diff --git a/app/client/components/BookChapterForm.tsx b/app/client/components/BookChapterForm.tsx
index e8890e8..c3934ca 100644
--- a/app/client/components/BookChapterForm.tsx
+++ b/app/client/components/BookChapterForm.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,14 @@ export function BookChapterForm({
   readonly initialValues?: BookChapterEditInitialValues | null;
   readonly onChapterSubmit: (chapter: BookChapterInput) => Promise<void>;
 }) {
-  const [content, setContent] = useState<Descendant[]>([]);
+  const [content, setContent] = useState<Descendant[]>(
+    initialValues?.content ?? [
+      {
+        type: 'paragraph',
+        children: [{ text: '' }]
+      }
+    ]
+  );
 
   const schema = v.pipe(
     v.object({