diff --git a/elm/src/Auto/ClientUpdate.elm b/elm/src/Auto/ClientUpdate.elm
index 0adbe1a..771fa76 100644
--- a/elm/src/Auto/ClientUpdate.elm
+++ b/elm/src/Auto/ClientUpdate.elm
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type ClientUpdate
     | InputBool String Bool
     | InputNumber String Float
     | InputText String String
-    | SubmitInput String
+    | SubmitInput String String
 
 
 encode : ClientUpdate -> Json.Encode.Value
@@ -48,5 +48,6 @@ encode a =
             Json.Encode.object [ ("InputText" , Json.Encode.list identity [ Json.Encode.string b
             , Json.Encode.string c ]) ]
 
-        SubmitInput b ->
-            Json.Encode.object [("SubmitInput" , Json.Encode.string b)]
\ No newline at end of file
+        SubmitInput b c ->
+            Json.Encode.object [ ("SubmitInput" , Json.Encode.list identity [ Json.Encode.string b
+            , Json.Encode.string c ]) ]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/elm/src/Main.elm b/elm/src/Main.elm
index 552b541..a2b8378 100644
--- a/elm/src/Main.elm
+++ b/elm/src/Main.elm
@@ -224,7 +224,9 @@ viewElement model element =
                 viewIndicator element.name x
 
             Element.Input x ->
-                viewInput element.name x
+                viewInput element.name x <|
+                    withDefault "" <|
+                        Dict.get element.name model.layout.texts
 
             Element.Empty ->
                 stack []
@@ -415,14 +417,14 @@ viewIndicator _ ind =
         |> styled1 ind.colour
 
 
-viewInput : String -> Input -> Collage Msgs
-viewInput name inp =
+viewInput : String -> Input -> String -> Collage Msgs
+viewInput name inp val =
     html (both toFloat ( inp.width, inp.height )) [] <|
         form
             [ style "display" "flex"
             , style "width" "100%"
             , style "height" "100%"
-            , H.map List.singleton <| onSubmit <| ClientUpdate <| SubmitInput name
+            , onSubmit [ ClientUpdate <| SubmitInput name val, TextSet name "" ]
             ]
             [ input
                 ([ H.type_ <|
@@ -436,6 +438,7 @@ viewInput name inp =
                         InputType.Text _ ->
                             "text"
                  , style "flex" "auto"
+                 , onInput <| List.singleton << TextSet name
                  , H.map List.singleton <|
                     case inp.inputType of
                         InputType.CheckBox () ->
@@ -464,6 +467,12 @@ viewInput name inp =
                             InputType.Text style ->
                                 textStyle style
                        )
+                    ++ (if val == "" then
+                            [ H.value val ]
+
+                        else
+                            []
+                       )
                 )
                 []
             ]
@@ -539,6 +548,7 @@ type alias LayoutState =
     , stickPos : Dict String Vec2
     , sliderPos : Dict String Float
     , pointerCallbacks : Dict Int PointerCallbacks -- keys are the ids of the pointers currently held down
+    , texts : Dict String String
     }
 
 
@@ -555,6 +565,7 @@ type Msg
     | GoFullscreen
     | FullscreenChange Bool
     | ConsoleLog String
+    | TextSet String String
 
 
 type alias PointerCallbacks =
@@ -607,6 +618,7 @@ loadLayout layout =
     , pointerCallbacks = Dict.empty
     , pressed = Set.empty
     , sliderPos = Dict.empty
+    , texts = Dict.empty
     }
 
 
@@ -642,7 +654,7 @@ update msg model =
                         InputText _ _ ->
                             model
 
-                        SubmitInput _ ->
+                        SubmitInput _ _ ->
                             model
             in
             ( model1, sendUpdate u )
@@ -679,6 +691,9 @@ update msg model =
         ConsoleLog s ->
             ( model, consoleLog s )
 
+        TextSet name s ->
+            ( { model | layout = { layoutState | texts = Dict.insert name s layoutState.texts } }, Cmd.none )
+
 
 serverUpdate : ServerUpdate -> Model -> ( Model, Cmd Msgs )
 serverUpdate u model =
diff --git a/haskell/src/Monpad.hs b/haskell/src/Monpad.hs
index 5de0355..6083bbb 100644
--- a/haskell/src/Monpad.hs
+++ b/haskell/src/Monpad.hs
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ data ClientUpdate
     | InputBool ElementID Bool
     | InputNumber ElementID Double
     | InputText ElementID Text
-    | SubmitInput ElementID -- for number and text inputs
+    | SubmitInput ElementID Text -- for number and text inputs
     deriving (Eq, Ord, Show, Generic)
     deriving (FromJSON) via CustomJSON Opts.JSON ClientUpdate