diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.js b/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.js
index c8fac0b667..698356a175 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/SendMessageComposer.js
@@ -279,22 +279,33 @@ export default class SendMessageComposer extends React.Component {
     };
 
     _insertMention(userId) {
+        const {model} = this;
+        const {partCreator} = model;
         const member = this.props.room.getMember(userId);
         const displayName = member ?
             member.rawDisplayName : userId;
-        const userPillPart = this.model.partCreator.userPill(displayName, userId);
-        this.model.insertPartsAt([userPillPart], this._editorRef.getCaret());
+        const userPillPart = partCreator.userPill(displayName, userId);
+        const caret = this._editorRef.getCaret();
+        const position = model.positionForOffset(caret.offset, caret.atNodeEnd);
+        model.transform(() => {
+            const addedLen = model.insert([userPillPart], position);
+            return model.positionForOffset(caret.offset + addedLen, true);
+        });
         // refocus on composer, as we just clicked "Mention"
         this._editorRef && this._editorRef.focus();
     }
 
     _insertQuotedMessage(event) {
-        const {partCreator} = this.model;
+        const {model} = this;
+        const {partCreator} = model;
         const quoteParts = parseEvent(event, partCreator, { isQuotedMessage: true });
         // add two newlines
         quoteParts.push(partCreator.newline());
         quoteParts.push(partCreator.newline());
-        this.model.insertPartsAt(quoteParts, {offset: 0});
+        model.transform(() => {
+            const addedLen = model.insert(quoteParts, model.positionForOffset(0));
+            return model.positionForOffset(addedLen, true);
+        });
         // refocus on composer, as we just clicked "Quote"
         this._editorRef && this._editorRef.focus();
     }
diff --git a/src/editor/model.js b/src/editor/model.js
index 4c657f3168..ca04d9fdd0 100644
--- a/src/editor/model.js
+++ b/src/editor/model.js
@@ -158,8 +158,14 @@ export default class EditorModel {
         this._updateCallback(caret, inputType);
     }
 
-    insertPartsAt(parts, caret) {
-        const position = this.positionForOffset(caret.offset, caret.atNodeEnd);
+    /**
+     * Inserts the given parts at the given position.
+     * Should be run inside a `model.transform()` callback.
+     * @param {Part[]} parts the parts to replace the range with
+     * @param {DocumentPosition} position the position to start inserting at
+     * @return {Number} the amount of characters added
+     */
+    insert(parts, position) {
         const insertIndex = this._splitAt(position);
         let newTextLength = 0;
         for (let i = 0; i < parts.length; ++i) {
@@ -167,10 +173,7 @@ export default class EditorModel {
             newTextLength += part.text.length;
             this._insertPart(insertIndex + i, part);
         }
-        // put caret after new part
-        const lastPartIndex = insertIndex + parts.length - 1;
-        const newPosition = new DocumentPosition(lastPartIndex, newTextLength);
-        this._updateCallback(newPosition);
+        return newTextLength;
     }
 
     update(newValue, inputType, caret) {
@@ -403,7 +406,7 @@ export default class EditorModel {
         return new Range(this, position);
     }
 
-    // called from Range.replace
+    //mostly internal, called from Range.replace
     replaceRange(startPosition, endPosition, parts) {
         const newStartPartIndex = this._splitAt(startPosition);
         const idxDiff = newStartPartIndex - startPosition.index;
diff --git a/src/editor/range.js b/src/editor/range.js
index e2ecc5d12b..1aaf480733 100644
--- a/src/editor/range.js
+++ b/src/editor/range.js
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ export default class Range {
         return text;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Splits the model at the range boundaries and replaces with the given parts.
+     * Should be run inside a `model.transform()` callback.
+     * @param {Part[]} parts the parts to replace the range with
+     * @return {Number} the net amount of characters added, can be negative.
+     */
     replace(parts) {
         const newLength = parts.reduce((sum, part) => sum + part.text.length, 0);
         let oldLength = 0;