diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cc08980b38..84b949fa0f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@
     "qs": "^6.1.0",
     "react": "^16.3.2",
     "react-copy-to-clipboard": "^5.0.0",
+    "react-coroutine": "^2.0.2",
     "react-dom": "^16.0.0",
     "react-draggable": "^3.0.3",
     "react-ga": "^2.5.0",
@@ -201,6 +202,7 @@
     "react-onclickoutside": "^6.5.0",
     "react-prevent-clickthrough": "^0.0.3",
     "react-redux": "^5.0.3",
+    "react-simplemde-editor": "^3.6.14",
     "reduce-reducers": "^0.1.2",
     "redux": "^3.6.0",
     "redux-actions": "^2.2.1",
diff --git a/src/actions/index.js b/src/actions/index.js
index 3998f368b8..11f4e9dd1e 100644
--- a/src/actions/index.js
+++ b/src/actions/index.js
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import {
   toggleTopBarMenu,
   closeTopBarMenu,
   startEditingInstructions,
+  continueEditingInstructions,
   cancelEditingInstructions,
 } from './ui';
 
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ export {
   toggleTopBarMenu,
   closeTopBarMenu,
   startEditingInstructions,
+  continueEditingInstructions,
   cancelEditingInstructions,
   logIn,
   logOut,
diff --git a/src/actions/ui.js b/src/actions/ui.js
index dda3bb7c9b..5b976f4c9a 100644
--- a/src/actions/ui.js
+++ b/src/actions/ui.js
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ export const startEditingInstructions = createAction(
   (_projectKey, timestamp = Date.now()) => ({timestamp}),
 );
 
+export const continueEditingInstructions = createAction(
+  'CONTINUE_EDITING_INSTRUCTIONS',
+  (projectKey, content) => ({projectKey, content}),
+);
+
 export const cancelEditingInstructions = createAction(
   'CANCEL_EDITING_INSTRUCTIONS',
 );
diff --git a/src/components/Instructions.jsx b/src/components/Instructions.jsx
index 050416f68c..c634ebb66c 100644
--- a/src/components/Instructions.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Instructions.jsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import {toReact as markdownToReact} from '../util/markdown';
-import InstructionsEditor from './InstructionsEditor';
+import InstructionsEditor from './InstructionsEditorAsync';
 
 export default function Instructions({
   instructions,
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export default function Instructions({
   isOpen,
   projectKey,
   onCancelEditing,
+  onContinueEditing,
   onSaveChanges,
 }) {
   if (!isEditing && !instructions || !isOpen) {
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ export default function Instructions({
             instructions={instructions}
             projectKey={projectKey}
             onCancelEditing={onCancelEditing}
+            onContinueEditing={onContinueEditing}
             onSaveChanges={onSaveChanges}
           /> :
           <div className="instructions">
@@ -41,5 +43,6 @@ Instructions.propTypes = {
   isOpen: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
   projectKey: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
   onCancelEditing: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  onContinueEditing: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   onSaveChanges: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 };
diff --git a/src/components/InstructionsEditor.jsx b/src/components/InstructionsEditor.jsx
index fcb7125f98..e2dcaad1eb 100644
--- a/src/components/InstructionsEditor.jsx
+++ b/src/components/InstructionsEditor.jsx
@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@ import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import {t} from 'i18next';
 import bindAll from 'lodash/bindAll';
 
+import SimpleMDE from 'react-simplemde-editor';
+
 export default class InstructionsEditor extends React.Component {
   constructor() {
     super();
-    bindAll(this, '_handleCancelEditing', '_handleSaveChanges', '_ref');
-  }
-
-  componentDidMount() {
-    if (!this.props.instructions) {
-      this._editor.focus();
-    }
+    bindAll(
+      this,
+      '_handleCancelEditing',
+      '_handleContinueEditing',
+      '_handleSaveChanges',
+    );
   }
 
   _handleCancelEditing() {
@@ -20,12 +21,11 @@ export default class InstructionsEditor extends React.Component {
   }
 
   _handleSaveChanges() {
-    const newValue = this._editor.value.trim();
-    this.props.onSaveChanges(this.props.projectKey, newValue);
+    this.props.onSaveChanges(this.props.projectKey, this.props.instructions);
   }
 
-  _ref(editorElement) {
-    this._editor = editorElement;
+  _handleContinueEditing(newValue) {
+    this.props.onContinueEditing(this.props.projectKey, newValue);
   }
 
   render() {
@@ -46,11 +46,13 @@ export default class InstructionsEditor extends React.Component {
           </button>
         </div>
         <div className="instructions-editor__input-container">
-          <textarea
-            className="instructions-editor__input"
-            defaultValue={this.props.instructions}
-            placeholder="Type here..."
-            ref={this._ref}
+          <SimpleMDE
+            options={{
+              autofocus: true,
+              spellChecker: false,
+            }}
+            value={this.props.instructions}
+            onChange={this._handleContinueEditing}
           />
         </div>
         <div className="instructions-editor__footer">
@@ -60,7 +62,7 @@ export default class InstructionsEditor extends React.Component {
             rel="noopener noreferrer"
             target="_blank"
           >
-            Styling with Markdown is supported
+              Styling with Markdown is supported
           </a>
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -72,5 +74,6 @@ InstructionsEditor.propTypes = {
   instructions: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
   projectKey: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
   onCancelEditing: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  onContinueEditing: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   onSaveChanges: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 };
diff --git a/src/components/InstructionsEditorAsync.jsx b/src/components/InstructionsEditorAsync.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..529e5290ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/InstructionsEditorAsync.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import Coroutine from 'react-coroutine';
+
+async function* InstructionsEditorAsync({
+  instructions,
+  projectKey,
+  onCancelEditing,
+  onContinueEditing,
+  onSaveChanges,
+}) {
+  yield <span />;
+  const {'default': InstructionsEditor} = await import('./InstructionsEditor');
+  return (
+    <InstructionsEditor
+      instructions={instructions}
+      projectKey={projectKey}
+      onCancelEditing={onCancelEditing}
+      onContinueEditing={onContinueEditing}
+      onSaveChanges={onSaveChanges}
+    />
+  );
+}
+
+export default Coroutine.create(InstructionsEditorAsync);
diff --git a/src/containers/Instructions.js b/src/containers/Instructions.js
index b055d902a8..5359da7947 100644
--- a/src/containers/Instructions.js
+++ b/src/containers/Instructions.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
 } from '../selectors';
 import {
   cancelEditingInstructions,
+  continueEditingInstructions,
   updateProjectInstructions,
 } from '../actions';
 
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ function mapDispatchToProps(dispatch) {
     onCancelEditing() {
       dispatch(cancelEditingInstructions());
     },
+    onContinueEditing(projectKey, newValue) {
+      dispatch(continueEditingInstructions(projectKey, newValue));
+    },
     onSaveChanges(projectKey, newValue) {
       dispatch(updateProjectInstructions(projectKey, newValue));
     },
diff --git a/src/css/application.css b/src/css/application.css
index ad75947f29..807a5b1d77 100644
--- a/src/css/application.css
+++ b/src/css/application.css
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ body {
 .layout__instructions {
   flex: 0 0 25%;
   position: relative;
+  animation: 0.2s ease-in 0.1s both fadeIn;
 }
 
 /** @define top-bar */
@@ -388,7 +389,7 @@ body {
 .instructions-editor__menu {
   padding: 0.5rem;
   text-align: right;
-  background-color: var(--color-light-gray);
+  background-color: var(--color-low-contrast-gray);
 }
 
 .instructions-editor__footer {
diff --git a/src/css/simple-mde.css b/src/css/simple-mde.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4bd6cdaaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/css/simple-mde.css
@@ -0,0 +1,750 @@
+/**
+ * simplemde v1.11.2
+ * Copyright Next Step Webs, Inc.
+ * @link https://github.com/NextStepWebs/simplemde-markdown-editor
+ * @license MIT
+ */
+/* stylelint-disable */
+.CodeMirror {
+    color: #000
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-lines {
+    padding: 4px 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror pre {
+    padding: 0 4px
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter-filler, .CodeMirror-scrollbar-filler {
+    background-color: #fff
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutters {
+    border-right: 1px solid #ddd;
+    background-color: #f7f7f7;
+    white-space: nowrap
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-linenumber {
+    padding: 0 3px 0 5px;
+    min-width: 20px;
+    text-align: right;
+    color: #999;
+    white-space: nowrap
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-guttermarker {
+    color: #000
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-guttermarker-subtle {
+    color: #999
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-cursor {
+    border-left: 1px solid #000;
+    border-right: none;
+    width: 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror div.CodeMirror-secondarycursor {
+    border-left: 1px solid silver
+}
+
+.cm-fat-cursor .CodeMirror-cursor {
+    width: auto;
+    border: 0 !important;
+    background: #7e7
+}
+
+.cm-fat-cursor div.CodeMirror-cursors {
+    z-index: 1
+}
+
+.cm-animate-fat-cursor {
+    width: auto;
+    border: 0;
+    -webkit-animation: blink 1.06s steps(1) infinite;
+    -moz-animation: blink 1.06s steps(1) infinite;
+    animation: blink 1.06s steps(1) infinite;
+    background-color: #7e7
+}
+
+@-moz-keyframes blink {
+    50% {
+        background-color: transparent
+    }
+}
+
+@-webkit-keyframes blink {
+    50% {
+        background-color: transparent
+    }
+}
+
+@keyframes blink {
+    50% {
+        background-color: transparent
+    }
+}
+
+.cm-tab {
+    display: inline-block;
+    text-decoration: inherit
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-ruler {
+    border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
+    position: absolute
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-header {
+    color: #00f
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-quote {
+    color: #090
+}
+
+.cm-negative {
+    color: #d44
+}
+
+.cm-positive {
+    color: #292
+}
+
+.cm-header, .cm-strong {
+    font-weight: 700
+}
+
+.cm-em {
+    font-style: italic
+}
+
+.cm-link {
+    text-decoration: underline
+}
+
+.cm-strikethrough {
+    text-decoration: line-through
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-keyword {
+    color: #708
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-atom {
+    color: #219
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-number {
+    color: #164
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-def {
+    color: #00f
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-variable-2 {
+    color: #05a
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-variable-3 {
+    color: #085
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-comment {
+    color: #a50
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-string {
+    color: #a11
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-string-2 {
+    color: #f50
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-meta, .cm-s-default .cm-qualifier {
+    color: #555
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-builtin {
+    color: #30a
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-bracket {
+    color: #997
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-tag {
+    color: #170
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-attribute {
+    color: #00c
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-hr {
+    color: #999
+}
+
+.cm-s-default .cm-link {
+    color: #00c
+}
+
+.cm-invalidchar, .cm-s-default .cm-error {
+    color: red
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-composing {
+    border-bottom: 2px solid
+}
+
+div.CodeMirror span.CodeMirror-matchingbracket {
+    color: #0f0
+}
+
+div.CodeMirror span.CodeMirror-nonmatchingbracket {
+    color: #f22
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-matchingtag {
+    background: rgba(255, 150, 0, .3)
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-activeline-background {
+    background: #e8f2ff
+}
+
+.CodeMirror {
+    position: relative;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    background: #fff
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-scroll {
+    overflow: scroll !important;
+    margin-bottom: -30px;
+    margin-right: -30px;
+    padding-bottom: 30px;
+    height: 100%;
+    outline: 0;
+    position: relative
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-sizer {
+    position: relative;
+    border-right: 30px solid transparent
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter-filler, .CodeMirror-hscrollbar, .CodeMirror-scrollbar-filler, .CodeMirror-vscrollbar {
+    position: absolute;
+    z-index: 6;
+    display: none
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-vscrollbar {
+    right: 0;
+    top: 0;
+    overflow-x: hidden;
+    overflow-y: scroll
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-hscrollbar {
+    bottom: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    overflow-y: hidden;
+    overflow-x: scroll
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-scrollbar-filler {
+    right: 0;
+    bottom: 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter-filler {
+    left: 0;
+    bottom: 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutters {
+    position: absolute;
+    left: 0;
+    top: 0;
+    min-height: 100%;
+    z-index: 3
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter {
+    white-space: normal;
+    height: 100%;
+    display: inline-block;
+    vertical-align: top;
+    margin-bottom: -30px
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter-wrapper {
+    position: absolute;
+    z-index: 4;
+    background: 0 0 !important;
+    border: none !important;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+    -moz-user-select: none;
+    user-select: none
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter-background {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 0;
+    bottom: 0;
+    z-index: 4
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter-elt {
+    position: absolute;
+    cursor: default;
+    z-index: 4
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-lines {
+    cursor: text;
+    min-height: 1px
+}
+
+.CodeMirror pre {
+    -moz-border-radius: 0;
+    -webkit-border-radius: 0;
+    border-radius: 0;
+    border-width: 0;
+    background: 0 0;
+    font-family: inherit;
+    font-size: inherit;
+    margin: 0;
+    white-space: pre;
+    word-wrap: normal;
+    line-height: inherit;
+    color: inherit;
+    z-index: 2;
+    position: relative;
+    overflow: visible;
+    -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;
+    -webkit-font-variant-ligatures: none;
+    font-variant-ligatures: none
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-wrap pre {
+    word-wrap: break-word;
+    white-space: pre-wrap;
+    word-break: normal
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-linebackground {
+    position: absolute;
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    top: 0;
+    bottom: 0;
+    z-index: 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-linewidget {
+    position: relative;
+    z-index: 2;
+    overflow: auto
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-code {
+    outline: 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-gutter, .CodeMirror-gutters, .CodeMirror-linenumber, .CodeMirror-scroll, .CodeMirror-sizer {
+    -moz-box-sizing: content-box;
+    box-sizing: content-box
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-measure {
+    position: absolute;
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 0;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    visibility: hidden
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-cursor {
+    position: absolute
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-measure pre {
+    position: static
+}
+
+div.CodeMirror-cursors {
+    visibility: hidden;
+    position: relative;
+    z-index: 3
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-focused div.CodeMirror-cursors, div.CodeMirror-dragcursors {
+    visibility: visible
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-selected {
+    background: #d9d9d9
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-focused .CodeMirror-selected, .CodeMirror-line::selection, .CodeMirror-line > span::selection, .CodeMirror-line > span > span::selection {
+    background: #d7d4f0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-crosshair {
+    cursor: crosshair
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-line::-moz-selection, .CodeMirror-line > span::-moz-selection, .CodeMirror-line > span > span::-moz-selection {
+    background: #d7d4f0
+}
+
+.cm-searching {
+    background: #ffa;
+    background: rgba(255, 255, 0, .4)
+}
+
+.cm-force-border {
+    padding-right: .1px
+}
+
+@media print {
+    .CodeMirror div.CodeMirror-cursors {
+        visibility: hidden
+    }
+}
+
+.cm-tab-wrap-hack:after {
+    content: ''
+}
+
+span.CodeMirror-selectedtext {
+    background: 0 0
+}
+
+.CodeMirror {
+    height: auto;
+    min-height: 560px;
+    border: 1px solid #ddd;
+    border-bottom-left-radius: 4px;
+    border-bottom-right-radius: 4px;
+    padding: 10px;
+    font: inherit;
+    z-index: 1
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-scroll {
+    min-height: 560px
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-fullscreen {
+    background: #fff;
+    position: fixed !important;
+    top: 50px;
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    bottom: 0;
+    height: auto;
+    z-index: 9
+}
+
+.CodeMirror-sided {
+    width: 50% !important
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar {
+    position: relative;
+    opacity: .6;
+    -webkit-user-select: none;
+    -moz-user-select: none;
+    -ms-user-select: none;
+    -o-user-select: none;
+    user-select: none;
+    padding: 0 10px;
+    border-top: 1px solid #bbb;
+    border-left: 1px solid #bbb;
+    border-right: 1px solid #bbb;
+    border-top-left-radius: 4px;
+    border-top-right-radius: 4px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar:after, .editor-toolbar:before {
+    display: block;
+    content: ' ';
+    height: 1px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar:before {
+    margin-bottom: 8px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar:after {
+    margin-top: 8px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar:hover, .editor-wrapper input.title:focus, .editor-wrapper input.title:hover {
+    opacity: .8
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar.fullscreen {
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 50px;
+    overflow-x: auto;
+    overflow-y: hidden;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    padding-top: 10px;
+    padding-bottom: 10px;
+    box-sizing: border-box;
+    background: #fff;
+    border: 0;
+    position: fixed;
+    top: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    opacity: 1;
+    z-index: 9
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar.fullscreen::before {
+    width: 20px;
+    height: 50px;
+    background: -moz-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 100%);
+    background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, right top, color-stop(0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)), color-stop(100%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)));
+    background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 100%);
+    background: -o-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 100%);
+    background: -ms-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 100%);
+    background: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 100%);
+    position: fixed;
+    top: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: 0
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar.fullscreen::after {
+    width: 20px;
+    height: 50px;
+    background: -moz-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%);
+    background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, right top, color-stop(0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)), color-stop(100%, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)));
+    background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%);
+    background: -o-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%);
+    background: -ms-linear-gradient(left, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%);
+    background: linear-gradient(to right, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0) 0, rgba(255, 255, 255, 1) 100%);
+    position: fixed;
+    top: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    margin: 0;
+    padding: 0
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a {
+    display: inline-block;
+    text-align: center;
+    text-decoration: none !important;
+    color: #2c3e50 !important;
+    width: 30px;
+    height: 30px;
+    margin: 0;
+    border: 1px solid transparent;
+    border-radius: 3px;
+    cursor: pointer
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.active, .editor-toolbar a:hover {
+    background: #fcfcfc;
+    border-color: #95a5a6
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a:before {
+    line-height: 30px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar i.separator {
+    display: inline-block;
+    width: 0;
+    border-left: 1px solid #d9d9d9;
+    border-right: 1px solid #fff;
+    color: transparent;
+    text-indent: -10px;
+    margin: 0 6px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.fa-header-x:after {
+    font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif;
+    font-size: 65%;
+    vertical-align: text-bottom;
+    position: relative;
+    top: 2px
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.fa-header-1:after {
+    content: "1"
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.fa-header-2:after {
+    content: "2"
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.fa-header-3:after {
+    content: "3"
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.fa-header-bigger:after {
+    content: "▲"
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar a.fa-header-smaller:after {
+    content: "▼"
+}
+
+.editor-toolbar.disabled-for-preview a:not(.no-disable) {
+    pointer-events: none;
+    background: #fff;
+    border-color: transparent;
+    text-shadow: inherit
+}
+
+@media only screen and (max-width: 700px) {
+    .editor-toolbar a.no-mobile {
+        display: none
+    }
+}
+
+.editor-statusbar {
+    padding: 8px 10px;
+    font-size: 12px;
+    color: #959694;
+    text-align: right
+}
+
+.editor-statusbar span {
+    display: inline-block;
+    min-width: 4em;
+    margin-left: 1em
+}
+
+.editor-preview, .editor-preview-side {
+    padding: 10px;
+    background: #fafafa;
+    overflow: auto;
+    display: none;
+    box-sizing: border-box
+}
+
+.editor-statusbar .lines:before {
+    content: 'lines: '
+}
+
+.editor-statusbar .words:before {
+    content: 'words: '
+}
+
+.editor-statusbar .characters:before {
+    content: 'characters: '
+}
+
+.editor-preview {
+    position: absolute;
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    top: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    z-index: 7
+}
+
+.editor-preview-side {
+    position: fixed;
+    bottom: 0;
+    width: 50%;
+    top: 50px;
+    right: 0;
+    z-index: 9;
+    border: 1px solid #ddd
+}
+
+.editor-preview-active, .editor-preview-active-side {
+    display: block
+}
+
+.editor-preview-side > p, .editor-preview > p {
+    margin-top: 0
+}
+
+.editor-preview pre, .editor-preview-side pre {
+    background: #eee;
+    margin-bottom: 10px
+}
+
+.editor-preview table td, .editor-preview table th, .editor-preview-side table td, .editor-preview-side table th {
+    border: 1px solid #ddd;
+    padding: 5px
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-tag {
+    color: #63a35c
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-attribute {
+    color: #795da3
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-string {
+    color: #183691
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-selected {
+    background: #d9d9d9
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-header-1 {
+    font-size: 200%;
+    line-height: 200%
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-header-2 {
+    font-size: 160%;
+    line-height: 160%
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-header-3 {
+    font-size: 125%;
+    line-height: 125%
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-header-4 {
+    font-size: 110%;
+    line-height: 110%
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-comment {
+    background: rgba(0, 0, 0, .05);
+    border-radius: 2px
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-link {
+    color: #7f8c8d
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-url {
+    color: #aab2b3
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-code .cm-strikethrough {
+    text-decoration: line-through
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .CodeMirror-placeholder {
+    opacity: .5
+}
+
+.CodeMirror .cm-spell-error:not(.cm-url):not(.cm-comment):not(.cm-tag):not(.cm-word) {
+    background: rgba(255, 0, 0, .15)
+}
diff --git a/src/reducers/ui.js b/src/reducers/ui.js
index aa5d586636..9747273bf4 100644
--- a/src/reducers/ui.js
+++ b/src/reducers/ui.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export const DEFAULT_WORKSPACE = new Immutable.Map({
   columnFlex: DEFAULT_COLUMN_FLEX,
   rowFlex: DEFAULT_ROW_FLEX,
   isDraggingColumnDivider: false,
+  draftInstructions: '',
   isEditingInstructions: false,
 });
 
@@ -224,7 +225,16 @@ export default function ui(stateIn, action) {
     case 'START_EDITING_INSTRUCTIONS':
       return state.setIn(['workspace', 'isEditingInstructions'], true);
 
+    case 'CONTINUE_EDITING_INSTRUCTIONS':
+      return state.setIn(
+        ['workspace', 'draftInstructions'],
+        action.payload.content,
+      );
+
     case 'CANCEL_EDITING_INSTRUCTIONS':
+      return state.setIn(['workspace', 'isEditingInstructions'], false).
+        setIn(['workspace', 'draftInstructions'], '');
+
     case 'UPDATE_PROJECT_INSTRUCTIONS':
       return state.setIn(['workspace', 'isEditingInstructions'], false);
 
diff --git a/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructions.js b/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructions.js
index 33aac104f4..5ee6af9717 100644
--- a/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructions.js
+++ b/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructions.js
@@ -1,9 +1,29 @@
 import {createSelector} from 'reselect';
 import getCurrentProjectKey from './getCurrentProjectKey';
+import getCurrentProjectInstructionsUnsaved
+  from './getCurrentProjectInstructionsUnsaved';
+import isEditingInstructions from './isEditingInstructions';
 import getProjects from './getProjects';
 
 export default createSelector(
-  [getCurrentProjectKey, getProjects],
-  (projectKey, projects) =>
-    projectKey ? projects.getIn([projectKey, 'instructions']) : '',
+  [
+    getCurrentProjectKey,
+    getProjects,
+    isEditingInstructions,
+    getCurrentProjectInstructionsUnsaved,
+  ],
+  (projectKey, projects, isEditing, instructionUnsaved) => {
+    if (!projectKey) {
+      return '';
+    }
+
+    // if you are editing and unsaved instructions exist,
+    // show the unsaved instructions
+    if (isEditing && instructionUnsaved) {
+      return instructionUnsaved;
+    }
+
+    // else show the current project saved instructions
+    return projects.getIn([projectKey, 'instructions']);
+  },
 );
diff --git a/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructionsUnsaved.js b/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructionsUnsaved.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ce259fe4bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/selectors/getCurrentProjectInstructionsUnsaved.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export default function getCurrentProjectinstructionsUnsaved(state) {
+  return state.getIn(['ui', 'workspace', 'draftInstructions']);
+}
diff --git a/test/unit/reducers/ui.js b/test/unit/reducers/ui.js
index c0f456869f..db749f04be 100644
--- a/test/unit/reducers/ui.js
+++ b/test/unit/reducers/ui.js
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ test('startEditingInstructions', reducerTest(
   initialState.setIn(['workspace', 'isEditingInstructions'], true),
 ));
 
-test('startEditingInstructions', reducerTest(
+test('cancelEditingInstructions', reducerTest(
   reducer,
   initialState.setIn(['workspace', 'isEditingInstructions'], true),
   cancelEditingInstructions,
@@ -148,6 +148,14 @@ test('updateProjectInstructions', reducerTest(
   initialState,
 ));
 
+test('cancelEditingInstructions after updating', reducerTest(
+  reducer,
+  initialState.setIn(['workspace', 'isEditingInstructions'], true).
+    setIn(['workspace', 'displayedInstructions'], 'foo'),
+  cancelEditingInstructions,
+  initialState,
+));
+
 test('gistNotFound', reducerTest(
   reducer,
   initialState,
diff --git a/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
index ebc5a6fb48..2258c124fa 100644
--- a/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const babelrc = {
     'react',
     ['env', {targets, modules: false}],
   ],
-  plugins: ['syntax-dynamic-import'],
+  plugins: ['syntax-dynamic-import', 'syntax-async-generators'],
   compact: false,
   cacheDirectory: true,
   cacheIdentifier: JSON.stringify({
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index e0570dfa8f..82d87d94b3 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2354,6 +2354,16 @@ code-point-at@^1.0.0:
   version "1.1.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/code-point-at/-/code-point-at-1.1.0.tgz#0d070b4d043a5bea33a2f1a40e2edb3d9a4ccf77"
 
+codemirror-spell-checker@*:
+  version "1.1.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/codemirror-spell-checker/-/codemirror-spell-checker-1.1.2.tgz#1c660f9089483ccb5113b9ba9ca19c3f4993371e"
+  dependencies:
+    typo-js "*"
+
+codemirror@*:
+  version "5.36.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/codemirror/-/codemirror-5.36.0.tgz#1172ad9dc298056c06e0b34e5ccd23825ca15b40"
+
 collapse-white-space@^1.0.0, collapse-white-space@^1.0.2:
   version "1.0.3"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/collapse-white-space/-/collapse-white-space-1.0.3.tgz#4b906f670e5a963a87b76b0e1689643341b6023c"
@@ -6510,6 +6520,10 @@ markdown-to-ast@~3.4.0:
     structured-source "^3.0.2"
     traverse "^0.6.6"
 
+marked@*:
+  version "0.3.19"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/marked/-/marked-0.3.19.tgz#5d47f709c4c9fc3c216b6d46127280f40b39d790"
+
 "match-stream@>= 0.0.2 < 1":
   version "0.0.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/match-stream/-/match-stream-0.0.2.tgz#99eb050093b34dffade421b9ac0b410a9cfa17cf"
@@ -8540,6 +8554,10 @@ react-copy-to-clipboard@^5.0.0:
     copy-to-clipboard "^3"
     prop-types "^15.5.8"
 
+react-coroutine@^2.0.2:
+  version "2.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-coroutine/-/react-coroutine-2.0.2.tgz#240fb5776f16f4bd47927846d4530d96172b64bf"
+
 react-dom@^16.0.0:
   version "16.2.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/react-dom/-/react-dom-16.2.0.tgz#69003178601c0ca19b709b33a83369fe6124c044"
@@ -8593,6 +8611,12 @@ react-redux@^5.0.3:
     loose-envify "^1.1.0"
     prop-types "^15.6.0"
 
+react-simplemde-editor@^3.6.14:
+  version "3.6.14"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/react-simplemde-editor/-/react-simplemde-editor-3.6.14.tgz#92d696114ee1d8b6ae186f0a7a3512e24e3ad2b4"
+  dependencies:
+    simplemde "^1.11.2"
+
 "react@^15.6.2 || ^16.0", react@^16.3.2:
   version "16.3.2"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/react/-/react-16.3.2.tgz#fdc8420398533a1e58872f59091b272ce2f91ea9"
@@ -9528,6 +9552,14 @@ simple-swizzle@^0.2.2:
   dependencies:
     is-arrayish "^0.3.1"
 
+simplemde@^1.11.2:
+  version "1.11.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/simplemde/-/simplemde-1.11.2.tgz#a23a35d978d2c40ef07dec008c92f070d8e080e3"
+  dependencies:
+    codemirror "*"
+    codemirror-spell-checker "*"
+    marked "*"
+
 sinon@^4.0.1:
   version "4.4.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/sinon/-/sinon-4.4.2.tgz#c4c41d4bd346e1d33594daec2d5df0548334fc65"
@@ -10642,6 +10674,10 @@ typedarray@^0.0.6, typedarray@~0.0.5:
   version "0.0.6"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/typedarray/-/typedarray-0.0.6.tgz#867ac74e3864187b1d3d47d996a78ec5c8830777"
 
+typo-js@*:
+  version "1.0.3"
+  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/typo-js/-/typo-js-1.0.3.tgz#54d8ebc7949f1a7810908b6002c6841526c99d5a"
+
 ua-parser-js@0.7.12:
   version "0.7.12"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/ua-parser-js/-/ua-parser-js-0.7.12.tgz#04c81a99bdd5dc52263ea29d24c6bf8d4818a4bb"