diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
index 02493769..90b7359d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
@@ -140,6 +140,35 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.book.title, "New Title")
         self.assertFalse(self.book.authors.exists())
 
+    def test_create_book(self):
+        """ create an entirely new book and work """
+        view = views.ConfirmEditBook.as_view()
+        self.local_user.groups.add(self.group)
+        form = forms.EditionForm()
+        form.data["title"] = "New Title"
+        form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
+        request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
+            view(request)
+        book = models.Edition.objects.get(title="New Title")
+        self.assertEqual(book.parent_work.title, "New Title")
+
+    def test_create_book_existing_work(self):
+        """ create an entirely new book and work """
+        view = views.ConfirmEditBook.as_view()
+        self.local_user.groups.add(self.group)
+        form = forms.EditionForm()
+        form.data["title"] = "New Title"
+        form.data["parent_work"] = self.work.id
+        form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
+        request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
+        request.user = self.local_user
+        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"):
+            view(request)
+        book = models.Edition.objects.get(title="New Title")
+        self.assertEqual(book.parent_work, self.work)
+
     def test_switch_edition(self):
         """ updates user's relationships to a book """
         work = models.Work.objects.create(title="test work")
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books.py b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
index 55cc75b4..ecba4376 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/books.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 """ the good stuff! the books! """
-from django.core.paginator import Paginator
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
 from django.contrib.postgres.search import SearchRank, SearchVector
 from django.core.paginator import Paginator
@@ -207,7 +206,7 @@ class ConfirmEditBook(View):
                 if work_match:
                     work = get_object_or_404(models.Work, id=work_match)
                 else:
-                    work = models.Work.objects.create(title=form.cleaned_data.title)
+                    work = models.Work.objects.create(title=form.cleaned_data["title"])
                     work.authors.set(book.authors.all())
                 book.parent_work = work
                 book.save()