diff --git a/bin/svgs.js b/bin/svgs.js
index c5f7f35f..ed7b4db6 100644
--- a/bin/svgs.js
+++ b/bin/svgs.js
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ module.exports = [
   {id: 'fa-ban', src: 'node_modules/font-awesome-svg-png/white/svg/ban.svg', title: 'Ban'},
   {id: 'fa-camera', src: 'node_modules/font-awesome-svg-png/white/svg/camera.svg', title: 'Camera'},
   {id: 'fa-smile', src: 'node_modules/font-awesome-svg-png/white/svg/smile-o.svg', title: 'Smile'},
-  {id: 'fa-exclamation-triangle', src: 'node_modules/font-awesome-svg-png/white/svg/exclamation-triangle.svg', title: 'Warning'},
+  {id: 'fa-exclamation-triangle', src: 'node_modules/font-awesome-svg-png/white/svg/exclamation-triangle.svg', title: 'Warning'}
 ]
diff --git a/routes/_actions/instances.js b/routes/_actions/instances.js
index adfb9149..6b22c112 100644
--- a/routes/_actions/instances.js
+++ b/routes/_actions/instances.js
@@ -19,7 +19,12 @@ export function changeTheme (instanceName, newTheme) {
 
 export function switchToInstance (instanceName) {
   let instanceThemes = store.get('instanceThemes')
-  store.set({currentInstance: instanceName})
+  store.set({
+    currentInstance: instanceName,
+    searchResults: null,
+    queryInSearch: '',
+    rawInputTextInCompose: ''
+  })
   store.save()
   switchToTheme(instanceThemes[instanceName])
 }
@@ -41,7 +46,8 @@ export async function logOutOfInstance (instanceName) {
     loggedInInstancesInOrder: loggedInInstancesInOrder,
     currentInstance: newInstance,
     searchResults: null,
-    queryInSearch: ''
+    queryInSearch: '',
+    rawInputTextInCompose: ''
   })
   store.save()
   toast.say(`Logged out of ${instanceName}`)
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html
index a5c77941..cd931a87 100644
--- a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeBox.html
@@ -1,17 +1,10 @@
 <div class="compose-box {{overLimit ? 'over-char-limit' : ''}}">
   <ComposeAuthor :verifyCredentials />
-  <textarea
-    class="compose-box-input"
-    placeholder="What's on your mind?"
-    ref:textarea
-    bind:value=inputText
-  ></textarea>
-  <ComposeLengthGauge :inputLength />
+  <ComposeInput />
+  <ComposeLengthGauge />
   <ComposeToolbar />
-  <ComposeLengthIndicator :inputLength />
-  <button class="primary compose-box-button">
-    Toot!
-  </button>
+  <ComposeLengthIndicator />
+  <ComposeButton />
 </div>
 <style>
   .compose-box {
@@ -31,30 +24,6 @@
     max-width: calc(100vw - 40px);
   }
 
-  :global(.compose-box-input) {
-    grid-area: input;
-    margin: 10px 0 0 5px;
-    padding: 10px;
-    border: 1px solid var(--input-border);
-    min-height: 75px;
-    resize: none;
-    overflow: hidden;
-    word-wrap: break-word;
-    /* Text must be at least 16px or else iOS Safari zooms in */
-    font-size: 1.2em;
-    /* Hack to make Edge stretch the element all the way to the right.
-     * Also desktop Safari makes the gauge stretch too far to the right without it.
-     */
-    width: calc(100% - 5px);
-  }
-
-  .compose-box-button {
-    grid-area: button;
-    justify-self: right;
-    text-transform: uppercase;
-    margin-top: 10px;
-  }
-
   @media (max-width: 767px) {
     .compose-box {
       padding: 10px 10px;
@@ -62,56 +31,23 @@
       width: 580px;
     }
   }
-
 </style>
 <script>
-  import { store } from '../../_store/store'
-  import { autosize } from '../../_utils/autosize'
-  import { scheduleIdleTask } from '../../_utils/scheduleIdleTask'
-  import debounce from 'lodash/debounce'
-  import { mark, stop } from '../../_utils/marks'
   import ComposeToolbar from './ComposeToolbar.html'
   import ComposeLengthGauge from './ComposeLengthGauge.html'
   import ComposeLengthIndicator from './ComposeLengthIndicator.html'
   import ComposeAuthor from './ComposeAuthor.html'
+  import ComposeInput from './ComposeInput.html'
+  import ComposeButton from './ComposeButton.html'
 
   export default {
-    oncreate() {
-      this.set({inputText: store.get('currentInputTextInCompose')})
-
-      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        mark('autosize()')
-        autosize(this.refs.textarea)
-        stop('autosize()')
-      })
-
-      const saveText = debounce(() => scheduleIdleTask(() => this.store.save()), 1000)
-      this.observe('inputText', inputText => {
-        let inputTextInCompose = this.store.get('inputTextInCompose')
-        let currentInstance = this.store.get('currentInstance')
-        inputTextInCompose[currentInstance] = inputText || ''
-        this.store.set({inputTextInCompose: inputTextInCompose})
-        saveText()
-      }, {init: false})
-    },
-    ondestroy() {
-      mark('autosize.destroy()')
-      autosize.destroy(this.refs.textarea)
-      stop('autosize.destroy()')
-    },
-    data: () => ({
-      inputText: ''
-    }),
     components: {
       ComposeAuthor,
       ComposeToolbar,
       ComposeLengthGauge,
-      ComposeLengthIndicator
-    },
-    store: () => store,
-    computed: {
-      currentInputTextInCompose: ($currentInputTextInCompose) => $currentInputTextInCompose,
-      inputLength: (inputText) => inputText ? inputText.length : 0,
+      ComposeLengthIndicator,
+      ComposeInput,
+      ComposeButton
     }
   }
 </script>
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeButton.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeButton.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c77f7a08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeButton.html
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<button class="primary compose-box-button"
+        :disabled >
+  Toot!
+</button>
+<style>
+  .compose-box-button {
+    grid-area: button;
+    justify-self: right;
+    text-transform: uppercase;
+    margin-top: 10px;
+  }
+</style>
+<script>
+  import { store } from '../../_store/store'
+
+  export default {
+    store: () => store,
+    computed: {
+      disabled: ($rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit, $rawInputTextInComposeLength) => {
+        return $rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit || $rawInputTextInComposeLength === 0
+      }
+    }
+  }
+</script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d48b4fae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+<textarea
+  class="compose-box-input"
+  placeholder="What's on your mind?"
+  ref:textarea
+  bind:value=$rawInputTextInCompose
+></textarea>
+<style>
+  .compose-box-input {
+    grid-area: input;
+    margin: 10px 0 0 5px;
+    padding: 10px;
+    border: 1px solid var(--input-border);
+    min-height: 75px;
+    resize: none;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    word-wrap: break-word;
+    /* Text must be at least 16px or else iOS Safari zooms in */
+    font-size: 1.2em;
+    /* Hack to make Edge stretch the element all the way to the right.
+     * Also desktop Safari makes the gauge stretch too far to the right without it.
+     */
+    width: calc(100% - 5px);
+  }
+</style>
+<script>
+  import { store } from '../../_store/store'
+  import { autosize } from '../../_utils/autosize'
+  import { scheduleIdleTask } from '../../_utils/scheduleIdleTask'
+  import debounce from 'lodash/debounce'
+  import { mark, stop } from '../../_utils/marks'
+
+  export default {
+    oncreate() {
+      this.store.set({rawInputTextInCompose: store.get('currentInputTextInCompose')})
+
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        mark('autosize()')
+        autosize(this.refs.textarea)
+        stop('autosize()')
+      })
+
+      const saveText = debounce(() => scheduleIdleTask(() => this.store.save()), 1000)
+      this.observe('rawInputTextInCompose', rawInputTextInCompose => {
+        let inputTextInCompose = this.store.get('inputTextInCompose')
+        let currentInstance = this.store.get('currentInstance')
+        inputTextInCompose[currentInstance] = rawInputTextInCompose || ''
+        this.store.set({inputTextInCompose: inputTextInCompose})
+        saveText()
+      }, {init: false})
+    },
+    ondestroy() {
+      mark('autosize.destroy()')
+      autosize.destroy(this.refs.textarea)
+      stop('autosize.destroy()')
+    },
+    store: () => store,
+    computed: {
+      rawInputTextInCompose: ($rawInputTextInCompose) => $rawInputTextInCompose,
+      currentInputTextInCompose: ($currentInputTextInCompose) => $currentInputTextInCompose,
+    }
+  }
+</script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthGauge.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthGauge.html
index d23811be..1bcf9d48 100644
--- a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthGauge.html
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthGauge.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="compose-box-length-gauge {{shouldAnimate ? 'should-animate' : ''}}  {{overLimit ? 'over-char-limit' : ''}}"
+<div class="compose-box-length-gauge {{shouldAnimate ? 'should-animate' : ''}}  {{$rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit ? 'over-char-limit' : ''}}"
      style="transform: scaleX({{inputLengthAsFractionRoundedAfterRaf || 0}});"
      aria-hidden="true"
 ></div>
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@
 <script>
   import { CHAR_LIMIT } from '../../_static/statuses'
   import { mark, stop } from '../../_utils/marks'
+  import { store } from '../../_store/store'
 
   export default {
     oncreate() {
+      // perf improvement for keyboard input latency
       this.observe('inputLengthAsFractionRounded', inputLengthAsFractionRounded => {
         requestAnimationFrame(() => {
           mark('set inputLengthAsFractionRoundedAfterRaf')
@@ -32,9 +34,11 @@
         })
       })
     },
+    store: () => store,
     computed: {
-      overLimit: (inputLength) => inputLength > CHAR_LIMIT,
-      inputLengthAsFraction: (inputLength) => (Math.min(CHAR_LIMIT, inputLength) / CHAR_LIMIT),
+      inputLengthAsFraction: ($rawInputTextInComposeLength) => {
+        return Math.min(CHAR_LIMIT, $rawInputTextInComposeLength) / CHAR_LIMIT
+      },
       inputLengthAsFractionRounded: (inputLengthAsFraction) => {
         // We don't need to update the gauge for every decimal point, so round it to the nearest 0.02
         let int = Math.round(inputLengthAsFraction * 100)
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html
index 89a93764..81ef2f8f 100644
--- a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<span class="compose-box-length {{overLimit ? 'over-char-limit' : ''}}"
+<span class="compose-box-length {{$rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit ? 'over-char-limit' : ''}}"
       aria-label="{{inputLengthLabel}}">
       {{inputLengthToDisplayAfterRaf || '0'}}
     </span>
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@
 <script>
   import { CHAR_LIMIT } from '../../_static/statuses'
   import { mark, stop } from '../../_utils/marks'
+  import { store } from '../../_store/store'
 
   export default {
     oncreate() {
-      // Avoid input delays by updating these values after a rAF
+      // perf improvement for keyboard input latency
       this.observe('inputLengthToDisplay', inputLengthToDisplay => {
         requestAnimationFrame(() => {
           mark('set inputLengthToDisplayAfterRaf')
@@ -30,12 +31,15 @@
         })
       })
     },
+    store: () => store,
     computed: {
-      overLimit: (inputLength) => inputLength > CHAR_LIMIT,
-      inputLength: (inputText) => inputText ? inputText.length : 0,
-      inputLengthToDisplay: (inputLength) => (inputLength <= CHAR_LIMIT ? inputLength : CHAR_LIMIT - inputLength),
-      inputLengthLabel: (overLimit, inputLengthToDisplay) => {
-        if (overLimit) {
+      inputLengthToDisplay: ($rawInputTextInComposeLength) => {
+        return ($rawInputTextInComposeLength <= CHAR_LIMIT
+          ? $rawInputTextInComposeLength
+          : CHAR_LIMIT - $rawInputTextInComposeLength)
+      },
+      inputLengthLabel: ($rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit, inputLengthToDisplay) => {
+        if ($rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit) {
           return `${inputLengthToDisplay} characters over limit`
         } else {
           return `${inputLengthToDisplay} characters`
diff --git a/routes/_database/constants.js b/routes/_database/constants.js
index 59c2a30d..87803be3 100644
--- a/routes/_database/constants.js
+++ b/routes/_database/constants.js
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ export const PINNED_STATUSES_STORE = 'pinned_statuses'
 export const TIMESTAMP = '__pinafore_ts'
 export const ACCOUNT_ID = '__pinafore_acct_id'
 export const STATUS_ID = '__pinafore_status_id'
-export const REBLOG_ID = '__pinafore_reblog_id'
\ No newline at end of file
+export const REBLOG_ID = '__pinafore_reblog_id'
diff --git a/routes/_static/statuses.js b/routes/_static/statuses.js
index 384e0822..43a2fc49 100644
--- a/routes/_static/statuses.js
+++ b/routes/_static/statuses.js
@@ -1 +1 @@
-export const CHAR_LIMIT = 500
\ No newline at end of file
+export const CHAR_LIMIT = 500
diff --git a/routes/_store/computations.js b/routes/_store/computations.js
index a322ac60..1f78b56f 100644
--- a/routes/_store/computations.js
+++ b/routes/_store/computations.js
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import { instanceComputations } from './instanceComputations'
 import { timelineComputations } from './timelineComputations'
+import { statusComputations } from './statusComputations'
 
 export function computations (store) {
   instanceComputations(store)
   timelineComputations(store)
+  statusComputations(store)
 }
diff --git a/routes/_store/statusComputations.js b/routes/_store/statusComputations.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..77928e24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routes/_store/statusComputations.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import { CHAR_LIMIT } from '../_static/statuses'
+
+export function statusComputations (store) {
+  store.compute('rawInputTextInComposeLength',
+    ['rawInputTextInCompose'],
+    (rawInputTextInCompose) => rawInputTextInCompose.length
+  )
+
+  store.compute('rawInputTextInComposeOverLimit',
+    ['rawInputTextInComposeLength'],
+    (rawInputTextInComposeLength) => rawInputTextInComposeLength > CHAR_LIMIT
+  )
+}
diff --git a/routes/_store/store.js b/routes/_store/store.js
index f8473aa3..1d1b4865 100644
--- a/routes/_store/store.js
+++ b/routes/_store/store.js
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ export const store = new PinaforeStore({
   pinnedStatuses: {},
   instanceInfos: {},
   statusModifications: {},
-  inputTextInCompose: {}
+  inputTextInCompose: {},
+  rawInputTextInCompose: ''
 })
 
 mixins(PinaforeStore)