diff -r 7da1d5137b0b -r 03334a31130a client/src/components/Note.js
--- a/client/src/components/Note.js	Tue Nov 06 16:19:26 2018 +0100
+++ b/client/src/components/Note.js	Thu Nov 08 16:03:28 2018 +0100
@@ -6,6 +6,18 @@
 
 class Note extends Component {
 
+  constructor(props) {
+    super(props);
+    this.editorInst = React.createRef();
+  }
+
+  get editor() {
+    if(this.editorInst && this.editorInst.current) {
+      return this.editorInst.current;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
   onClickDelete = (e) => {
     e.preventDefault();
     e.stopPropagation();
@@ -15,10 +27,10 @@
 
   onClickButton = (e) => {
 
-    const plain = this.refs.editor.asPlain();
-    const raw = this.refs.editor.asRaw();
-    const html = this.refs.editor.asHtml();
-    const categories = this.refs.editor.asCategories();
+    const plain = this.editor.asPlain();
+    const raw = this.editor.asRaw();
+    const html = this.editor.asHtml();
+    const categories = this.editor.asCategories();
     // const marginComment = this.marginComment.value;
 
     const data = {
@@ -43,7 +55,7 @@
     if (this.props.isEditing) {
       return (
         <div className="note-content w-100 pl-2 pt-2">
-          <SlateEditor ref="editor"
+          <SlateEditor editorRef={this.editorInst}
             onButtonClick={ this.onClickButton }
             note={ this.props.note }
             annotationCategories={ this.props.annotationCategories } />