diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml b/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml
index b7c8ccc68..cae663895 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/bindings/noteeditor.xml
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@
 					switch (val) {
 						case 'view':
 						case 'merge':
+							// If there's an existing editor, mark it as read-only. This allows for
+							// disabling an existing editable note (e.g., if there's a save error).
+							if (this.noteField) {
+								this.noteField.onInit(ed => ed.setMode('readonly'));
+							}
 							break;
 						
 						case 'edit':
@@ -243,9 +248,9 @@
 			</method>
 			
 			<method name="save">
-				<body>
-					<![CDATA[
-						return Zotero.spawn(function* () {
+				<body><![CDATA[
+					return Zotero.spawn(function* () {
+						try {
 							if (this._mode == 'view') {
 								Zotero.debug("Not saving read-only note");
 								return;
@@ -262,10 +267,6 @@
 							if (this.item) {
 								// If note field doesn't match item, abort save and run error handler
 								if (noteField.getAttribute('itemID') != this.item.id) {
-									if (this.hasAttribute('onerror')) {
-										let fn = new Function("", this.getAttribute('onerror'));
-										fn.call(this)
-									}
 									throw new Error("Note field doesn't match current item");
 								}
 								
@@ -298,10 +299,21 @@
 								}
 							}
 							
-							this.item = yield Zotero.Items.getAsync(id);
-						}.bind(this));
-					]]>
-				</body>
+							this.item = item;
+						}
+						catch (e) {
+							Zotero.logError(e);
+							
+							if (this.hasAttribute('onerror')) {
+								let fn = new Function("", this.getAttribute('onerror'));
+								fn.call(this)
+							}
+							if (this.onError) {
+								this.onError(e);
+							}
+						}
+					}.bind(this));
+				]]></body>
 			</method>
 			
 			<!-- Used to insert a tab manually -->
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul b/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
index 3609daa1b..8f40a346b 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/itemPane.xul
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
 				-->
 				<zoteronoteeditor id="zotero-note-editor" flex="1" notitle="1"
 					previousfocus="zotero-items-tree"
-					onerror="ZoteroPane.displayErrorMessage()"/>
+					onerror="ZoteroPane.displayErrorMessage(); this.mode = 'view'"/>
 				<button id="zotero-view-note-button" label="&zotero.notes.separate;" oncommand="ZoteroPane_Local.openNoteWindow(this.getAttribute('noteID')); if(this.hasAttribute('sourceID')) ZoteroPane_Local.selectItem(this.getAttribute('sourceID'));"/>
 			</groupbox>
 			
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/note.js b/chrome/content/zotero/note.js
index 8056dd03d..0612107f2 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/note.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/note.js
@@ -75,6 +75,17 @@ function onLoad() {
 	});
 }
 
+// If there's an error saving a note, close the window and crash the app
+function onError() {
+	try {
+		window.opener.ZoteroPane.displayErrorMessage();
+	}
+	catch (e) {
+		Zotero.logError(e);
+	}
+	window.close();
+}
+
 function onUnload()
 {
 	if(noteEditor && noteEditor.value)
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/note.xul b/chrome/content/zotero/note.xul
index ec4ea7e4b..1f2b2f161 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/note.xul
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/note.xul
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@
 	</keyset>
 	<command id="cmd_close" oncommand="window.close();"/>
 	
-	<zoteronoteeditor id="zotero-note-editor" flex="1"/>
+	<zoteronoteeditor id="zotero-note-editor" flex="1" onerror="onError()"/>
 </window>
\ No newline at end of file
