diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html
index 2f6ca324..18cf6671 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit_book.html
@@ -236,14 +236,12 @@
                             <label class="label" for="id_cover">{% trans "Upload cover:" %}</label>
                             {{ form.cover }}
                         </div>
-                        {% if book %}
                         <div class="field">
                             <label class="label" for="id_cover_url">
                                 {% trans "Load cover from url:" %}
                             </label>
-                            <input class="input" name="cover-url" id="id_cover_url">
+                            <input class="input" name="cover-url" id="id_cover_url" type="url" value="{{ cover_url|default:'' }}">
                         </div>
-                        {% endif %}
                         {% for error in form.cover.errors %}
                         <p class="help is-danger">{{ error | escape }}</p>
                         {% endfor %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
index 8c423e16..cf86a596 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/views/test_book.py
@@ -283,6 +283,46 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(book.authors.first().name, "Sappho")
         self.assertEqual(book.authors.first(), book.parent_work.authors.first())
 
+    def _setup_cover_url(self):
+        cover_url = "http://example.com"
+        image_file = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath(
+            "../../static/images/default_avi.jpg"
+        )
+        image = Image.open(image_file)
+        output = BytesIO()
+        image.save(output, format=image.format)
+        responses.add(
+            responses.GET,
+            cover_url,
+            body=output.getvalue(),
+            status=200,
+        )
+        return cover_url
+
+    @responses.activate
+    def test_create_book_upload_cover_url(self):
+        """create an entirely new book and work with cover url"""
+        self.assertFalse(self.book.cover)
+        view = views.ConfirmEditBook.as_view()
+        self.local_user.groups.add(self.group)
+        cover_url = self._setup_cover_url()
+
+        form = forms.EditionForm()
+        form.data["title"] = "New Title"
+        form.data["last_edited_by"] = self.local_user.id
+        form.data["cover-url"] = cover_url
+        request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
+        request.user = self.local_user
+
+        with patch(
+            "bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay"
+        ) as delay_mock:
+            views.upload_cover(request, self.book.id)
+            self.assertEqual(delay_mock.call_count, 1)
+
+        self.book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertTrue(self.book.cover)
+
     def test_upload_cover_file(self):
         """add a cover via file upload"""
         self.assertFalse(self.book.cover)
@@ -311,21 +351,8 @@ class BookViews(TestCase):
     def test_upload_cover_url(self):
         """add a cover via url"""
         self.assertFalse(self.book.cover)
-        image_file = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath(
-            "../../static/images/default_avi.jpg"
-        )
-        image = Image.open(image_file)
-        output = BytesIO()
-        image.save(output, format=image.format)
-        responses.add(
-            responses.GET,
-            "http://example.com",
-            body=output.getvalue(),
-            status=200,
-        )
-
         form = forms.CoverForm(instance=self.book)
-        form.data["cover-url"] = "http://example.com"
+        form.data["cover-url"] = self._setup_cover_url()
 
         request = self.factory.post("", form.data)
         request.user = self.local_user
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books.py b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
index e2878aca..71199e54 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/books.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ class EditBook(View):
             data["confirm_mode"] = True
             # this isn't preserved because it isn't part of the form obj
             data["remove_authors"] = request.POST.getlist("remove_authors")
+            data["cover_url"] = request.POST.get("cover-url")
+
             # make sure the dates are passed in as datetime, they're currently a string
             # QueryDicts are immutable, we need to copy
             formcopy = data["form"].data.copy()
@@ -267,12 +269,20 @@ class ConfirmEditBook(View):
                     work = models.Work.objects.create(title=form.cleaned_data["title"])
                     work.authors.set(book.authors.all())
                 book.parent_work = work
-                # we don't tell the world when creating a book
-                book.save(broadcast=False)
 
             for author_id in request.POST.getlist("remove_authors"):
                 book.authors.remove(author_id)
 
+            # import cover, if requested
+            url = request.POST.get("cover-url")
+            if url:
+                image = set_cover_from_url(url)
+                if image:
+                    book.cover.save(*image, save=False)
+
+            # we don't tell the world when creating a book
+            book.save(broadcast=False)
+
         return redirect(f"/book/{book.id}")