diff --git a/fixtures/dump.sql b/fixtures/dump.sql
index 482b18c..5d22412 100644
Binary files a/fixtures/dump.sql and b/fixtures/dump.sql differ
diff --git a/fixtures/system.tgz b/fixtures/system.tgz
index f0208ba..c57330c 100644
Binary files a/fixtures/system.tgz and b/fixtures/system.tgz differ
diff --git a/routes/_actions/emoji.js b/routes/_actions/emoji.js
index becd51a..e004005 100644
--- a/routes/_actions/emoji.js
+++ b/routes/_actions/emoji.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { cacheFirstUpdateAfter } from '../_utils/sync'
 import { database } from '../_database/database'
 import { getCustomEmoji } from '../_api/emoji'
 import { store } from '../_store/store'
+import { substring } from 'stringz'
 
 export async function updateCustomEmojiForInstance (instanceName) {
   await cacheFirstUpdateAfter(
@@ -17,5 +18,12 @@ export async function updateCustomEmojiForInstance (instanceName) {
 }
 
 export function insertEmoji (emoji) {
-  store.set({emojiToInsert: emoji})
+  let idx = store.get('composeSelectionStart') || 0
+  let oldText = store.get('rawComposeText')
+  let pre = substring(oldText, 0, idx)
+  let post = substring(oldText, idx)
+  let newText = `${pre}:${emoji.shortcode}: ${post}`
+  store.set({
+    rawComposeText: newText
+  })
 }
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html
index 261bea5..e37bd16 100644
--- a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeInput.html
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   placeholder="What's on your mind?"
   ref:textarea
   bind:value=$rawComposeText
+  on:blur="onBlur()"
 ></textarea>
 <style>
   .compose-box-input {
@@ -48,34 +49,21 @@
         this.store.set({composeText: composeText})
         saveText()
       }, {init: false})
-
-      this.observe('emojiToInsert', emojiToInsert => {
-        if (!emojiToInsert) {
-          return
-        }
-        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-          let idx = this.refs.textarea.selectionStart || 0
-          let oldText = this.store.get('rawComposeText')
-          let newText = oldText.substring(0, idx) +
-            ':' + emojiToInsert.shortcode + ': ' +
-            oldText.substring(idx)
-          this.store.set({
-            rawComposeText: newText,
-            emojiToInsert: null
-          })
-        })
-      }, {init: false})
     },
     ondestroy() {
       mark('autosize.destroy()')
       autosize.destroy(this.refs.textarea)
       stop('autosize.destroy()')
     },
+    methods: {
+      onBlur() {
+        this.store.set({composeSelectionStart: this.refs.textarea.selectionStart})
+      }
+    },
     store: () => store,
     computed: {
       rawComposeText: ($rawComposeText) => $rawComposeText,
-      currentComposeText: ($currentComposeText) => $currentComposeText,
-      emojiToInsert: ($emojiToInsert) => $emojiToInsert
+      currentComposeText: ($currentComposeText) => $currentComposeText
     }
   }
 </script>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html
index e3b4b39..accf92f 100644
--- a/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html
+++ b/routes/_components/compose/ComposeLengthIndicator.html
@@ -34,15 +34,13 @@
     store: () => store,
     computed: {
       inputLengthToDisplay: ($rawComposeTextLength) => {
-        return ($rawComposeTextLength <= CHAR_LIMIT
-          ? $rawComposeTextLength
-          : CHAR_LIMIT - $rawComposeTextLength)
+        return CHAR_LIMIT - $rawComposeTextLength
       },
       inputLengthLabel: ($rawComposeTextOverLimit, inputLengthToDisplay) => {
         if ($rawComposeTextOverLimit) {
           return `${inputLengthToDisplay} characters over limit`
         } else {
-          return `${inputLengthToDisplay} characters`
+          return `${inputLengthToDisplay} characters remaining`
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/routes/_components/dialog/EmojiDialog.html b/routes/_components/dialog/EmojiDialog.html
index 3573b4a..761b0e9 100644
--- a/routes/_components/dialog/EmojiDialog.html
+++ b/routes/_components/dialog/EmojiDialog.html
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
   .custom-emoji-list {
     list-style: none;
     display: grid;
-    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(48px, 1fr));
+    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(48px, 1fr));
     grid-gap: 5px;
     padding: 20px 10px;
   }
diff --git a/tests/spec/12-compose-limits.js b/tests/spec/12-compose-limits.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d2added..0000000
--- a/tests/spec/12-compose-limits.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,34 +0,0 @@
-import {
-  composeButton, composeInput, composeLengthIndicator, getUrl, homeNavButton, notificationsNavButton
-} from '../utils'
-import { foobarRole } from '../roles'
-import times from 'lodash/times'
-
-fixture`12-compose-limits.js`
-  .page`http://localhost:4002`
-
-test('shows compose limits', async t => {
-  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
-    .hover(composeInput)
-    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('0')
-    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
-    .typeText(composeInput, 'typing some text')
-    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('16')
-    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
-    .typeText(composeInput, times(50, () => 'hello world').join(' '), {replace: true, paste: true})
-    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('-99')
-    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
-    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world', {replace: true})
-    .click(notificationsNavButton)
-    .expect(getUrl()).contains('/notifications')
-    .click(homeNavButton)
-    .expect(getUrl()).eql('http://localhost:4002/')
-    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('hello world')
-    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('11')
-    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
-    .selectText(composeInput)
-    .pressKey('delete')
-    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('')
-    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('0')
-    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
-})
diff --git a/tests/spec/12-compose.js b/tests/spec/12-compose.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8077da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/spec/12-compose.js
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import { Selector as $ } from 'testcafe'
+import {
+  composeButton, composeInput, composeLengthIndicator, emojiButton, getComposeSelectionStart, getUrl,
+  homeNavButton,
+  notificationsNavButton
+} from '../utils'
+import { foobarRole } from '../roles'
+import times from 'lodash/times'
+
+fixture`12-compose.js`
+  .page`http://localhost:4002`
+
+test('shows compose limits', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .hover(composeInput)
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('500')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'typing some text')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('484')
+    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
+    .typeText(composeInput, times(50, () => 'hello world').join(' '), {replace: true, paste: true})
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('-99')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world', {replace: true})
+    .click(notificationsNavButton)
+    .expect(getUrl()).contains('/notifications')
+    .click(homeNavButton)
+    .expect(getUrl()).eql('http://localhost:4002/')
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('hello world')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('489')
+    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
+    .selectText(composeInput)
+    .pressKey('delete')
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('500')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+})
+
+test('shows compose limits for URLs/handles', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('500')
+    .expect(composeButton.getAttribute('disabled')).eql('')
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world ' +
+      'http://foo.bar.baz.whatever.example.com/hello ' +
+      '@reallylongnamethatstretchesonandon@foo.example.com', {paste: true})
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('429')
+    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
+})
+
+test('shows compose limits for emoji', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world \ud83c\ude01 \ud83d\udc6a')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('485')
+    .expect(composeButton.hasAttribute('disabled')).notOk()
+})
+
+test('shows compose limits for custom emoji', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world ')
+    .click(emojiButton)
+    .click($('button img[title=":blobnom:"]'))
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('hello world :blobnom: ')
+    .expect(composeLengthIndicator.innerText).eql('478')
+})
+
+test('inserts custom emoji correctly', async t => {
+  await t.useRole(foobarRole)
+    .typeText(composeInput, 'hello world')
+    .selectText(composeInput, 6, 6)
+    .expect(getComposeSelectionStart()).eql(6)
+    .click(emojiButton)
+    .click($('button img[title=":blobpats:"]'))
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql('hello :blobpats: world')
+    .selectText(composeInput, 0, 0)
+    .expect(getComposeSelectionStart()).eql(0)
+    .click(emojiButton)
+    .click($('button img[title=":blobnom:"]'))
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql(':blobnom: hello :blobpats: world')
+    .typeText(composeInput, ' foobar ')
+    .click(emojiButton)
+    .click($('button img[title=":blobpeek:"]'))
+    .expect(composeInput.value).eql(':blobnom: hello :blobpats: world foobar :blobpeek: ')
+})
diff --git a/tests/utils.js b/tests/utils.js
index 5221cbd..103caab 100644
--- a/tests/utils.js
+++ b/tests/utils.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export const formError = $('.form-error-user-error')
 export const composeInput = $('.compose-box-input')
 export const composeButton = $('.compose-box-button')
 export const composeLengthIndicator = $('.compose-box-length')
+export const emojiButton = $('.compose-box-toolbar button:first-child')
 
 export const favoritesCountElement = $('.status-favs-reblogs:nth-child(3)').addCustomDOMProperties({
   innerCount: el => parseInt(el.innerText, 10)
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ export const getActiveElementClass = exec(() =>
 
 export const goBack = exec(() => window.history.back())
 
+export const getComposeSelectionStart = exec(() => composeInput().selectionStart, {
+  dependencies: { composeInput }
+})
+
 export function getNthStatus (n) {
   return $(`div[aria-hidden="false"] > article[aria-posinset="${n}"]`)
 }