diff --git a/src/coffee/controllers/markdown_section_controller.coffee b/src/coffee/controllers/markdown_section_controller.coffee
index a12b74fe2..ed52526f9 100644
--- a/src/coffee/controllers/markdown_section_controller.coffee
+++ b/src/coffee/controllers/markdown_section_controller.coffee
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ module.exports = class MarkdownSectionController extends BaseController
         super
 
     onWillChangeModel: (oldModel, newModel)->
-        @$textarea.val newModel
+        if @rendered then @$textarea.val newModel
         super oldModel, newModel
 
     # Backbone.View Overrides ######################################################################