diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee
index de92a54b1f..fc0045a297 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class @HTMLEditingDescriptor
       setup : @setupTinyMCE,
       # Cannot get access to tinyMCE Editor instance (for focusing) until after it is rendered.
       # The tinyMCE callback passes in the editor as a paramter.
-      init_instance_callback: @focusVisualEditor
+      init_instance_callback: @initInstanceCallback
     })
 
     @showingVisualEditor = true
@@ -96,29 +96,32 @@ class @HTMLEditingDescriptor
   # Show the Advanced (codemirror) Editor. Pulled out as a helper method for unit testing.
   showAdvancedEditor: (visualEditor) ->
     if visualEditor.isDirty()
-      content = visualEditor.getContent({no_events: 1})
-      regex = new RegExp(@base_asset_url, 'g')
-      content = content.replace(regex, '/static/')
+      content = @rewriteStaticLinks(visualEditor.getContent({no_events: 1}), @base_asset_url, '/static/')
       @advanced_editor.setValue(content)
       @advanced_editor.setCursor(0)
     @advanced_editor.refresh()
     @advanced_editor.focus()
     @showingVisualEditor = false
 
+  rewriteStaticLinks: (content, from, to) ->
+    regex = new RegExp(from, 'g')
+    return content.replace(regex, to)    
+
   # Show the Visual (tinyMCE) Editor. Pulled out as a helper method for unit testing.
   showVisualEditor: (visualEditor) ->
     # In order for isDirty() to return true ONLY if edits have been made after setting the text,
     # both the startContent must be sync'ed up and the dirty flag set to false.
-    visualEditor.startContent = visualEditor.getContent({format: "raw", no_events: 1});
+    content = @rewriteStaticLinks(@advanced_editor.getValue(), '/static/', @base_asset_url)
+    visualEditor.setContent(content)
+    visualEditor.startContent = content
     @focusVisualEditor(visualEditor)
     @showingVisualEditor = true
 
-  focusVisualEditor: (visualEditor) =>
-    content = @advanced_editor.getValue()
-    regex = new RegExp('/static/', 'g')
-    content = content.replace(regex, @base_asset_url)
-    visualEditor.setContent(content)
+  initInstanceCallback: (visualEditor) =>
+    visualEditor.setContent(@rewriteStaticLinks(@advanced_editor.getValue(), '/static/', @base_asset_url))
+    @focusVisualEditor(visualEditor)
 
+  focusVisualEditor: (visualEditor) =>
     visualEditor.focus()
     # Need to mark editor as not dirty both when it is initially created and when we switch back to it.
     visualEditor.isNotDirty = true
@@ -139,7 +142,5 @@ class @HTMLEditingDescriptor
     text = @advanced_editor.getValue()
     visualEditor = @getVisualEditor()
     if @showingVisualEditor and visualEditor.isDirty()
-      text = visualEditor.getContent({no_events: 1})
-      regex = new RegExp(@base_asset_url, 'g')
-      text = text.replace(regex, '/static/')
+      text = @rewriteStaticLinks(visualEditor.getContent({no_events: 1}), @base_asset_url, '/static/')
     data: text