diff --git a/public/assets/js/createChannelFunctions.js b/public/assets/js/createChannelFunctions.js
index 1e3f4957..982e730d 100644
--- a/public/assets/js/createChannelFunctions.js
+++ b/public/assets/js/createChannelFunctions.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ function publishNewChannel (event) {
             return sendAuthRequest(userName, password, '/signup') // post the request
         })
         .then(result => {
-            setUserCookies(result.channelName, result.channelClaimId, result.shortChannelId);
+            setUserCookies(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
             showChannelCreateDoneDisplay();
             window.location = '/';
         })
diff --git a/public/assets/js/generalFunctions.js b/public/assets/js/generalFunctions.js
index 6ba5515b..0343b7fb 100644
--- a/public/assets/js/generalFunctions.js
+++ b/public/assets/js/generalFunctions.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ function clearCookie(name) {
     document.cookie = `${name}=; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-1970 00:00:01 GMT;`;
 }
 
-function setUserCookies(channelName, channelClaimId, shortChannelId) {
+function setUserCookies(channelName, shortChannelId, channelClaimId) {
     setCookie('channel_name', channelName)
     setCookie('channel_claim_id', channelClaimId);
     setCookie('short_channel_id', shortChannelId);
diff --git a/public/assets/js/loginFunctions.js b/public/assets/js/loginFunctions.js
index cc3580f4..54a8312a 100644
--- a/public/assets/js/loginFunctions.js
+++ b/public/assets/js/loginFunctions.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ function loginToChannel (event) {
             return sendAuthRequest(userName, password, '/login')
         })
         .then(result => {
-            setUserCookies(result.channelName, result.channelClaimId, result.shortChannelId);
+            setUserCookies(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
             // if user is on the home page, update the needed elements without reloading
             window.location = '/';
         })
diff --git a/react/components/AnonymousOrChannelSelect.jsx b/react/components/AnonymousOrChannelSelect.jsx
index b956887a..da93a88d 100644
--- a/react/components/AnonymousOrChannelSelect.jsx
+++ b/react/components/AnonymousOrChannelSelect.jsx
@@ -17,20 +17,16 @@ class AnonymousOrChannelSelect extends React.Component {
   }
   render () {
     return (
-      <div className="row row--padded row--short row--wide">
-        <div className="column column--10">
-          <form>
-            <div className="column column--3 column--med-10">
-              <input type="radio" name="anonymous-or-channel" id="anonymous-radio" className="input-radio" value="anonymous" checked={!this.props.publishInChannel} onChange={this.toggleAnonymousPublish}/>
-              <label className="label label--pointer" htmlFor="anonymous-radio">Anonymous</label>
-            </div>
-            <div className="column column--7 column--med-10">
-              <input type="radio" name="anonymous-or-channel" id="channel-radio" className="input-radio" value="in a channel" checked={this.props.publishInChannel} onChange={this.toggleAnonymousPublish}/>
-              <label className="label label--pointer" htmlFor="channel-radio">In a channel</label>
-            </div>
-          </form>
+      <form>
+        <div className="column column--3 column--med-10">
+          <input type="radio" name="anonymous-or-channel" id="anonymous-radio" className="input-radio" value="anonymous" checked={!this.props.publishInChannel} onChange={this.toggleAnonymousPublish}/>
+          <label className="label label--pointer" htmlFor="anonymous-radio">Anonymous</label>
         </div>
-      </div>
+        <div className="column column--7 column--med-10">
+          <input type="radio" name="anonymous-or-channel" id="channel-radio" className="input-radio" value="in a channel" checked={this.props.publishInChannel} onChange={this.toggleAnonymousPublish}/>
+          <label className="label label--pointer" htmlFor="channel-radio">In a channel</label>
+        </div>
+      </form>
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/react/components/ChannelCreateForm.jsx b/react/components/ChannelCreateForm.jsx
index c4cef7a4..f289ec5a 100644
--- a/react/components/ChannelCreateForm.jsx
+++ b/react/components/ChannelCreateForm.jsx
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import React from 'react';
+import {connect} from 'react-redux';
+import {updateLoggedInChannel} from '../actions';
 import { makeGetRequest, makePostRequest } from '../utils/xhr.js';
+import { setUserCookies } from '../utils/cookies.js';
+import { replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar } from '../utils/pageUpdate.js';
 
 class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
   constructor (props) {
@@ -10,25 +14,24 @@ class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
       password: null,
       status  : null,
     };
+    this.cleanseChannelInput = this.cleanseChannelInput.bind(this);
     this.handleChannelInput = this.handleChannelInput.bind(this);
     this.handleInput = this.handleInput.bind(this);
-    this.cleanseInput = this.cleanseInput.bind(this);
     this.checkChannelIsAvailable = this.checkChannelIsAvailable.bind(this);
     this.createChannel = this.createChannel.bind(this);
   }
-  handleChannelInput (event) {
-    event.preventDefault();
-    const name = event.target.name;
-    let value = event.target.value;
-    value = this.cleanseInput(value);
-    this.setState({[name]: value});
-    this.checkChannelIsAvailable(value);
-  }
-  cleanseInput (input) {
+  cleanseChannelInput (input) {
     input = input.replace(/\s+/g, '-'); // replace spaces with dashes
     input = input.replace(/[^A-Za-z0-9-]/g, '');  // remove all characters that are not A-Z, a-z, 0-9, or '-'
     return input;
   }
+  handleChannelInput (event) {
+    event.preventDefault();
+    let value = event.target.value;
+    value = this.cleanseChannelInput(value);
+    this.setState({channel: value});
+    this.checkChannelIsAvailable(value);
+  }
   handleInput (event) {
     event.preventDefault();
     const name = event.target.name;
@@ -65,10 +68,9 @@ class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
     this.setState({status: 'We are publishing your new channel.  Sit tight...'});
     makePostRequest(url, params)
       .then(result => {
-        that.props.updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact(result.channelName, result.channelClaimId, result.shortChannelId);
-        that.props.updateUploaderState('loggedInChannelName', result.channelName);
-        that.props.updateUploaderState('loggedInChannelShortId', result.shortChannelId);
-        that.props.selectOption(result.channelName);
+        that.props.onChannelLogin(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
+        setUserCookies(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
+        replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar(result.channelName);
       })
       .catch(error => {
         console.log('create channel failure:', error);
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
               </div><div className="column column--6 column--sml-10">
               <div className="input-text--primary flex-container--row flex-container--left-bottom">
                 <span>@</span>
-                <input type="text" name="channel" id="new-channel-name" className="input-text" placeholder="exampleChannelName" value={this.channel} onChange={this.handleChannelInput} />
+                <input type="text" name="channel" id="new-channel-name" className="input-text" placeholder="exampleChannelName" value={this.state.channel} onChange={this.handleChannelInput} />
                 <span id="input-success-channel-name" className="info-message--success">{'\u2713'}</span>
               </div>
             </div>
@@ -101,13 +103,13 @@ class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
                 <label className="label" htmlFor="new-channel-password">Password:</label>
               </div><div className="column column--6 column--sml-10">
               <div className="input-text--primary">
-                <input type="password" name="password" id="new-channel-password" className="input-text"  placeholder="" value={this.password} onChange={this.handleInput} />
+                <input type="password" name="password" id="new-channel-password" className="input-text"  placeholder="" value={this.state.password} onChange={this.handleInput} />
               </div>
             </div>
             </div>
 
             <div className="row row--wide">
-              <button className="button--primary" onClick={this.createChannel}>Create</button>
+              <button className="button--primary" onClick={this.createChannel}>Create Channel</button>
             </div>
           </form>
         ) : (
@@ -118,4 +120,12 @@ class ChannelCreateForm extends React.Component {
   }
 }
 
-module.exports = ChannelCreateForm;
+const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
+  return {
+    onChannelLogin: (name, shortId, longId) => {
+      dispatch(updateLoggedInChannel(name, shortId, longId));
+    },
+  };
+};
+
+export default connect(null, mapDispatchToProps)(ChannelCreateForm);
diff --git a/react/components/ChannelLoginForm.jsx b/react/components/ChannelLoginForm.jsx
index 0c06fc58..b23ea0f8 100644
--- a/react/components/ChannelLoginForm.jsx
+++ b/react/components/ChannelLoginForm.jsx
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import { makePostRequest } from '../utils/xhr.js';
+import { connect } from 'react-redux';
+import { updateLoggedInChannel } from '../actions';
+import { setUserCookies } from '../utils/cookies.js';
+import { replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar } from '../utils/pageUpdate.js';
 
 class ChannelLoginForm extends React.Component {
   constructor (props) {
@@ -25,17 +29,16 @@ class ChannelLoginForm extends React.Component {
     const that = this;
     makePostRequest(url, params)
       .then(result => {
-        that.props.updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact(result.channelName, result.channelClaimId, result.shortChannelId);
-        that.props.updateUploaderState('loggedInChannelName', result.channelName);
-        that.props.updateUploaderState('loggedInChannelShortId', result.shortChannelId);
-        that.props.selectOption(result.channelName);
+        that.props.onChannelLogin(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
+        setUserCookies(result.channelName, result.shortChannelId, result.channelClaimId);
+        replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar(result.channelName);
       })
       .catch(error => {
         console.log('login error', error);
         if (error.message) {
           that.setState({'error': error.message});
         } else {
-          that.setState({'error': 'There was an error logging into your channel'});
+          that.setState({'error': error});
         }
       });
   }
@@ -71,4 +74,12 @@ class ChannelLoginForm extends React.Component {
   }
 }
 
-module.exports = ChannelLoginForm;
+const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
+  return {
+    onChannelLogin: (name, shortId, longId) => {
+      dispatch(updateLoggedInChannel(name, shortId, longId));
+    },
+  };
+};
+
+export default connect(null, mapDispatchToProps)(ChannelLoginForm);
diff --git a/react/components/ChannelSelector.jsx b/react/components/ChannelSelector.jsx
index f93bf0ba..08e78274 100644
--- a/react/components/ChannelSelector.jsx
+++ b/react/components/ChannelSelector.jsx
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import React from 'react';
 import ChannelLoginForm from './ChannelLoginForm.jsx';
 import ChannelCreateForm from './ChannelCreateForm.jsx';
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { setUserCookies } from '../utils/cookies.js';
 
 const LOGIN = 'login';
 const CREATE = 'create';
@@ -15,12 +14,17 @@ class ChannelSelector extends React.Component {
     };
     this.handleSelection = this.handleSelection.bind(this);
     this.selectOption = this.selectOption.bind(this);
-    this.replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar = this.replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar.bind(this);
-    this.updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact = this.updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact.bind(this);
   }
   componentWillMount () {
+    console.log('ChannelSelector will mount.');
     if (this.props.loggedInChannelName) {
-      this.setState({ optionState: this.props.loggedInChannelName });
+      this.selectOption(this.props.loggedInChannelName);
+    }
+  }
+  componentWillReceiveProps ({ loggedInChannelName }) {
+    console.log('ChannelSelector will receive props');
+    if (loggedInChannelName) {
+      this.selectOption(loggedInChannelName);
     }
   }
   handleSelection (event) {
@@ -30,39 +34,12 @@ class ChannelSelector extends React.Component {
   selectOption (option) {
     this.setState({optionState: option});
   }
-  updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact (channelName, channelClaimId, shortChannelId) {
-    // update anywhere on page that needs to be updated outside of this component
-    setUserCookies(channelName, channelClaimId, shortChannelId);
-    this.replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar(channelName);
-  }
-  replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar (loggedInChannel) {
-    // remove the old channel option
-    const oldChannel = document.getElementById('nav-bar-channel-select-channel-option');
-    if (oldChannel) {
-      oldChannel.parentNode.removeChild(oldChannel);
-    }
-    // create new channel option & select it
-    const newChannelOption = document.createElement('option');
-    newChannelOption.setAttribute('value', loggedInChannel);
-    newChannelOption.setAttribute('id', 'nav-bar-channel-select-channel-option');
-    newChannelOption.setAttribute('selected', '');
-    newChannelOption.innerText = loggedInChannel;
-    // add the new option
-    const channelSelect = document.getElementById('nav-bar-channel-select');
-    channelSelect.style.display = 'inline-block';
-    channelSelect.insertBefore(newChannelOption, channelSelect.firstChild);
-    // hide login
-    const navBarLoginLink = document.getElementById('nav-bar-login-link');
-    navBarLoginLink.style.display = 'none';
-  }
   render () {
     return (
       <div>
         { this.props.publishInChannel && (
-          <div className="row row--padded row--no-top row--no-bottom row--wide">
-
+          <div>
             <p id="input-error-channel-select" className="info-message-placeholder info-message--failure">{this.props.channelError}</p>
-
             <div className="column column--3">
               <label className="label" htmlFor="channel-name-select">Channel:</label>
             </div><div className="column column--7">
@@ -73,18 +50,9 @@ class ChannelSelector extends React.Component {
               </select>
             </div>
 
-            { (this.state.optionState === LOGIN) &&
-              <ChannelLoginForm
-                updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact={this.updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact}
-                updateUploaderState={this.props.updateUploaderState}
-                selectOption={this.selectOption}
-              /> }
-            { (this.state.optionState === CREATE) &&
-              <ChannelCreateForm
-                updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact={this.updateLoggedInChannelOutsideReact}
-                updateUploaderState={this.props.updateUploaderState}
-                selectOption={this.selectOption}
-              /> }
+            { (this.state.optionState === LOGIN) && <ChannelLoginForm /> }
+
+            { (this.state.optionState === CREATE) && <ChannelCreateForm /> }
 
           </div>
         )}
diff --git a/react/components/PublishForm.jsx b/react/components/PublishForm.jsx
index 27a97fcf..da502a22 100644
--- a/react/components/PublishForm.jsx
+++ b/react/components/PublishForm.jsx
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ class PublishForm extends React.Component {
     this.publish = this.publish.bind(this);
   }
   componentWillMount () {
-    // check for whether a channel is logged in
-    // if so, set the loggedInChannel to the channel name
+    // check for whether a channel is already logged in
     const loggedInChannelName = getCookie('channel_name');
     const loggedInChannelShortId = getCookie('short_channel_id');
     const loggedInChannelLongId = getCookie('long_channel_id');
-    this.props.onChannelUpdate(loggedInChannelName, loggedInChannelShortId, loggedInChannelLongId);
+    console.log(`channel cookies found: ${loggedInChannelName} ${loggedInChannelShortId} ${loggedInChannelLongId}`);
+    this.props.onChannelLogin(loggedInChannelName, loggedInChannelShortId, loggedInChannelLongId);
   }
   publish () {
     // publish the asset
@@ -51,9 +51,17 @@ class PublishForm extends React.Component {
         <div className="column column--5 column--sml-10 align-content-top">
           <div id="publish-active-area" className="row row--padded">
 
-            <PublishUrlInput />
-            <AnonymousOrChannelSelect />
-            <ChannelSelector />
+            <div className="row row--padded row--no-top row--wide">
+              <PublishUrlInput />
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="row row--padded row--no-top row--no-bottom row--wide">
+              <AnonymousOrChannelSelect />
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="row row--padded row--no-top row--wide">
+              <ChannelSelector />
+            </div>
 
             <PublishMetadataInputs
               updateUploaderState={this.props.updateUploaderState}
@@ -98,7 +106,7 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = dispatch => {
     onFileClear: () => {
       dispatch(clearFile());
     },
-    onChannelUpdate: (name, shortId, longId) => {
+    onChannelLogin: (name, shortId, longId) => {
       dispatch(updateLoggedInChannel(name, shortId, longId));
     },
   };
diff --git a/react/components/PublishUrlInput.jsx b/react/components/PublishUrlInput.jsx
index 2ddacc13..3147287e 100644
--- a/react/components/PublishUrlInput.jsx
+++ b/react/components/PublishUrlInput.jsx
@@ -56,23 +56,17 @@ class UrlChooser extends React.Component {
   render () {
     return (
       <div>
-        <div className="row row--padded row--no-top row--wide">
+        <p id="input-error-claim-name" className="info-message-placeholder info-message--failure">{this.state.error}</p>
+        <div className="column column--3 column--sml-10">
+          <label className="label">URL:</label>
+        </div><div className="column column--7 column--sml-10 input-text--primary span--relative">
 
-          <p id="input-error-claim-name" className="info-message-placeholder info-message--failure">{this.state.error}</p>
+          <span className="url-text--secondary">{this.state.host} / </span>
 
-          <div className="column column--3 column--sml-10">
-            <label className="label">URL:</label>
-          </div><div className="column column--7 column--sml-10 input-text--primary span--relative">
-
-            <span className="url-text--secondary">{this.state.host} / </span>
-
-            <UrlMiddle publishInChannel={this.props.publishInChannel} loggedInChannelName={this.props.loggedInChannelName} loggedInChannelShortId={this.props.loggedInChannelShortId}/>
-
-            <input type="text" id="claim-name-input" className="input-text" name='claim' placeholder="your-url-here" onChange={this.handleInput} value={this.props.claim}/>
-            { (this.props.claim && !this.state.error) && <span id="input-success-claim-name" className="info-message--success span--absolute">{'\u2713'}</span> }
-
-          </div>
+          <UrlMiddle publishInChannel={this.props.publishInChannel} loggedInChannelName={this.props.loggedInChannelName} loggedInChannelShortId={this.props.loggedInChannelShortId}/>
 
+          <input type="text" id="claim-name-input" className="input-text" name='claim' placeholder="your-url-here" onChange={this.handleInput} value={this.props.claim}/>
+          { (this.props.claim && !this.state.error) && <span id="input-success-claim-name" className="info-message--success span--absolute">{'\u2713'}</span> }
         </div>
       </div>
     );
diff --git a/react/reducers/index.js b/react/reducers/index.js
index 6a1871d9..53e08abf 100644
--- a/react/reducers/index.js
+++ b/react/reducers/index.js
@@ -9,13 +9,12 @@ const initialState = {
     shortId: null,
     longId : null,
   },
-  loggedInChannelShortId: null,
-  publishInChannel      : false,
-  publishStatus         : null,
-  error                 : null,
-  file                  : null,
-  claim                 : '',
-  metadata              : {
+  publishInChannel: false,
+  publishStatus   : null,
+  error           : null,
+  file            : null,
+  claim           : '',
+  metadata        : {
     title      : '',
     thumbnail  : '',
     description: '',
diff --git a/react/utils/cookies.js b/react/utils/cookies.js
index 37811c20..0214cdd9 100644
--- a/react/utils/cookies.js
+++ b/react/utils/cookies.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ module.exports = {
   setCookie (key, value) {
     document.cookie = `${key}=${value}`;
   },
-  setUserCookies (channelName, channelClaimId, shortChannelId) {
+  setUserCookies (channelName, shortChannelId, channelClaimId) {
     module.exports.setCookie('channel_name', channelName)
     module.exports.setCookie('channel_claim_id', channelClaimId);
     module.exports.setCookie('short_channel_id', shortChannelId);
diff --git a/react/utils/pageUpdate.js b/react/utils/pageUpdate.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..94b33767
--- /dev/null
+++ b/react/utils/pageUpdate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+module.exports = {
+  replaceChannelSelectionInNavBar (loggedInChannel) {
+    // remove the old channel option
+    const oldChannel = document.getElementById('nav-bar-channel-select-channel-option');
+    if (oldChannel) {
+      oldChannel.parentNode.removeChild(oldChannel);
+    }
+    // create new channel option & select it
+    const newChannelOption = document.createElement('option');
+    newChannelOption.setAttribute('value', loggedInChannel);
+    newChannelOption.setAttribute('id', 'nav-bar-channel-select-channel-option');
+    newChannelOption.setAttribute('selected', '');
+    newChannelOption.innerText = loggedInChannel;
+    // add the new option
+    const channelSelect = document.getElementById('nav-bar-channel-select');
+    channelSelect.style.display = 'inline-block';
+    channelSelect.insertBefore(newChannelOption, channelSelect.firstChild);
+    // hide login
+    const navBarLoginLink = document.getElementById('nav-bar-login-link');
+    navBarLoginLink.style.display = 'none';
+  },
+}