diff -u b/src/Form/JobItemForm.php b/src/Form/JobItemForm.php
--- b/src/Form/JobItemForm.php
+++ b/src/Form/JobItemForm.php
@@ -483,13 +483,10 @@
         $translation_text = isset($data_item['#translation']['#text']) ? $data_item['#translation']['#text'] : '';
         $contexts = [$data_item, $this->entity];
         \Drupal::moduleHandler()->alter('tmgmt_data_item_text_output', $source_text, $translation_text, $contexts);
-        $data_item['#text'] = $source_text;
-        $data_item['#translation']['#text'] = $translation_text;
-
 
         // Build source and translation areas.
-        $item_element = $this->buildSource($item_element, $data_item, $rows, $form_state);
-        $item_element = $this->buildTranslation($item_element, $data_item, $rows, $form_state, $is_preliminary);
+        $item_element = $this->buildSource($item_element, $source_text, $data_item, $rows, $form_state);
+        $item_element = $this->buildTranslation($item_element, $translation_text, $data_item, $rows, $form_state, $is_preliminary);
 
         $item_element = $this->buildChangedSource($item_element, $form_state, $field_name, $key, $ajax_id);
 
@@ -961,6 +958,8 @@
    *
    * @param array $item_element
    *   The form element for the data item.
+   * @param string $translation_text
+   *   The translation's text to display in the item element.
    * @param array $data_item
    *   The data item.
    * @param int $rows
@@ -973,11 +972,11 @@
    * @return array
    *   The form element for the data item.
    */
-  protected function buildTranslation($item_element, $data_item, $rows, FormStateInterface $form_state, $is_preliminary) {
+  protected function buildTranslation($item_element, $translation_text, $data_item, $rows, FormStateInterface $form_state, $is_preliminary) {
     if (!empty($data_item['#format']) && $this->config('tmgmt.settings')->get('respect_text_format') && !$form_state->has('accept_item')) {
       $item_element['translation'] = array(
         '#type' => 'text_format',
-        '#default_value' => isset($data_item['#translation']['#text']) ? $data_item['#translation']['#text'] : NULL,
+        '#default_value' => $translation_text,
         '#title' => t('Translation'),
         '#disabled' => $this->entity->isAccepted() || $is_preliminary,
         '#rows' => $rows,
@@ -996,7 +995,7 @@
     else {
       $item_element['translation'] = array(
         '#type' => 'textarea',
-        '#default_value' => isset($data_item['#translation']['#text']) ? $data_item['#translation']['#text'] : NULL,
+        '#default_value' => $translation_text,
         '#title' => t('Translation'),
         '#disabled' => $this->entity->isAccepted() || $is_preliminary,
         '#rows' => $rows,
@@ -1037,6 +1036,8 @@
    *
    * @param array $item_element
    *   The form element for the data item.
+   * @param string $source_text
+   *   The source's text to display in the item element.
    * @param array $data_item
    *   The data item.
    * @param int $rows
@@ -1047,11 +1048,11 @@
    * @return array
    *   The form element for the data item.
    */
-  protected function buildSource($item_element, $data_item, $rows, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
+  protected function buildSource($item_element, $source_text, $data_item, $rows, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
     if (!empty($data_item['#format']) && $this->config('tmgmt.settings')->get('respect_text_format') && !$form_state->has('accept_item')) {
       $item_element['source'] = array(
         '#type' => 'text_format',
-        '#default_value' => $data_item['#text'],
+        '#default_value' => $source_text,
         '#title' => t('Source'),
         '#disabled' => TRUE,
         '#rows' => $rows,
@@ -1070,7 +1071,7 @@
     else {
       $item_element['source'] = array(
         '#type' => 'textarea',
-        '#default_value' => $data_item['#text'],
+        '#default_value' => $source_text,
         '#title' => t('Source'),
         '#disabled' => TRUE,
         '#rows' => $rows,