diff --git a/lib/models/node.js b/lib/models/node.js
index b3c79160a..55ce9d8cb 100644
--- a/lib/models/node.js
+++ b/lib/models/node.js
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ const Node = {
       const text = this.getDescendant(startKey)
       const previous = this.getPreviousText(startKey)
       if (!previous) return marks
-      const char = text.characters.get(previous.length - 1)
+      const char = previous.characters.get(previous.length - 1)
       return char.marks
     }
 
@@ -699,6 +699,14 @@ const Node = {
 
   normalize() {
     let node = this
+    const texts = node.getTextNodes()
+
+    // If there are no text nodes, add one.
+    if (!texts.size) {
+      const text = Text.create()
+      const nodes = node.nodes.push(text)
+      return node.merge({ nodes })
+    }
 
     // See if there are any adjacent text nodes.
     let firstAdjacent = node.findDescendant((child) => {
diff --git a/lib/models/state.js b/lib/models/state.js
index 4980211fe..d32194c82 100644
--- a/lib/models/state.js
+++ b/lib/models/state.js
@@ -400,9 +400,16 @@ class State extends Record(DEFAULTS) {
   insertText(text) {
     let state = this
     let { document, selection } = state
+    let after = selection
+
+    // Determine what the selection should be after inserting.
+    if (selection.isExpanded) {
+      after = selection.moveToStart()
+    }
 
     // Insert the text and update the selection.
     document = document.insertTextAtRange(selection, text)
+    selection = after
     selection = selection.moveForward(text.length)
     state = state.merge({ document, selection })
     return state