diff --git a/web/modals/threads/thread-settings-modal.react.js b/web/modals/threads/thread-settings-modal.react.js
index c4e3b29e5..181d66cb9 100644
--- a/web/modals/threads/thread-settings-modal.react.js
+++ b/web/modals/threads/thread-settings-modal.react.js
@@ -1,500 +1,504 @@
 // @flow
 
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 import _pickBy from 'lodash/fp/pickBy';
 import * as React from 'react';
 
 import {
   deleteThreadActionTypes,
   deleteThread,
   changeThreadSettingsActionTypes,
   changeThreadSettings,
 } from 'lib/actions/thread-actions';
 import { createLoadingStatusSelector } from 'lib/selectors/loading-selectors';
 import { threadInfoSelector } from 'lib/selectors/thread-selectors';
 import { threadHasPermission, robotextName } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils';
+import { type SetState } from 'lib/types/hook-types.js';
 import {
   type ThreadInfo,
   threadTypes,
   assertThreadType,
   type ChangeThreadSettingsPayload,
   type UpdateThreadRequest,
   type LeaveThreadPayload,
   threadPermissions,
   type ThreadChanges,
 } from 'lib/types/thread-types';
 import type { UserInfos } from 'lib/types/user-types';
 import {
   useDispatchActionPromise,
   useServerCall,
   type DispatchActionPromise,
 } from 'lib/utils/action-utils';
 import { firstLine } from 'lib/utils/string-utils';
 
 import Button from '../../components/button.react';
 import { useModalContext } from '../../modals/modal-provider.react';
 import { useSelector } from '../../redux/redux-utils';
 import Modal from '../modal.react';
 import ThreadSettingsDeleteTab from './thread-settings-delete-tab.react';
 import ThreadSettingsGeneralTab from './thread-settings-general-tab.react';
 import css from './thread-settings-modal.css';
 import ThreadSettingsPrivacyTab from './thread-settings-privacy-tab.react';
 
 type TabType = 'general' | 'privacy' | 'delete';
 type TabProps = {
   +name: string,
   +tabType: TabType,
   +selected: boolean,
   +onClick: (tabType: TabType) => void,
 };
 class Tab extends React.PureComponent<TabProps> {
   render() {
     const classNamesForTab = classNames({
       [css['current-tab']]: this.props.selected,
       [css['delete-tab']]:
         this.props.selected && this.props.tabType === 'delete',
     });
     return (
       <li className={classNamesForTab} onClick={this.onClick}>
         <a>{this.props.name}</a>
       </li>
     );
   }
 
   onClick = () => {
     return this.props.onClick(this.props.tabType);
   };
 }
 
 type BaseProps = {
   +threadID: string,
 };
 type Props = {
   ...BaseProps,
   +threadInfo: ThreadInfo,
   +changeInProgress: boolean,
   +viewerID: ?string,
   +userInfos: UserInfos,
   +dispatchActionPromise: DispatchActionPromise,
   +deleteThread: (
     threadID: string,
     currentAccountPassword: string,
   ) => Promise<LeaveThreadPayload>,
   +changeThreadSettings: (
     update: UpdateThreadRequest,
   ) => Promise<ChangeThreadSettingsPayload>,
   +onClose: () => void,
+  +errorMessage: string,
+  +setErrorMessage: SetState<string>,
 };
 type State = {
   +queuedChanges: ThreadChanges,
-  +errorMessage: string,
   +accountPassword: string,
   +currentTabType: TabType,
 };
 class ThreadSettingsModal extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
   nameInput: ?HTMLInputElement;
   accountPasswordInput: ?HTMLInputElement;
 
   constructor(props: Props) {
     super(props);
     this.state = {
       queuedChanges: Object.freeze({}),
-      errorMessage: '',
       accountPassword: '',
       currentTabType: 'general',
     };
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
     invariant(this.nameInput, 'nameInput ref unset');
     this.nameInput.focus();
   }
 
   componentDidUpdate(prevProps: Props) {
     if (this.state.currentTabType !== 'delete') {
       return;
     }
 
     const permissionForDeleteTab = this.hasPermissionForTab(
       this.props.threadInfo,
       'delete',
     );
     const prevPermissionForDeleteTab = this.hasPermissionForTab(
       prevProps.threadInfo,
       'delete',
     );
 
     if (!permissionForDeleteTab && prevPermissionForDeleteTab) {
       this.setTab('general');
     }
   }
 
   hasPermissionForTab(threadInfo: ThreadInfo, tab: TabType) {
     if (tab === 'general') {
       return threadHasPermission(
         threadInfo,
         threadPermissions.EDIT_THREAD_NAME,
       );
     } else if (tab === 'privacy') {
       return threadHasPermission(
         threadInfo,
         threadPermissions.EDIT_PERMISSIONS,
       );
     } else if (tab === 'delete') {
       return threadHasPermission(threadInfo, threadPermissions.DELETE_THREAD);
     }
     invariant(false, `invalid tab ${tab}`);
   }
 
   possiblyChangedValue(key: string) {
     const valueChanged =
       this.state.queuedChanges[key] !== null &&
       this.state.queuedChanges[key] !== undefined;
     return valueChanged
       ? this.state.queuedChanges[key]
       : this.props.threadInfo[key];
   }
 
   namePlaceholder() {
     return robotextName(
       this.props.threadInfo,
       this.props.viewerID,
       this.props.userInfos,
     );
   }
 
   changeQueued() {
     return (
       Object.keys(
         _pickBy(
           value => value !== null && value !== undefined,
           // the lodash/fp libdef coerces the returned object's properties to the
           // same type, which means it only works for object-as-maps $FlowFixMe
         )(this.state.queuedChanges),
       ).length > 0
     );
   }
 
   render() {
     const { threadInfo } = this.props;
     const inputDisabled =
       this.props.changeInProgress ||
       !this.hasPermissionForTab(threadInfo, this.state.currentTabType);
 
     let mainContent = null;
     if (this.state.currentTabType === 'general') {
       mainContent = (
         <ThreadSettingsGeneralTab
           threadNameValue={firstLine(this.possiblyChangedValue('name'))}
           threadNamePlaceholder={this.namePlaceholder()}
           threadNameOnChange={this.onChangeName}
           threadNameDisabled={inputDisabled}
           threadNameInputRef={this.nameInputRef}
           threadDescriptionValue={this.possiblyChangedValue('description')}
           threadDescriptionOnChange={this.onChangeDescription}
           threadDescriptionDisabled={inputDisabled}
           threadColorCurrentColor={this.possiblyChangedValue('color')}
           threadColorOnColorSelection={this.onChangeColor}
         />
       );
     } else if (this.state.currentTabType === 'privacy') {
       mainContent = (
         <ThreadSettingsPrivacyTab
           possiblyChangedThreadType={this.possiblyChangedValue('type')}
           onChangeThreadType={this.onChangeThreadType}
           inputDisabled={inputDisabled}
         />
       );
     } else if (this.state.currentTabType === 'delete') {
       mainContent = (
         <ThreadSettingsDeleteTab
           accountPassword={this.state.accountPassword}
           onChangeAccountPassword={this.onChangeAccountPassword}
           inputDisabled={inputDisabled}
           accountPasswordInputRef={this.accountPasswordInputRef}
         />
       );
     }
 
     let buttons = null;
     if (this.state.currentTabType === 'delete') {
       buttons = (
         <Button
           onClick={this.onDelete}
           variant="danger"
           disabled={inputDisabled}
         >
           Delete
         </Button>
       );
     } else {
       buttons = (
         <Button
           type="submit"
           onClick={this.onSubmit}
           disabled={inputDisabled || !this.changeQueued()}
           className={css.save_button}
         >
           Save
         </Button>
       );
     }
 
     const tabs = [
       <Tab
         name="General"
         tabType="general"
         onClick={this.setTab}
         selected={this.state.currentTabType === 'general'}
         key="general"
       />,
     ];
 
     // This UI needs to be updated to handle sidebars but we haven't gotten
     // there yet. We'll probably end up ripping it out anyways, so for now we
     // are just hiding the privacy tab for any thread that was created as a
     // sidebar
     const canSeePrivacyTab =
       this.possiblyChangedValue('parentThreadID') &&
       threadInfo.sourceMessageID &&
       (threadInfo.type === threadTypes.COMMUNITY_OPEN_SUBTHREAD ||
         threadInfo.type === threadTypes.COMMUNITY_SECRET_SUBTHREAD);
 
     if (canSeePrivacyTab) {
       tabs.push(
         <Tab
           name="Privacy"
           tabType="privacy"
           onClick={this.setTab}
           selected={this.state.currentTabType === 'privacy'}
           key="privacy"
         />,
       );
     }
     const canDeleteThread = this.hasPermissionForTab(threadInfo, 'delete');
     if (canDeleteThread) {
       tabs.push(
         <Tab
           name="Delete"
           tabType="delete"
           onClick={this.setTab}
           selected={this.state.currentTabType === 'delete'}
           key="delete"
         />,
       );
     }
 
     return (
       <Modal name="Thread settings" onClose={this.props.onClose}>
         <ul className={css.tab_panel}>{tabs}</ul>
         <div className={css.modal_body}>
           <form method="POST">
             {mainContent}
             <div className={css.form_footer}>
               {buttons}
               <div className={css.modal_form_error}>
-                {this.state.errorMessage}
+                {this.props.errorMessage}
               </div>
             </div>
           </form>
         </div>
       </Modal>
     );
   }
 
   setTab = (tabType: TabType) => {
     this.setState({ currentTabType: tabType });
   };
 
   nameInputRef = (nameInput: ?HTMLInputElement) => {
     this.nameInput = nameInput;
   };
 
   accountPasswordInputRef = (accountPasswordInput: ?HTMLInputElement) => {
     this.accountPasswordInput = accountPasswordInput;
   };
 
   onChangeName = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     const target = event.currentTarget;
     const newValue =
       target.value !== this.props.threadInfo.name ? target.value : undefined;
     this.setState((prevState: State) => ({
       ...prevState,
       queuedChanges: {
         ...prevState.queuedChanges,
         name: firstLine(newValue),
       },
     }));
   };
 
   onChangeDescription = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
     const target = event.currentTarget;
     const newValue =
       target.value !== this.props.threadInfo.description
         ? target.value
         : undefined;
     this.setState((prevState: State) => ({
       ...prevState,
       queuedChanges: {
         ...prevState.queuedChanges,
         description: newValue,
       },
     }));
   };
 
   onChangeColor = (color: string) => {
     const newValue = color !== this.props.threadInfo.color ? color : undefined;
     this.setState((prevState: State) => ({
       ...prevState,
       queuedChanges: {
         ...prevState.queuedChanges,
         color: newValue,
       },
     }));
   };
 
   onChangeThreadType = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     const uiValue = assertThreadType(parseInt(event.currentTarget.value, 10));
     const newValue =
       uiValue !== this.props.threadInfo.type ? uiValue : undefined;
     this.setState((prevState: State) => ({
       ...prevState,
       queuedChanges: {
         ...prevState.queuedChanges,
         type: newValue,
       },
     }));
   };
 
   onChangeAccountPassword = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     const target = event.currentTarget;
     this.setState({ accountPassword: target.value });
   };
 
   onSubmit = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLElement>) => {
     event.preventDefault();
     this.props.dispatchActionPromise(
       changeThreadSettingsActionTypes,
       this.changeThreadSettingsAction(),
     );
   };
 
   async changeThreadSettingsAction() {
     try {
       const response = await this.props.changeThreadSettings({
         threadID: this.props.threadInfo.id,
         changes: this.state.queuedChanges,
       });
       this.props.onClose();
       return response;
     } catch (e) {
+      this.props.setErrorMessage('unknown error');
       this.setState(
         prevState => ({
           ...prevState,
           queuedChanges: Object.freeze({}),
           accountPassword: '',
-          errorMessage: 'unknown error',
           currentTabType: 'general',
         }),
         () => {
           invariant(this.nameInput, 'nameInput ref unset');
           this.nameInput.focus();
         },
       );
       throw e;
     }
   }
 
   onDelete = (event: SyntheticEvent<HTMLElement>) => {
     event.preventDefault();
     this.props.dispatchActionPromise(
       deleteThreadActionTypes,
       this.deleteThreadAction(),
     );
   };
 
   async deleteThreadAction() {
     try {
       const response = await this.props.deleteThread(
         this.props.threadInfo.id,
         this.state.accountPassword,
       );
       this.props.onClose();
       return response;
     } catch (e) {
       const errorMessage =
         e.message === 'invalid_credentials'
           ? 'wrong password'
           : 'unknown error';
+      this.props.setErrorMessage(errorMessage);
       this.setState(
         {
           accountPassword: '',
-          errorMessage: errorMessage,
         },
         () => {
           invariant(
             this.accountPasswordInput,
             'accountPasswordInput ref unset',
           );
           this.accountPasswordInput.focus();
         },
       );
       throw e;
     }
   }
 }
 
 const deleteThreadLoadingStatusSelector = createLoadingStatusSelector(
   deleteThreadActionTypes,
 );
 const changeThreadSettingsLoadingStatusSelector = createLoadingStatusSelector(
   changeThreadSettingsActionTypes,
 );
 
 const ConnectedThreadSettingsModal: React.ComponentType<BaseProps> = React.memo<BaseProps>(
   function ConnectedThreadSettingsModal(props) {
     const changeInProgress = useSelector(
       state =>
         deleteThreadLoadingStatusSelector(state) === 'loading' ||
         changeThreadSettingsLoadingStatusSelector(state) === 'loading',
     );
     const viewerID = useSelector(
       state => state.currentUserInfo && state.currentUserInfo.id,
     );
     const userInfos = useSelector(state => state.userStore.userInfos);
     const callDeleteThread = useServerCall(deleteThread);
     const callChangeThreadSettings = useServerCall(changeThreadSettings);
     const dispatchActionPromise = useDispatchActionPromise();
     const threadInfo: ?ThreadInfo = useSelector(
       state => threadInfoSelector(state)[props.threadID],
     );
     const modalContext = useModalContext();
+    const [errorMessage, setErrorMessage] = React.useState('');
 
     if (!threadInfo) {
       return (
         <Modal onClose={modalContext.clearModal} name="Invalid thread">
           <div className={css.modal_body}>
             <p>You no longer have permission to view this thread</p>
           </div>
         </Modal>
       );
     }
 
     return (
       <ThreadSettingsModal
         {...props}
         threadInfo={threadInfo}
         changeInProgress={changeInProgress}
         viewerID={viewerID}
         userInfos={userInfos}
         deleteThread={callDeleteThread}
         changeThreadSettings={callChangeThreadSettings}
         dispatchActionPromise={dispatchActionPromise}
         onClose={modalContext.clearModal}
+        errorMessage={errorMessage}
+        setErrorMessage={setErrorMessage}
       />
     );
   },
 );
 
 export default ConnectedThreadSettingsModal;