diff --git a/wcs/forms/root.ptl b/wcs/forms/root.ptl
index 3a844345c..cd4d8f8d3 100644
--- a/wcs/forms/root.ptl
+++ b/wcs/forms/root.ptl
@@ -393,21 +393,17 @@ class FormPage(Directory):
                 form.submit_widgets.remove(form._names['prefill'])
                 del form._names['prefill']
 
-        if not editing:
-            if page_no == 0 and not get_request().form.has_key('magictoken'):
-                magictoken = randbytes(8)
-            else:
-                magictoken = get_request().form['magictoken']
-            form.add_hidden('magictoken', magictoken)
-
-            form.add_submit('submit', _('Next'))
-            data = session.get_by_magictoken(magictoken, {})
+        if page_no == 0 and not get_request().form.has_key('magictoken'):
+            magictoken = randbytes(8)
         else:
-            if page_no == self.page_number - 1:
-                form.add_submit('submit', _('Save Changes'))
-            else:
-                form.add_submit('submit', _('Next'))
-            data = editing.data
+            magictoken = get_request().form['magictoken']
+        form.add_hidden('magictoken', magictoken)
+        data = session.get_by_magictoken(magictoken, {})
+
+        if editing and page_no == self.page_number - 1:
+            form.add_submit('submit', _('Save Changes'))
+        else:
+            form.add_submit('submit', _('Next'))
 
         if page_no > 0:
             form.add_submit('previous', _('Previous'))
@@ -511,6 +507,9 @@ class FormPage(Directory):
         if editing:
             existing_formdata = editing.data
             if not get_request().form:
+                # on the initial visit editing the form (i.e. not after
+                # clicking for previous or next page), we need to load the
+                # existing data into the session
                 token = randbytes(8)
                 get_request().form['magictoken'] = token
                 session.add_magictoken(token, editing.data)