
-        );
+        this.model = new EditorModel(parts, partCreator);
     }
 
     _getInitialCaretPosition() {
@@ -364,32 +248,14 @@ export default class MessageEditor extends React.Component {
     }
 
     render() {
-        let autoComplete;
-        if (this.state.autoComplete) {
-            const query = this.state.query;
-            const queryLen = query.length;
-            autoComplete = <div className="mx_MessageEditor_AutoCompleteWrapper">
-                <Autocomplete
-                    ref={ref => this._autocompleteRef = ref}
-                    query={query}
-                    onConfirm={this._onAutoCompleteConfirm}
-                    onSelectionChange={this._onAutoCompleteSelectionChange}
-                    selection={{beginning: true, end: queryLen, start: queryLen}}
-                    room={this.state.room}
-                />
-            </div>;
-        }
         const AccessibleButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.AccessibleButton');
-        return <div className={classNames("mx_MessageEditor", this.props.className)}>
-                { autoComplete }
-                <div
-                    className="mx_MessageEditor_editor"
-                    contentEditable="true"
-                    tabIndex="1"
-                    onKeyDown={this._onKeyDown}
-                    ref={ref => this._editorRef = ref}
-                    aria-label={_t("Edit message")}
-                ></div>
+        return <div className={classNames("mx_MessageEditor", this.props.className)} onKeyDown={this._onKeyDown}>
+                <BasicMessageComposer
+                    ref={this._setEditorRef}
+                    model={this.model}
+                    room={this._getRoom()}
+                    initialCaret={this.props.editState.getCaret()}
+                />
                 <div className="mx_MessageEditor_buttons">
                     <AccessibleButton kind="secondary" onClick={this._cancelEdit}>{_t("Cancel")}</AccessibleButton>
                     <AccessibleButton kind="primary" onClick={this._sendEdit}>{_t("Save")}</AccessibleButton>
diff --git a/src/editor/model.js b/src/editor/model.js
index 5c0b69bf03..74546b9bf8 100644
--- a/src/editor/model.js
+++ b/src/editor/model.js
@@ -24,9 +24,17 @@ export default class EditorModel {
         this._activePartIdx = null;
         this._autoComplete = null;
         this._autoCompletePartIdx = null;
+        this.setUpdateCallback(updateCallback);
+    }
+
+    setUpdateCallback(updateCallback) {
         this._updateCallback = updateCallback;
     }
 
+    get partCreator() {
+        return this._partCreator;
+    }
+
     clone() {
         return new EditorModel(this._parts, this._partCreator, this._updateCallback);
     }
diff --git a/src/editor/parts.js b/src/editor/parts.js
index 4870042fe6..2a6ad81b9b 100644
--- a/src/editor/parts.js
+++ b/src/editor/parts.js
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ class PillCandidatePart extends PlainPart {
     }
 
     createAutoComplete(updateCallback) {
-        return this._autoCompleteCreator(updateCallback);
+        return this._autoCompleteCreator.create(updateCallback);
     }
 
     acceptsInsertion(chr, i) {
@@ -363,10 +363,14 @@ export function autoCompleteCreator(getAutocompleterComponent, updateQuery) {
 }
 
 export class PartCreator {
-    constructor(autoCompleteCreator, room, client) {
+    constructor(room, client, autoCompleteCreator) {
         this._room = room;
         this._client = client;
-        this._autoCompleteCreator = autoCompleteCreator(this);
+        this._autoCompleteCreator = {create: autoCompleteCreator && autoCompleteCreator(this)};
+    }
+
+    setAutoCompleteCreator(autoCompleteCreator) {
+        this._autoCompleteCreator.create = autoCompleteCreator(this);
     }
 
     createPartForInput(input) {
diff --git a/test/editor/mock.js b/test/editor/mock.js
index 57ad0c52f3..7e0fd6b273 100644
--- a/test/editor/mock.js
+++ b/test/editor/mock.js
@@ -65,5 +65,5 @@ export function createPartCreator(completions = []) {
     const autoCompleteCreator = (partCreator) => {
         return (updateCallback) => new MockAutoComplete(updateCallback, partCreator, completions);
     };
-    return new PartCreator(autoCompleteCreator, new MockRoom(), new MockClient());
+    return new PartCreator(new MockRoom(), new MockClient(), autoCompleteCreator);
 }