diff --git a/src/aind_qc_portal/panel/quality_control.py b/src/aind_qc_portal/panel/quality_control.py
index b88cce1..94b7348 100644
--- a/src/aind_qc_portal/panel/quality_control.py
+++ b/src/aind_qc_portal/panel/quality_control.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def __init__(self, id, **params):
         self.submit_button = pn.widgets.Button(
             name="Submit changes", button_type="success",
         )
-        self.submit_error = pn.widgets.StaticText("")
+        self.submit_error = pn.widgets.StaticText(value="")
         self.submit_col = pn.Column(self.submit_button, self.submit_error)
         pn.bind(self.submit_changes, self.submit_button, watch=True)