diff --git a/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/AsStringFieldEditor.java b/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/AsStringFieldEditor.java
index 4a720302a..02746b500 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/AsStringFieldEditor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/AsStringFieldEditor.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 package com.threerings.admin.client;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
-
 import javax.swing.JTextField;
 
 import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
@@ -110,5 +109,11 @@ public class AsStringFieldEditor extends FieldEditor
         _value.setText(StringUtil.toString(value, "", ""));
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected boolean valueMatches (Object dvalue)
+    {
+        return StringUtil.toString(dvalue).equals(StringUtil.toString(getValue()));
+    }
+
     protected JTextField _value;
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/FieldEditor.java b/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/FieldEditor.java
index ea4eaf372..5a0aa3733 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/FieldEditor.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/threerings/admin/client/FieldEditor.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 package com.threerings.admin.client;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
-
 import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
 import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
@@ -128,7 +127,7 @@ public abstract class FieldEditor extends JPanel
         }
 
         // submit an attribute changed event with the new value
-        if (!Objects.equal(value, getValue())) {
+        if (!valueMatches(value)) {
             _accessor.set(_field, value);
         }
     }
@@ -151,7 +150,13 @@ public abstract class FieldEditor extends JPanel
             log.warning("Failed to parse display value " + e + ".");
             displayValue(getValue());
         }
-        updateBorder(!Objects.equal(dvalue, getValue()));
+
+        updateBorder(!valueMatches(dvalue));
+    }
+
+    protected boolean valueMatches (Object dvalue)
+    {
+        return Objects.equal(dvalue, getValue());
     }
 
     /**