diff --git a/src/main/java/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.java
index 46676a2356..4bec06a601 100755
--- a/src/main/java/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.TextArea;
 import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.TextBox;
 import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.Tooltip;
-import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.base.TextBoxBase;
 import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.constants.ValidationState;
 import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.html.Div;
 import org.gwtbootstrap3.client.ui.html.Paragraph;
@@ -64,27 +63,48 @@ public interface Binder
   @UiField
   TextBox username;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph usernameRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   TextBox firstName;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph firstNameRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   TextBox lastName;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph lastNameRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   TextBox currentPosition;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph currentPositionRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   TextBox currentAffiliation;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph currentAffiliationRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   TextBox industry;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph industryRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   Div emailDiv;
 
   @UiField
   Div locationSuggestBoxContainer;
 
+  @UiField
+  Paragraph locationRenderer;
+
   @UiField
   FormGroup linkFormGroup;
 
@@ -151,7 +171,6 @@ public interface Binder
   SuggestBox locationSuggestBox;
   private Widget widget;
 
-  TextBoxBase[] textBoxes;
   com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.TextBoxBase locationTextBox;
   boolean isEditing = false;
   SynapseJSNIUtils jsniUtils;
@@ -182,17 +201,6 @@ public UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl(
     locationTextBox = locationSuggestBox.getTextBox();
     locationTextBox.addStyleName("form-control");
     locationSuggestBoxContainer.add(locationSuggestBox);
-    // note, not adding email since it's not editable here.
-    textBoxes =
-      new TextBoxBase[] {
-        username,
-        firstName,
-        lastName,
-        currentPosition,
-        currentAffiliation,
-        industry,
-        link,
-      };
     editProfileButton.addClickHandler(event -> {
       presenter.setIsEditingMode(true);
     });
@@ -215,6 +223,7 @@ public Widget asWidget() {
   @Override
   public void setUsername(String username) {
     this.username.setText(username);
+    usernameRenderer.setText(username);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -255,6 +264,7 @@ private IsWidget getEmailElement(String email, String paragraphStyles) {
   @Override
   public void setFirstName(String firstName) {
     this.firstName.setText(firstName);
+    firstNameRenderer.setText(firstName);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -275,6 +285,7 @@ public String getUsername() {
   @Override
   public void setLastName(String lastName) {
     this.lastName.setText(lastName);
+    lastNameRenderer.setText(lastName);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -340,11 +351,13 @@ public String getCurrentPosition() {
   @Override
   public void setCurrentPosition(String position) {
     currentPosition.setText(position);
+    currentPositionRenderer.setText(position);
   }
 
   @Override
   public void setCurrentAffiliation(String company) {
     currentAffiliation.setText(company);
+    currentAffiliationRenderer.setText(company);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -355,6 +368,7 @@ public String getCurrentAffiliation() {
   @Override
   public void setIndustry(String industry) {
     this.industry.setText(industry);
+    industryRenderer.setText(industry);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -365,6 +379,7 @@ public String getIndustry() {
   @Override
   public void setLocation(String location) {
     this.locationSuggestBox.setText(location);
+    locationRenderer.setText(location);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -395,33 +410,46 @@ public void addKeyDownHandlerToFields(KeyDownHandler keyDownHandler) {
   @Override
   public void setEditMode(boolean isEditing) {
     this.isEditing = isEditing;
-    for (TextBoxBase tb : textBoxes) {
-      tb.setReadOnly(!isEditing);
-    }
 
     bioEditor.setVisible(isEditing);
     bioRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     locationTextBox.setReadOnly(!isEditing);
+    firstName.setVisible(isEditing);
+    firstNameRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     firstName.setPlaceholder(isEditing ? "Enter first name" : "");
+    lastName.setVisible(isEditing);
+    lastNameRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     lastName.setPlaceholder(isEditing ? "Enter last name" : "");
+    currentAffiliation.setVisible(isEditing);
+    currentAffiliationRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     currentAffiliation.setPlaceholder(
       isEditing ? "Enter current affiliation" : ""
     );
+
     bioEditor.setPlaceholder("Enter bio");
+    link.setVisible(isEditing);
+    linkRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     link.setPlaceholder(isEditing ? "Enter link to more info" : "");
+    locationSuggestBoxContainer.setVisible(isEditing);
+    locationRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     locationTextBox
       .getElement()
       .setAttribute("placeholder", isEditing ? "Enter City, Country" : "");
+    currentPosition.setVisible(isEditing);
+    currentPositionRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     currentPosition.setPlaceholder(isEditing ? "Enter current position" : "");
+    industry.setVisible(isEditing);
+    industryRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
     industry.setPlaceholder(isEditing ? "Enter industry/discipline" : "");
 
     editProfileButton.setVisible(!isEditing);
     saveProfileButton.setVisible(isEditing);
     cancelButton.setVisible(isEditing);
-    linkRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
-    link.setVisible(isEditing);
     changeEmailLink.setVisible(isEditing);
     changePasswordLink.setVisible(isEditing);
+    username.setVisible(isEditing);
+    usernameRenderer.setVisible(!isEditing);
+
     if (!isEditing) {
       DisplayUtils.showLoading(saveProfileButton, false, originalButtonText);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/resources/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.ui.xml b/src/main/resources/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.ui.xml
index 46b5221a77..9f4dac0fec 100755
--- a/src/main/resources/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.ui.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/org/sagebionetworks/web/client/widget/profile/UserProfileEditorWidgetViewImpl.ui.xml
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@
             <b:FormGroup>
               <b:FormLabel for="firstName">First Name</b:FormLabel>
               <b:TextBox name="firstName" ui:field="firstName" />
+              <bh:Paragraph ui:field="firstNameRenderer" visible="false" />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
           <b:Column size="MD_12,LG_6">
             <b:FormGroup>
               <b:FormLabel for="lastName">Last Name</b:FormLabel>
               <b:TextBox name="lastName" ui:field="lastName" />
+              <bh:Paragraph ui:field="lastNameRenderer" visible="false" />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
         </b:Row>
@@ -44,6 +46,10 @@
             <b:FormGroup>
               <b:FormLabel for="currentPosition">Current Position</b:FormLabel>
               <b:TextBox name="currentPosition" ui:field="currentPosition" />
+              <bh:Paragraph
+                ui:field="currentPositionRenderer"
+                visible="false"
+              />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
           <b:Column size="MD_12,LG_6">
@@ -55,6 +61,10 @@
                 name="currentAffiliation"
                 ui:field="currentAffiliation"
               />
+              <bh:Paragraph
+                ui:field="currentAffiliationRenderer"
+                visible="false"
+              />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
         </b:Row>
@@ -76,6 +86,7 @@
             <b:FormGroup ui:field="usernameFormGroup">
               <b:FormLabel for="username">Username</b:FormLabel>
               <b:TextBox name="username" ui:field="username" />
+              <bh:Paragraph ui:field="usernameRenderer" visible="false" />
               <b:HelpBlock ui:field="usernameHelpBlock" />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
@@ -95,12 +106,14 @@
             <b:FormGroup>
               <b:FormLabel for="industry">Industry/Discipline</b:FormLabel>
               <b:TextBox name="industry" ui:field="industry" />
+              <bh:Paragraph ui:field="industryRenderer" visible="false" />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
           <b:Column size="MD_12,LG_6">
             <b:FormGroup>
               <b:FormLabel for="location">City, Country</b:FormLabel>
               <bh:Div ui:field="locationSuggestBoxContainer" />
+              <bh:Paragraph ui:field="locationRenderer" visible="false" />
             </b:FormGroup>
           </b:Column>
         </b:Row>
@@ -144,6 +157,7 @@
               >
                 NotThePassword
               </g:PasswordTextBox>
+
               <b:Anchor
                 addStyleNames="displayInlineBlock"
                 ui:field="changePasswordLink"