diff --git a/tailbone/views/messages.py b/tailbone/views/messages.py
index b5a8371f..c1b3dbba 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/messages.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/messages.py
@@ -189,23 +189,44 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
         return form
 
     def configure_fieldset(self, fs):
-        fs.sender.set(label="From")
+        # TODO: A fair amount of this still seems hacky...
 
         if self.creating:
+
+            # Must create a new 'sender' field so that we can feed it the
+            # current user as default value, but prevent attaching user to the
+            # (new) underlying message instance...ugh
+            fs.append(formalchemy.Field('sender', value=self.request.user,
+                                        renderer=forms.renderers.UserFieldRenderer,
+                                        label="From", readonly=True))
+
+            # Sort of the same thing for recipients, although most of that logic is below.
             fs.append(RecipientsField('recipients', label="To", renderer=RecipientsFieldRenderer))
+
             fs.configure(include=[
-                fs.sender.with_renderer(forms.renderers.UserFieldRenderer).readonly(),
+                fs.sender,
                 fs.recipients,
                 fs.subject,
                 fs.body.textarea(size='50x15'),
             ])
+
+            # We'll assign some properties directly on the new message;
+            # apparently that's safe and won't cause it to be committed.
+            # Notably, we can't assign the sender yet.  Also the actual
+            # recipients assignment is handled by that field's sync().
             message = fs.model
-            message.sender = self.request.user
 
             if self.replying:
                 old_message = self.get_instance()
                 message.subject = "Re: {}".format(old_message.subject)
                 message.body = self.get_reply_body(old_message)
+
+                # Determine an initial set of recipients, based on reply
+                # method.  This value will be set to a 'pseudo' field to avoid
+                # touching the new model instance and causing a crap commit.
+
+                # If replying to all, massage the list a little so that the
+                # current user is not listed, and the sender is listed first.
                 if self.replying == 'all':
                     value = [(r.recipient.uuid, r.recipient.person.display_name)
                              for r in old_message.recipients
@@ -217,18 +238,33 @@ class MessagesView(MasterView):
                     if old_message.sender is not self.request.user and old_message.sender.active:
                         value.insert(0, old_message.sender_uuid)
                     fs.recipients.set(value=value)
+
+                # Just a normal reply, to sender only.
                 elif self.filter_reply_recipient(old_message.sender):
                     fs.recipients.set(value=[old_message.sender.uuid])
+
+                # Set focus to message body instead of recipients, when replying.
                 fs.focus = fs.body
 
         elif self.viewing:
+
+            # Viewing an existing message is a heck of a lot easier...
             fs.configure(include=[
-                fs.sender.with_renderer(SenderFieldRenderer),
+                fs.sender.with_renderer(SenderFieldRenderer).label("From"),
                 fs.recipients.with_renderer(RecipientsFieldRenderer).label("To"),
                 fs.sent.with_renderer(forms.renderers.DateTimeFieldRenderer(self.rattail_config)),
                 fs.subject,
             ])
 
+    def before_create(self, form):
+        """
+        This is where we must assign the current user as sender for new
+        messages, for now.  I'm still not quite happy with this...
+        """
+        super(MessagesView, self).before_create(form)
+        message = form.fieldset.model
+        message.sender = self.request.user
+
     def filter_reply_recipient(self, user):
         return user.active