diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/form_validators.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/form_validators.js.erb
index e6c8da54e..8f6098fe6 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/form_validators.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/form_validators.js.erb
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ function textValidator(ev, textInput, textLimitMin, textLimitMax, clearErr) {
 
   var text = $(textInput).val().trim();
   $(textInput).val(text);
+  var text_from_html = $("<div/>").html(text).text();
+  if (text_from_html.length < text.length) text = text_from_html;
+
   var nameTooShort = text.length < textLimitMin;
   var nameTooLong = text.length > textLimitMax;
 
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/themes/scinote.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/themes/scinote.scss
index 3f3208551..cdd626d29 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/themes/scinote.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/themes/scinote.scss
@@ -428,6 +428,13 @@ a[data-toggle="tooltip"] {
   }
 }
 
+.has-error {
+  .ql-container.ql-snow,
+  .ql-toolbar.ql-snow {
+    border: 1px solid $color-apple-blossom;
+  }
+}
+
 .nav-tabs-less {
   margin-bottom: 0;
 }
diff --git a/app/models/result_text.rb b/app/models/result_text.rb
index 39975f893..f1cabaadb 100644
--- a/app/models/result_text.rb
+++ b/app/models/result_text.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class ResultText < ActiveRecord::Base
   auto_strip_attributes :text, nullify: false
   validates :text,
             presence: true,
-            length: { maximum: Constants::TEXT_MAX_LENGTH }
+            length: { maximum: Constants::RICH_TEXT_MAX_LENGTH }
   validates :result, presence: true
 
   belongs_to :result, inverse_of: :result_text
diff --git a/app/models/step.rb b/app/models/step.rb
index e572dff2a..3d329096d 100644
--- a/app/models/step.rb
+++ b/app/models/step.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class Step < ActiveRecord::Base
   validates :name,
             presence: true,
             length: { maximum: Constants::NAME_MAX_LENGTH }
-  validates :description, length: { maximum: Constants::TEXT_MAX_LENGTH }
+  validates :description, length: { maximum: Constants::RICH_TEXT_MAX_LENGTH }
   validates :position, presence: true
   validates :completed, inclusion: { in: [true, false] }
   validates :user, :protocol, presence: true
diff --git a/app/views/steps/_empty_step.html.erb b/app/views/steps/_empty_step.html.erb
index 19581bb45..f23f48a9b 100644
--- a/app/views/steps/_empty_step.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/steps/_empty_step.html.erb
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@
 <div class="tab-content">
   <div class="tab-pane active" role="tabpanel" id="new-step-main">
     <%= f.text_field :name, label: t("protocols.steps.new.name"), placeholder: t("protocols.steps.new.name_placeholder") %>
-    <%= quill_editor nil, { name: 'step[description]', value: @step.description } %>
+    <div class="form-group">
+      <%= quill_editor nil, { id: 'step_description', name: 'step[description]', value: @step.description } %>
+    </div>
   </div>
   <div class="tab-pane" role="tabpanel" id="new-step-checklists">
     <%= f.nested_fields_for :checklists do |ff| %>
diff --git a/config/initializers/constants.rb b/config/initializers/constants.rb
index becd940ec..0ed5223ef 100644
--- a/config/initializers/constants.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/constants.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class Constants
   NAME_TRUNCATION_LENGTH = 25
   # Max characters for long text fields
   TEXT_MAX_LENGTH = 10000
+  # Max characters for rich text fields (in html format)
+  RICH_TEXT_MAX_LENGTH = 50000
   # Max characters for color field (given in HEX format)
   COLOR_MAX_LENGTH = 7
   # Max characters for text in dropdown list element