diff --git a/tailbone/forms/core.py b/tailbone/forms/core.py
index bf508a6f..f4d5f14f 100644
--- a/tailbone/forms/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/forms/core.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ from pyramid_deform import SessionFileUploadTempStore
 from pyramid.renderers import render
 from webhelpers2.html import tags, HTML
 
-from tailbone.util import raw_datetime, get_form_data
+from tailbone.db import Session
+from tailbone.util import raw_datetime, get_form_data, render_markdown
 from . import types
 from .widgets import ReadonlyWidget, PlainDateWidget, JQueryDateWidget, JQueryTimeWidget
 from tailbone.exceptions import TailboneJSONFieldError
@@ -337,6 +338,8 @@ class Form(object):
                  hidden={}, widgets={}, defaults={}, validators={}, required={}, helptext={}, focus_spec=None,
                  action_url=None, cancel_url=None, use_buefy=None, component='tailbone-form',
                  vuejs_field_converters={},
+                 # TODO: ugh this is getting out hand!
+                 can_edit_help=False, edit_help_url=None, route_prefix=None,
     ):
         self.fields = None
         if fields is not None:
@@ -375,6 +378,9 @@ class Form(object):
         self.use_buefy = use_buefy
         self.component = component
         self.vuejs_field_converters = vuejs_field_converters or {}
+        self.can_edit_help = can_edit_help
+        self.edit_help_url = edit_help_url
+        self.route_prefix = route_prefix
 
     def __iter__(self):
         return iter(self.fields)
@@ -800,6 +806,11 @@ class Form(object):
         context = kwargs
         context['form'] = self
         context['dform'] = dform
+        context.setdefault('can_edit_help', self.can_edit_help)
+        if context['can_edit_help']:
+            context.setdefault('edit_help_url', self.edit_help_url)
+            context['field_labels'] = self.get_field_labels()
+            context['field_markdowns'] = self.get_field_markdowns()
         context.setdefault('form_kwargs', {})
         # TODO: deprecate / remove the latter option here
         if self.auto_disable_save or self.auto_disable:
@@ -815,6 +826,22 @@ class Form(object):
         context['render_field_readonly'] = self.render_field_readonly
         return render(template, context)
 
+    def get_field_labels(self):
+        return dict([(field, self.get_label(field))
+                     for field in self])
+
+    def get_field_markdowns(self):
+        model = self.request.rattail_config.get_model()
+
+        if not hasattr(self, 'field_markdowns'):
+            infos = Session.query(model.TailboneFieldInfo)\
+                           .filter(model.TailboneFieldInfo.route_prefix == self.route_prefix)\
+                           .all()
+            self.field_markdowns = dict([(info.field_name, info.markdown_text)
+                                         for info in infos])
+
+        return self.field_markdowns
+
     def get_vuejs_model_value(self, field):
         """
         This method must return "raw" JS which will be assigned as the initial
@@ -874,13 +901,14 @@ class Form(object):
         """
         dform = self.make_deform_form()
         field = dform[fieldname]
+        label = self.get_label(fieldname)
+        markdowns = self.get_field_markdowns()
 
         if self.field_visible(fieldname):
 
             # these attrs will be for the <b-field> (*not* the widget)
             attrs = {
                 ':horizontal': 'true',
-                'label': self.get_label(fieldname),
             }
 
             # add some magic for file input fields
@@ -915,11 +943,50 @@ class Form(object):
             # render the field widget or whatever
             html = field.serialize(use_buefy=True,
                                    **self.get_renderer_kwargs(fieldname))
-            # TODO: why do we not get HTML literal from serialize() ?
             html = HTML.literal(html)
 
+            # may need a complex label
+            label_contents = [label]
+
+            # add 'configure' icon if allowed
+            if self.can_edit_help:
+                icon = HTML.tag('b-icon', size='is-small', pack='fas',
+                                icon='cog')
+                icon = HTML.tag('a', title="Configure field", c=[icon],
+                                **{'@click.prevent': "configureFieldInit('{}')".format(fieldname)})
+                label_contents.append(HTML.literal('&nbsp; &nbsp;'))
+                label_contents.append(icon)
+
+            # add 'help' icon/tooltip if defined
+            if markdowns.get(fieldname):
+                icon = HTML.tag('b-icon', size='is-small', pack='fas',
+                                icon='question-circle')
+                tooltip = render_markdown(markdowns[fieldname])
+
+                # nb. must apply hack to get <template #content> as final result
+                tooltip_template = HTML.tag('template', c=[tooltip],
+                                            **{'#content': 1})
+                tooltip_template = tooltip_template.replace(
+                    HTML.literal('<template #content="1"'),
+                    HTML.literal('<template #content'))
+
+                tooltip = HTML.tag('b-tooltip',
+                                   type='is-white',
+                                   size='is-large',
+                                   multilined='multilined',
+                                   c=[icon, tooltip_template])
+                label_contents.append(HTML.literal('&nbsp; &nbsp;'))
+                label_contents.append(tooltip)
+
+            # nb. must apply hack to get <template #label> as final result
+            label_template = HTML.tag('template', c=label_contents,
+                                      **{'#label': 1})
+            label_template = label_template.replace(
+                HTML.literal('<template #label="1"'),
+                HTML.literal('<template #label'))
+
             # and finally wrap it all in a <b-field>
-            return HTML.tag('b-field', c=[html], **attrs)
+            return HTML.tag('b-field', c=[label_template, html], **attrs)
 
         else: # hidden field
 
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/form.mako b/tailbone/templates/form.mako
index 11d4d6ae..c04dce21 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/form.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/form.mako
@@ -58,6 +58,25 @@
   ${parent.render_this_page_template()}
 </%def>
 
+<%def name="modify_this_page_vars()">
+  ${parent.modify_this_page_vars()}
+  % if can_edit_help:
+      <script type="text/javascript">
+
+        ${form.component_studly}.methods.configureFieldInit = function(fieldname) {
+            this.configureFieldName = fieldname
+            this.configureFieldLabel = this.fieldLabels[fieldname]
+            this.configureFieldMarkdown = this.fieldMarkdowns[fieldname]
+            this.configureFieldShowDialog = true
+            this.$nextTick(() => {
+                this.$refs.configureFieldMarkdown.focus()
+            })
+        }
+
+      </script>
+  % endif
+</%def>
+
 <%def name="finalize_this_page_vars()">
   ${parent.finalize_this_page_vars()}
   % if form is not Undefined:
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako b/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako
index c387d965..0b1e8d90 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako
@@ -66,6 +66,47 @@
   % if not form.readonly:
   ${h.end_form()}
   % endif
+
+  % if can_edit_help:
+      <b-modal has-modal-card
+               :active.sync="configureFieldShowDialog">
+        <div class="modal-card">
+
+          <header class="modal-card-head">
+            <p class="modal-card-title">Field: {{ configureFieldName }}</p>
+          </header>
+
+          <section class="modal-card-body">
+
+            <b-field label="Label">
+              <b-input v-model="configureFieldLabel" disabled></b-input>
+            </b-field>
+
+            <b-field label="Help Text (Markdown)">
+              <b-input v-model="configureFieldMarkdown"
+                       type="textarea" rows="8"
+                       ref="configureFieldMarkdown">
+              </b-input>
+            </b-field>
+
+          </section>
+
+          <footer class="modal-card-foot">
+            <b-button @click="configureFieldShowDialog = false">
+              Cancel
+            </b-button>
+            <b-button type="is-primary"
+                      @click="configureFieldSave()"
+                      :disabled="configureFieldSaving"
+                      icon-pack="fas"
+                      icon-left="save">
+              {{ configureFieldSaving ? "Working, please wait..." : "Save" }}
+            </b-button>
+          </footer>
+        </div>
+      </b-modal>
+  % endif
+
   </div>
 </script>
 
@@ -85,7 +126,29 @@
               submit${form.component_studly}() {
                   this.${form.component_studly}Submitting = true
                   this.${form.component_studly}ButtonText = "Working, please wait..."
-              }
+              },
+          % endif
+
+          % if can_edit_help:
+              configureFieldSave() {
+                  this.configureFieldSaving = true
+                  let url = '${edit_help_url}'
+                  let params = {
+                      field_name: this.configureFieldName,
+                      markdown_text: this.configureFieldMarkdown,
+                  }
+                  this.submitForm(url, params, response => {
+                      this.configureFieldShowDialog = false
+                      this.$buefy.toast.open({
+                          message: "Info was saved; please refresh page to see changes.",
+                          type: 'is-info',
+                          duration: 4000, // 4 seconds
+                      })
+                      this.configureFieldSaving = false
+                  }, response => {
+                      this.configureFieldSaving = false
+                  })
+              },
           % endif
       }
   }
@@ -95,6 +158,16 @@
       ## TODO: should find a better way to handle CSRF token
       csrftoken: ${json.dumps(request.session.get_csrf_token() or request.session.new_csrf_token())|n},
 
+      % if can_edit_help:
+          fieldLabels: ${json.dumps(field_labels)|n},
+          fieldMarkdowns: ${json.dumps(field_markdowns)|n},
+          configureFieldShowDialog: false,
+          configureFieldSaving: false,
+          configureFieldName: null,
+          configureFieldLabel: null,
+          configureFieldMarkdown: null,
+      % endif
+
       ## TODO: ugh, this seems pretty hacky.  need to declare some data models
       ## for various field components to bind to...
       % if not form.readonly:
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/page_help.mako b/tailbone/templates/page_help.mako
index cd13011e..b745965a 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/page_help.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/page_help.mako
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
                   </b-input>
                 </b-field>
 
-                <b-field label="Markdown Text">
+                <b-field label="Help Text (Markdown)">
                   <b-input v-model="markdownText"
                            type="textarea" rows="8">
                   </b-input>
diff --git a/tailbone/util.py b/tailbone/util.py
index f5457149..ca8d0933 100644
--- a/tailbone/util.py
+++ b/tailbone/util.py
@@ -183,12 +183,14 @@ def raw_datetime(config, value, verbose=False, as_date=False):
     return HTML.tag('span', **kwargs)
 
 
-def render_markdown(text, **kwargs):
+def render_markdown(text, raw=False, **kwargs):
     """
     Render the given markdown text as HTML.
     """
     kwargs.setdefault('extensions', ['fenced_code', 'codehilite'])
     md = markdown.markdown(text, **kwargs)
+    if raw:
+        return md
     md = HTML.literal(md)
     return HTML.tag('div', class_='rendered-markdown', c=[md])
 
diff --git a/tailbone/views/master.py b/tailbone/views/master.py
index 396c953e..2431b437 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/master.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/master.py
@@ -2333,6 +2333,40 @@ class MasterView(View):
         info.markdown_text = form.validated['markdown_text']
         return {'ok': True}
 
+    def edit_field_help(self):
+        if (not self.has_perm('edit_help')
+            and not self.request.has_perm('common.edit_help')):
+            raise self.forbidden()
+
+        model = self.model
+        route_prefix = self.get_route_prefix()
+        schema = colander.Schema()
+
+        schema.add(colander.SchemaNode(colander.String(),
+                                       name='field_name'))
+
+        schema.add(colander.SchemaNode(colander.String(),
+                                       name='markdown_text',
+                                       missing=None))
+
+        factory = self.get_form_factory()
+        form = factory(schema=schema, request=self.request)
+        if not form.validate(newstyle=True):
+            return {'error': "Form did not validate"}
+
+        # nb. self.Session may differ, so use tailbone.db.Session
+        info = Session.query(model.TailboneFieldInfo)\
+                      .filter(model.TailboneFieldInfo.route_prefix == route_prefix)\
+                      .filter(model.TailboneFieldInfo.field_name == form.validated['field_name'])\
+                      .first()
+        if not info:
+            info = model.TailboneFieldInfo(route_prefix=route_prefix,
+                                           field_name=form.validated['field_name'])
+            Session.add(info)
+
+        info.markdown_text = form.validated['markdown_text']
+        return {'ok': True}
+
     def render_to_response(self, template, data, **kwargs):
         """
         Return a response with the given template rendered with the given data.
@@ -3944,6 +3978,7 @@ class MasterView(View):
         Return a dictionary of kwargs to be passed to the factory when creating
         new form instances.
         """
+        route_prefix = self.get_route_prefix()
         defaults = {
             'request': self.request,
             'readonly': self.viewing,
@@ -3951,12 +3986,21 @@ class MasterView(View):
             'action_url': self.request.current_route_url(_query=None),
             'use_buefy': self.get_use_buefy(),
             'assume_local_times': self.has_local_times,
+            'route_prefix': route_prefix,
+            'can_edit_help': (self.has_perm('edit_help')
+                              or self.request.has_perm('common.edit_help')),
         }
+
+        if defaults['can_edit_help']:
+            defaults['edit_help_url'] = self.request.route_url(
+                '{}.edit_field_help'.format(route_prefix))
+
         if self.creating:
             kwargs.setdefault('cancel_url', self.get_index_url())
         else:
             instance = kwargs['model_instance']
             kwargs.setdefault('cancel_url', self.get_action_url('view', instance))
+
         defaults.update(kwargs)
         return defaults
 
@@ -4832,6 +4876,12 @@ class MasterView(View):
         config.add_view(cls, attr='edit_help',
                         route_name='{}.edit_help'.format(route_prefix),
                         renderer='json')
+        config.add_route('{}.edit_field_help'.format(route_prefix),
+                         '{}/edit-field-help'.format(url_prefix),
+                         request_method='POST')
+        config.add_view(cls, attr='edit_field_help',
+                        route_name='{}.edit_field_help'.format(route_prefix),
+                        renderer='json')
 
         # list/search
         if cls.listable: