diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/create_shelf_form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/create_shelf_form.html
index b7ea27de8..e15e1cc1d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/create_shelf_form.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/create_shelf_form.html
@@ -7,21 +7,7 @@
 
 {% block form %}
 <form name="create-shelf" action="{% url 'shelf-create' %}" method="post">
-    {% csrf_token %}
-    <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
-    <div class="field">
-        <label class="label" for="id_name_create">{% trans "Name:" %}</label>
-        <input type="text" name="name" maxlength="100" class="input" required="true" id="id_name_create">
-    </div>
-
-    <div class="field has-addons">
-        <div class="control">
-            {% include 'snippets/privacy_select.html' %}
-        </div>
-        <div class="control">
-            <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">{% trans "Create Shelf" %}</button>
-        </div>
-    </div>
+    {% include "shelf/form.html" with editable=shelf.editable form=create_form %}
 </form>
 {% endblock %}
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/edit_shelf_form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/edit_shelf_form.html
index 847d5e465..5951b6da6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/edit_shelf_form.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/edit_shelf_form.html
@@ -7,24 +7,7 @@
 
 {% block form %}
 <form name="edit-shelf" action="{{ shelf.local_path }}" method="post">
-    {% csrf_token %}
-    <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
-    <div class="columns is-mobile">
-        {% if shelf.editable %}
-        <div class="column">
-            <label class="label" for="id_name">{% trans "Name:" %}</label>
-            <input type="text" name="name" maxlength="100" class="input" required="true" value="{{ shelf.name }}" id="id_name">
-        </div>
-        {% else %}
-        <input type="hidden" name="name" required="true" value="{{ shelf.name }}">
-        {% endif %}
-
-        <div class="column">
-            <label class="label" for="privacy_{{ shelf.id }}">{% trans "Shelf privacy:" %}</label>
-            {% include 'snippets/privacy_select.html' with current=shelf.privacy uuid=shelf.id no_label=True %}
-        </div>
-    </div>
-    <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">{% trans "Update shelf" %}</button>
+    {% include "shelf/form.html" with editable=shelf.editable form=edit_form privacy=shelf.privacy %}
 </form>
 {% endblock %}
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/form.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9388a04ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf/form.html
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{% load i18n %}
+{% csrf_token %}
+<input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
+
+{% if editable %}
+<div class="field">
+    <label class="label" for="id_name">{% trans "Name:" %}</label>
+    {{ form.name }}
+</div>
+{% else %}
+<input type="hidden" name="name" required="true" value="{{ shelf.name }}">
+{% endif %}
+
+<div class="field">
+    <label class="label" for="id_description">{% trans "Description:" %}</label>
+    {{ form.description }}
+</div>
+<div class="field has-addons">
+    <div class="control">
+        {% include 'snippets/privacy_select.html' with current=privacy %}
+    </div>
+    <div class="control">
+        <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">{% trans "Save" %}</button>
+    </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py b/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py
index 9642363e1..cbec93d82 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/shelf.py
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ class Shelf(View):
             "shelves": shelves,
             "shelf": shelf,
             "books": page,
+            "edit_form": forms.ShelfForm(instance=shelf),
+            "create_form": forms.ShelfForm(),
             "page_range": paginated.get_elided_page_range(
                 page.number, on_each_side=2, on_ends=1
             ),