diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py b/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py
index 829b7a6c0..d5b3e2573 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py
@@ -103,12 +103,12 @@ class CreateBook(View):
             }
 
         if not form.is_valid():
-            ensure_transient_values_persist(request, data, form)
+            ensure_transient_values_persist(request, data, form=form)
             return TemplateResponse(request, "book/edit/edit_book.html", data)
 
         # we have to call this twice because it requires form.cleaned_data
         # which only exists after we validate the form
-        ensure_transient_values_persist(request, data, form)
+        ensure_transient_values_persist(request, data, form=form)
         data = add_authors(request, data)
 
         # check if this is an edition of an existing work
@@ -141,10 +141,10 @@ class CreateBook(View):
         return redirect(f"/book/{book.id}")
 
 
-def ensure_transient_values_persist(request, data, form):
+def ensure_transient_values_persist(request, data, **kwargs):
     """ensure that values of transient form fields persist when re-rendering the form"""
     data["book"] = data.get("book") or {}
-    data["book"]["subjects"] = form.cleaned_data["subjects"]
+    data["book"]["subjects"] = kwargs["form"].cleaned_data["subjects"]
     data["add_author"] = request.POST.getlist("add_author")
     data["cover_url"] = request.POST.get("cover-url")