diff --git a/web/chat/chat-input-text-area.react.js b/web/chat/chat-input-text-area.react.js
--- a/web/chat/chat-input-text-area.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/chat-input-text-area.react.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   +escape?: () => void,
   +focus: boolean,
   +currentText: string,
+  +setCurrentText: (text: string) => void,
 };
 type Props = {
   ...BaseProps,
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@
           rows="1"
           placeholder="Type your message"
           value={this.props.currentText}
+          onChange={this.onChangeMessageText}
           onKeyDown={this.onKeyDown}
           ref={this.textareaRef}
           autoFocus
@@ -62,6 +64,14 @@
     }
   };
 
+  setCurrentText = (text: string) => {
+    this.props.setCurrentText(text);
+  };
+
+  onChangeMessageText = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
+    this.setCurrentText(event.currentTarget.value);
+  };
+
   focusAndUpdateText = () => {
     if (!this.props.focus) {
       return;
diff --git a/web/chat/edit-message-provider.js b/web/chat/edit-message-provider.js
--- a/web/chat/edit-message-provider.js
+++ b/web/chat/edit-message-provider.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
   +renderEditModal: (params: EditState) => void,
   +clearEditModal: () => void,
   +editState: ?EditState,
+  +setDraft: string => void,
 };
 
 const EditModalContext: React.Context<EditModalContextType> =
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
     renderEditModal: () => {},
     clearEditModal: () => {},
     editState: null,
+    setDraft: () => {},
   });
 
 type Props = {
@@ -48,13 +50,27 @@
     return null;
   }, []);
 
+  const setDraft = React.useCallback(
+    (draft: ?string) => {
+      if (!editState) {
+        return;
+      }
+      setEditState({
+        ...editState,
+        editedMessageDraft: draft,
+      });
+    },
+    [editState, setEditState],
+  );
+
   const value = React.useMemo(
     () => ({
       renderEditModal,
       clearEditModal: clearEditModal,
       editState,
+      setDraft,
     }),
-    [renderEditModal, clearEditModal, editState],
+    [renderEditModal, clearEditModal, editState, setDraft],
   );
 
   let modalOverlay;
diff --git a/web/chat/edit-text-message.react.js b/web/chat/edit-text-message.react.js
--- a/web/chat/edit-text-message.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/edit-text-message.react.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
   ...BaseProps,
   +editState: ?EditState,
   +clearEditModal: () => void,
+  +setDraft: string => void,
 };
 class EditTextMessage extends React.PureComponent<Props> {
   myRef: { current: null | HTMLDivElement };
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@
           <ChatInputTextArea
             focus={!this.props.background}
             currentText={editedMessageDraft}
+            setCurrentText={this.props.setDraft}
           />
         </div>
         <div className={css.bottomRow}>
@@ -93,12 +95,13 @@
 
 const ConnectedEditTextMessage: React.ComponentType<BaseProps> =
   React.memo<BaseProps>(function ConnectedEditTextMessage(props) {
-    const { editState, clearEditModal } = useEditModalContext();
+    const { editState, clearEditModal, setDraft } = useEditModalContext();
     return (
       <EditTextMessage
         {...props}
         editState={editState}
         clearEditModal={clearEditModal}
+        setDraft={setDraft}
       />
     );
   });