diff --git a/packages/nova-forms/lib/withEdit.jsx b/packages/nova-forms/lib/withEdit.jsx
index eaedd8734..fa726d7b2 100644
--- a/packages/nova-forms/lib/withEdit.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-forms/lib/withEdit.jsx
@@ -13,14 +13,15 @@ export default function withEdit(WrappedComponent, options) {
     }
 
     render() {
-      const { mutationName, fragment, resultQuery, collection } = this.props
 
-      // if the mutation given to NovaForm isn't about editing an existing document, do nothing
-      if (mutationName.indexOf('Edit') === -1) {
+      // if the NovaForm mutation isn't about editing an existing document (it doesn't have one), do nothing
+      if (!this.props.document) {
 
         return <WrappedComponent {...this.props} />
 
       } else {
+        
+        const { mutationName, fragment, resultQuery, collection } = this.props;
 
         const collectionName = collection._name;
 
diff --git a/packages/nova-forms/lib/withNew.jsx b/packages/nova-forms/lib/withNew.jsx
index 483e888b5..1cdac8eb3 100644
--- a/packages/nova-forms/lib/withNew.jsx
+++ b/packages/nova-forms/lib/withNew.jsx
@@ -12,15 +12,16 @@ export default function withNew(WrappedComponent, options) {
     }
 
     render() {
-      const { mutationName, fragment, resultQuery, collection } = this.props
 
-      // if the mutation given to NovaForm isn't about creating a new document, do nothing
-      if (mutationName.indexOf('New') === -1) {
+      // if the NovaForm mutation isn't about creating a new document (it already has one), do nothing
+      if (this.props.document) {
 
         return <WrappedComponent {...this.props} />
 
       } else {
 
+        const { mutationName, fragment, resultQuery, collection } = this.props;
+
         const collectionName = collection._name;
 
         const ComponentWithMutation = graphql(gql`
diff --git a/packages/nova-lib/lib/mutations.js b/packages/nova-lib/lib/mutations.js
index 0c2610c94..1f11cc7e9 100644
--- a/packages/nova-lib/lib/mutations.js
+++ b/packages/nova-lib/lib/mutations.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ const editMutation = ({ action, collection, documentId, set, unset, currentUser,
     collection.simpleSchema().namedContext(`${collectionName}.edit`).validate(modifier, {modifier: true});
 
     // run validation callbacks
-    document = Telescope.callbacks.run(`${collectionName}.edit.validate`, modifier, document, currentUser);
+    modifier = Telescope.callbacks.run(`${collectionName}.edit.validate`, modifier, document, currentUser);
   }
 
   // run sync callbacks (on mongo modifier)