diff --git a/common/util/parse.ts b/common/util/parse.ts
index 21cf1760..acbf6c61 100644
--- a/common/util/parse.ts
+++ b/common/util/parse.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 import { MAX_TAG_LENGTH } from '../contract'
-import { generateText, JSONContent, Extension } from '@tiptap/core'
-import * as StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit' // needed for cjs import to work on firebase
+import { generateText, JSONContent } from '@tiptap/core'
+// Tiptap starter extensions
+import { Blockquote } from '@tiptap/extension-blockquote'
+import { Bold } from '@tiptap/extension-bold'
+import { BulletList } from '@tiptap/extension-bullet-list'
+import { Code } from '@tiptap/extension-code'
+import { CodeBlock } from '@tiptap/extension-code-block'
+import { Document } from '@tiptap/extension-document'
+import { HardBreak } from '@tiptap/extension-hard-break'
+import { Heading } from '@tiptap/extension-heading'
+import { History } from '@tiptap/extension-history'
+import { HorizontalRule } from '@tiptap/extension-horizontal-rule'
+import { Italic } from '@tiptap/extension-italic'
+import { ListItem } from '@tiptap/extension-list-item'
+import { OrderedList } from '@tiptap/extension-ordered-list'
+import { Paragraph } from '@tiptap/extension-paragraph'
+import { Strike } from '@tiptap/extension-strike'
+import { Text } from '@tiptap/extension-text'
+// import * as StarterKit from '@tiptap/starter-kit'
 import { Image } from '@tiptap/extension-image'
 
 export function parseTags(text: string) {
@@ -31,8 +48,30 @@ export function parseWordsAsTags(text: string) {
   return parseTags(taggedText)
 }
 
-export function richTextToString(text: JSONContent | string) {
-  return typeof text === 'string'
-    ? text
-    : generateText(text, [StarterKit as unknown as Extension, Image])
+// can't just do [StarterKit, Image...] because it doesn't work with some imports
+// see
+export const exhibitExts = [
+  Blockquote,
+  Bold,
+  BulletList,
+  Code,
+  CodeBlock,
+  Document,
+  HardBreak,
+  Heading,
+  History,
+  HorizontalRule,
+  Italic,
+  ListItem,
+  OrderedList,
+  Paragraph,
+  Strike,
+  Text,
+
+  Image,
+]
+// export const exhibitExts = [StarterKit as unknown as Extension, Image]
+
+export function richTextToString(text?: JSONContent) {
+  return !text ? '' : generateText(text, exhibitExts)
 }
diff --git a/functions/src/on-create-contract.ts b/functions/src/on-create-contract.ts
index 614a5c2a..28682793 100644
--- a/functions/src/on-create-contract.ts
+++ b/functions/src/on-create-contract.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { getUser } from './utils'
 import { createNotification } from './create-notification'
 import { Contract } from '../../common/contract'
 import { richTextToString } from '../../common/util/parse'
+import { JSONContent } from '@tiptap/core'
 
 export const onCreateContract = functions.firestore
   .document('contracts/{contractId}')
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ export const onCreateContract = functions.firestore
       'created',
       contractCreator,
       eventId,
-      richTextToString(contract.description),
+      richTextToString(contract.description as JSONContent),
       contract
     )
   })
diff --git a/web/components/contract/contract-description.tsx b/web/components/contract/contract-description.tsx
index 2c723c97..b932c41d 100644
--- a/web/components/contract/contract-description.tsx
+++ b/web/components/contract/contract-description.tsx
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ import Textarea from 'react-expanding-textarea'
 import { CATEGORY_LIST } from '../../../common/categories'
 
 import { Contract } from 'common/contract'
-import { parseTags, richTextToString } from 'common/util/parse'
+import { parseTags, exhibitExts } from 'common/util/parse'
 import { useAdmin } from 'web/hooks/use-admin'
 import { updateContract } from 'web/lib/firebase/contracts'
 import { Row } from '../layout/row'
 import { TagsList } from '../tags-list'
 import { Content } from '../editor'
+import { Editor } from '@tiptap/react'
 
 export function ContractDescription(props: {
   contract: Contract
@@ -21,24 +22,33 @@ export function ContractDescription(props: {
   const descriptionTimestamp = () => `${dayjs().format('MMM D, h:mma')}: `
   const isAdmin = useAdmin()
 
+  const desc = contract.description ?? ''
+
   // Append the new description (after a newline)
   async function saveDescription(newText: string) {
-    // TODO: implement appending rich text description
-    const textDescription = richTextToString(contract.description)
-    const newDescription = `${textDescription}\n\n${newText}`.trim()
+    console.log(desc, exhibitExts)
+
+    const editor = new Editor({ content: desc, extensions: exhibitExts })
+    editor
+      .chain()
+      .focus('end')
+      .insertContent('<br /><br />')
+      .insertContent(newText.trim())
+      .run()
+
     const tags = parseTags(
-      `${newDescription} ${contract.tags.map((tag) => `#${tag}`).join(' ')}`
+      `${editor.getText()} ${contract.tags.map((tag) => `#${tag}`).join(' ')}`
     )
     const lowercaseTags = tags.map((tag) => tag.toLowerCase())
 
     await updateContract(contract.id, {
-      description: newDescription,
+      description: editor.getJSON(),
       tags,
       lowercaseTags,
     })
   }
 
-  if (!isCreator && !contract.description) return null
+  if (!isCreator) return null
 
   const { tags } = contract
   const categories = tags.filter((tag) =>
@@ -52,7 +62,7 @@ export function ContractDescription(props: {
         className
       )}
     >
-      <Content content={contract.description} />
+      <Content content={desc} />
 
       {categories.length > 0 && (
         <div className="mt-4">
diff --git a/web/components/contract/contract-details.tsx b/web/components/contract/contract-details.tsx
index f908918e..b4d67520 100644
--- a/web/components/contract/contract-details.tsx
+++ b/web/components/contract/contract-details.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import { DAY_MS } from 'common/util/time'
 import { useGroupsWithContract } from 'web/hooks/use-group'
 import { ShareIconButton } from 'web/components/share-icon-button'
 import { useUser } from 'web/hooks/use-user'
+import { Editor } from '@tiptap/react'
+import { exhibitExts } from 'common/util/parse'
 
 export type ShowTime = 'resolve-date' | 'close-date'
 
@@ -268,13 +270,20 @@ function EditableCloseDate(props: {
     const newCloseTime = dayjs(closeDate).valueOf()
     if (newCloseTime === closeTime) setIsEditingCloseTime(false)
     else if (newCloseTime > Date.now()) {
-      const { description } = contract
+      const content = contract.description
       const formattedCloseDate = dayjs(newCloseTime).format('YYYY-MM-DD h:mm a')
-      const newDescription = `${description}\n\nClose date updated to ${formattedCloseDate}`
+
+      const editor = new Editor({ content, extensions: exhibitExts })
+      editor
+        .chain()
+        .focus('end')
+        .insertContent('<br /><br />')
+        .insertContent(`Close date updated to ${formattedCloseDate}`)
+        .run()
 
       updateContract(contract.id, {
         closeTime: newCloseTime,
-        description: newDescription,
+        description: editor.getJSON(),
       })
 
       setIsEditingCloseTime(false)
diff --git a/web/components/editor.tsx b/web/components/editor.tsx
index b86c261c..53f5fabf 100644
--- a/web/components/editor.tsx
+++ b/web/components/editor.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { useEffect } from 'react'
 import { Linkify } from './linkify'
 import { uploadImage } from 'web/lib/firebase/storage'
 import { useMutation } from 'react-query'
+import { exhibitExts } from 'common/util/parse'
 
 const proseClass =
   'prose prose-sm prose-p:my-0 prose-li:my-0 prose-blockquote:not-italic max-w-none'
@@ -80,10 +81,12 @@ function RichContent(props: { content: JSONContent }) {
   const { content } = props
   const editor = useEditor({
     editorProps: { attributes: { class: proseClass } },
-    extensions: [StarterKit, Image],
+    extensions: exhibitExts,
     content,
     editable: false,
   })
+  useEffect(() => void editor?.commands?.setContent(content), [editor, content])
+
   return <EditorContent editor={editor} />
 }
 
diff --git a/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx b/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx
index 57038560..f192f4d1 100644
--- a/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx
+++ b/web/pages/[username]/[contractSlug].tsx
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ export function ContractPageContent(
       {ogCardProps && (
         <SEO
           title={question}
-          description={richTextToString(ogCardProps.description)}
+          description={ogCardProps.description}
           url={`/${props.username}/${props.slug}`}
           ogCardProps={ogCardProps}
         />
@@ -392,15 +392,18 @@ const getOpenGraphProps = (contract: Contract) => {
     creatorUsername,
     outcomeType,
     creatorAvatarUrl,
+    description: desc,
   } = contract
   const probPercent =
     outcomeType === 'BINARY' ? getBinaryProbPercent(contract) : undefined
 
+  const stringDesc = typeof desc === 'string' ? desc : richTextToString(desc)
+
   const description = resolution
-    ? `Resolved ${resolution}. ${contract.description}`
+    ? `Resolved ${resolution}. ${stringDesc}`
     : probPercent
-    ? `${probPercent} chance. ${contract.description}`
-    : contract.description
+    ? `${probPercent} chance. ${stringDesc}`
+    : stringDesc
 
   return {
     question,