diff --git a/editor/effects.js b/editor/effects.js
index 5ad1e102b455a..59e680eaed960 100644
--- a/editor/effects.js
+++ b/editor/effects.js
@@ -15,7 +15,12 @@ import { __ } from 'i18n';
  */
 import { getGutenbergURL, getWPAdminURL } from './utils/url';
 import { focusBlock, replaceBlocks } from './actions';
-import { getCurrentPost, getCurrentPostId, getBlocks, getPostEdits } from './selectors';
+import {
+	getCurrentPostId,
+	getCurrentPostType,
+	getBlocks,
+	getPostEdits,
+} from './selectors';
 
 export default {
 	REQUEST_POST_UPDATE( action, store ) {
@@ -43,7 +48,7 @@ export default {
 			edits: toSend,
 			optimist: { id: transactionId },
 		} );
-		const Model = wp.api.getPostTypeModel( getCurrentPost( state ).type );
+		const Model = wp.api.getPostTypeModel( getCurrentPostType( state ) );
 		new Model( toSend ).save().done( ( newPost ) => {
 			dispatch( {
 				type: 'REQUEST_POST_UPDATE_SUCCESS',
@@ -78,9 +83,9 @@ export default {
 		window.history.replaceState( {}, 'Post ' + post.id, newURL );
 	},
 	TRASH_POST( action, store ) {
-		const { dispatch } = store;
+		const { dispatch, getState } = store;
 		const { postId } = action;
-		const Model = wp.api.getPostTypeModel( getCurrentPost( store.getState() ).type );
+		const Model = wp.api.getPostTypeModel( getCurrentPostType( getState() ) );
 		new Model( { id: postId } ).destroy().done( () => {
 			dispatch( {
 				...action,
diff --git a/editor/index.js b/editor/index.js
index 0186e9c574dd4..9d75de3991580 100644
--- a/editor/index.js
+++ b/editor/index.js
@@ -41,21 +41,20 @@ if ( settings.timezone.string ) {
  * Initializes Redux state with bootstrapped post, if provided.
  *
  * @param {Redux.Store} store Redux store instance
- * @param {?Object}     post  Bootstrapped post object
+ * @param {Object}     post  Bootstrapped post object
  */
 function preparePostState( store, post ) {
-	if ( ! post ) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	store.dispatch( {
 		type: 'RESET_POST',
 		post,
 	} );
-	store.dispatch( {
-		type: 'RESET_BLOCKS',
-		blocks: parse( post.content.raw ),
-	} );
+
+	if ( post.content ) {
+		store.dispatch( {
+			type: 'RESET_BLOCKS',
+			blocks: parse( post.content.raw ),
+		} );
+	}
 
 	if ( ! post.id ) {
 		// Each property that is set in `post-content.js` (other than `content`
@@ -65,8 +64,8 @@ function preparePostState( store, post ) {
 		store.dispatch( {
 			type: 'SETUP_NEW_POST',
 			edits: {
-				title: post.title.raw,
-				...omit( post, 'title', 'content' ),
+				title: post.title ? post.title.raw : undefined,
+				...omit( post, 'title', 'content', 'type' ),
 			},
 		} );
 	}
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ function preparePostState( store, post ) {
  * Initializes and returns an instance of Editor.
  *
  * @param {String} id   Unique identifier for editor instance
- * @param {Object} post API entity for post to edit
+ * @param {Object} post API entity for post to edit  (type required)
  */
 export function createEditorInstance( id, post ) {
 	const store = createReduxStore();
diff --git a/editor/selectors.js b/editor/selectors.js
index 7fe2ece8c7e45..b0e8df92fff67 100644
--- a/editor/selectors.js
+++ b/editor/selectors.js
@@ -85,6 +85,16 @@ export function getCurrentPost( state ) {
 	return state.currentPost;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the post type of the post currently being edited
+ *
+ * @param  {Object} state Global application state
+ * @return {String}       Post type
+ */
+export function getCurrentPostType( state ) {
+	return state.currentPost.type;
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the ID of the post currently being edited, or null if the post has
  * not yet been saved.
diff --git a/editor/sidebar/last-revision/index.js b/editor/sidebar/last-revision/index.js
index 5e74b66446f3b..36540b7df79d1 100644
--- a/editor/sidebar/last-revision/index.js
+++ b/editor/sidebar/last-revision/index.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import PanelBody from 'components/panel/body';
  * Internal dependencies
  */
 import './style.scss';
-import { getCurrentPost, isSavingPost } from '../../selectors';
+import { getCurrentPostId, getCurrentPostType, isSavingPost } from '../../selectors';
 import { getWPAdminURL } from '../../utils/url';
 
 class LastRevision extends Component {
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ class LastRevision extends Component {
 export default connect(
 	( state ) => {
 		return {
-			postId: getCurrentPost( state ).id,
-			postType: getCurrentPost( state ).type,
+			postId: getCurrentPostId( state ),
+			postType: getCurrentPostType( state ),
 			isSaving: isSavingPost( state ),
 		};
 	}
diff --git a/editor/sidebar/post-trash/index.js b/editor/sidebar/post-trash/index.js
index c737e9bf6bf1e..938c9ea35b3df 100644
--- a/editor/sidebar/post-trash/index.js
+++ b/editor/sidebar/post-trash/index.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { Button, Dashicon } from 'components';
  * Internal dependencies
  */
 import './style.scss';
-import { getCurrentPost } from '../../selectors';
+import { getCurrentPostId, getCurrentPostType } from '../../selectors';
 import { trashPost } from '../../actions';
 
 function PostTrash( { postId, postType, ...props } ) {
@@ -33,10 +33,9 @@ function PostTrash( { postId, postType, ...props } ) {
 
 export default connect(
 	( state ) => {
-		const post = getCurrentPost( state );
 		return {
-			postId: post.id,
-			postType: post.type,
+			postId: getCurrentPostId( state ),
+			postType: getCurrentPostType( state ),
 		};
 	},
 	{ trashPost }
diff --git a/editor/test/selectors.js b/editor/test/selectors.js
index 42bc6f11cde66..16cddf0029233 100644
--- a/editor/test/selectors.js
+++ b/editor/test/selectors.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
 	isEditedPostDirty,
 	getCurrentPost,
 	getCurrentPostId,
+	getCurrentPostType,
 	getPostEdits,
 	getEditedPostTitle,
 	getEditedPostExcerpt,
@@ -207,6 +208,18 @@ describe( 'selectors', () => {
 		} );
 	} );
 
+	describe( 'getCurrentPostType', () => {
+		it( 'should return the post type', () => {
+			const state = {
+				currentPost: {
+					type: 'post',
+				},
+			};
+
+			expect( getCurrentPostType( state ) ).to.equal( 'post' );
+		} );
+	} );
+
 	describe( 'getPostEdits', () => {
 		it( 'should return the post edits', () => {
 			const state = {
diff --git a/lib/client-assets.php b/lib/client-assets.php
index 932618b622961..1a1ca89fc4032 100644
--- a/lib/client-assets.php
+++ b/lib/client-assets.php
@@ -413,7 +413,15 @@ function gutenberg_scripts_and_styles( $hook ) {
 			file_get_contents( gutenberg_dir_path() . 'post-content.js' )
 		);
 	} else {
-		// TODO: Error handling.
+		// ...with a new empty post
+		// TODO: Error handling if we tried and failed to get a post above
+		$empty_post = array(
+			'type' => 'post',
+		);
+		wp_add_inline_script(
+			'wp-editor',
+			'window._wpGutenbergPost = ' . wp_json_encode( $empty_post ) . ';'
+		);
 	}
 
 	// Prepare Jed locale data.
diff --git a/post-content.js b/post-content.js
index 4ebdc7b58c5c0..3f4b930161869 100644
--- a/post-content.js
+++ b/post-content.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  * Temporary test post content
  */
 window._wpGutenbergPost = {
+	type: 'post',
 	title: {
 		raw: 'Welcome to the Gutenberg Editor',
 	},