diff --git a/src/blockview.ts b/src/blockview.ts
index e3a29b0..0bf5cc1 100644
--- a/src/blockview.ts
+++ b/src/blockview.ts
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ export class BlockWidgetView extends ContentView implements BlockView {
       if (this.dom && this.prevWidget) this.prevWidget.destroy(this.dom)
       this.prevWidget = null
       this.setDOM(this.widget.toDOM(view))
-      this.dom!.contentEditable = "false"
+      if (!this.widget.editable) this.dom!.contentEditable = "false"
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/decoration.ts b/src/decoration.ts
index 7a77716..316b8c7 100644
--- a/src/decoration.ts
+++ b/src/decoration.ts
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ export abstract class WidgetType {
   /// @internal
   get isHidden() { return false }
 
+  /// @internal
+  get editable() { return false }
+
   /// This is called when the an instance of the widget is removed
   /// from the editor view.
   destroy(dom: HTMLElement) {}
diff --git a/src/docview.ts b/src/docview.ts
index 883607b..ae9edf4 100644
--- a/src/docview.ts
+++ b/src/docview.ts
@@ -555,6 +555,8 @@ class BlockGapWidget extends WidgetType {
     return true
   }
 
+  get editable() { return true }
+
   get estimatedHeight() { return this.height }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/inlineview.ts b/src/inlineview.ts
index e6ad4f1..aa6bdb6 100644
--- a/src/inlineview.ts
+++ b/src/inlineview.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export class WidgetView extends ContentView {
       if (this.dom && this.prevWidget) this.prevWidget.destroy(this.dom)
       this.prevWidget = null
       this.setDOM(this.widget.toDOM(view))
-      this.dom!.contentEditable = "false"
+      if (!this.widget.editable) this.dom!.contentEditable = "false"
     }
   }