diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js b/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js
index 5f1bc625..65795fe3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ function get_color() {
 function word_count(text, divId, maxcount) {
     var area = document.getElementById(text.id)
 
-    Countable.live(area, function(counter) {
+    Countable.once(area, function(counter) {
         $('#' + divId).text(counter.words);
         if (counter.words > maxcount)
             $('#' + divId).css('color', 'red');
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ $( document ).ready(function() {
         .trigger('change');
 
     /* Count the proposal abstract length */
-    $("#event_abstract").bind('change keyup paste input', function() {
+    $("#event_abstract").on('input', function() {
         var $selected = $("#event_event_type_id option:selected")
         var max = $selected.data("max-words");
         word_count(this, 'abstract-count', max);