diff --git a/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/CustomFeatureForm.jsx b/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/CustomFeatureForm.jsx
index 533e47b34..4997a60c2 100644
--- a/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/CustomFeatureForm.jsx
+++ b/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/CustomFeatureForm.jsx
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ class CustomFeatureForm extends Component {
   }
 
   toggleFeature() {
-    const { addFeature, isEdittable } = this.props
+    const { toggleFeature, isEdittable } = this.props
     if (isEdittable) {
-      addFeature({ ...this.state.data, disabled: !!this.state.isActive })
+      toggleFeature(this.state.data.id, !!this.state.isActive)
     }
   }
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class CustomFeatureForm extends Component {
       id: data.title.toLowerCase().replace(/\s/g, '_'),
       categoryId: 'custom',
       notes: ''
-    }, featureData, data))
+    }, featureData, { title : data.title.trim() }))
     // assumes addFeature to be a synchronous call, otherwise it could lead to inconsistent UI state 
     // e.g. if async addFeature fails, it would close the edit mode
     // this call is needed here because debounce call (for notes change) is closing the edit mode if
@@ -73,14 +73,14 @@ class CustomFeatureForm extends Component {
     this.setState({ editMode : false })
   }
 
-  onChange(fieldName, value) {
+  onChange(data){
     const { featureData } = this.props
     // following check is needed to prevent adding the feature again after removing
     // because forms' onChange event gets fire with only form data when we lose focus from the form
     // alternative to this check is to put the change handler on textarea instead of form
     if (featureData) {// feature is already added
-      const data = {}
-      data[fieldName] = value
+      // trim the notes (as of now only notes field is auto updated)
+      data.notes = data.notes.trim()
       this.props.updateFeature(_.merge({}, featureData, data))
     }
   }
@@ -114,12 +114,12 @@ class CustomFeatureForm extends Component {
           </div>
         }
         <div className="feature-form-content">
-          <Formsy.Form className="custom-feature-form" disabled={!isEdittable} onValidSubmit={ this.onSave }>
+          <Formsy.Form className="custom-feature-form" disabled={!isEdittable} onChange={ this.onChange } onValidSubmit={ this.onSave }>
             { (!isAdded || editMode)  &&
               <TCFormFields.TextInput
                 name="title"
                 label="Feature name"
-                validations="minLength:1" required
+                validations="isRequired" required
                 validationError="Feature name is required"
                 wrapperClass="row"
                 value={ _.get(data, 'title', '') }
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ class CustomFeatureForm extends Component {
                 label="Feature Notes"
                 wrapperClass="feature-notes"
                 value={ _.get(data, 'notes', '') }
-                onChange={ this.onChange }
               />
               : null
             }
diff --git a/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/DefaultFeatureForm.jsx b/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/DefaultFeatureForm.jsx
index bb7fc0908..ab3467d42 100644
--- a/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/DefaultFeatureForm.jsx
+++ b/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/DefaultFeatureForm.jsx
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class DefaultFeatureForm extends Component {
   }
 
   toggleFeature() {
-    const { removeFeature, addFeature, featureDesc, isEdittable } = this.props
+    const { toggleFeature, addFeature, featureDesc, isEdittable } = this.props
     if (isEdittable) {
       if (this.state.isActive) {
         // remove feature
-        removeFeature(featureDesc.id)
+        toggleFeature(featureDesc.id, true)
       } else {
         // add feature
         addFeature({
@@ -50,13 +50,15 @@ class DefaultFeatureForm extends Component {
 
   onChange(data) {
     const { featureData } = this.props
+    // trim the notes (as of now only notes field is auto updated)
+    data.notes = data.notes.trim()
     this.props.updateFeature(_.merge({}, featureData, data))
   }
 
   render() {
     const { featureDesc, featureData, isEdittable } = this.props
     const { isActive } = this.state
-    const _debouncedOnChange = _.debounce(this.onChange, 2000, { trailing: true, maxWait: 10000 })
+    // const _debouncedOnChange = _.debounce(this.onChange, 2000, { trailing: true, maxWait: 10000 })
     return (
       <div className="feature-form">
         <div className="feature-title-row flex space-between">
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ class DefaultFeatureForm extends Component {
           <p className="feature-description">{ featureDesc.description }</p>
           {
             isActive ?
-              <Formsy.Form className="predefined-feature-form" disabled={!isEdittable} onChange={ _debouncedOnChange }>
+              <Formsy.Form className="predefined-feature-form" disabled={!isEdittable} onChange={ this.onChange }>
                 <TCFormFields.Textarea
                   name="notes"
                   wrapperClass="feature-notes"
diff --git a/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/FeaturePicker.jsx b/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/FeaturePicker.jsx
index 2d1c7b502..4140ba989 100644
--- a/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/FeaturePicker.jsx
+++ b/src/projects/detail/components/FeatureSelector/FeaturePicker.jsx
@@ -212,8 +212,8 @@ class FeaturePicker extends Component {
     }
     this.addFeature = this.addFeature.bind(this)
     this.removeFeature = this.removeFeature.bind(this)
-    this.selectFeature = this.selectFeature.bind(this)
     this.toggleFeature = this.toggleFeature.bind(this)
+    this.selectFeature = this.selectFeature.bind(this)
     this.updateSelectedFeature = this.updateSelectedFeature.bind(this)
     this.renderCustomFeatureForm = this.renderCustomFeatureForm.bind(this)
     this.renderDefaultFeatureForm = this.renderDefaultFeatureForm.bind(this)
@@ -232,11 +232,6 @@ class FeaturePicker extends Component {
     })
   }
 
-  toggleFeature(featureId) {
-    const idx = _.findIndex(this.state.activeFeatureList, f => f.id === featureId)
-    idx > -1 ? this.removeFeature(featureId) : this.addFeature(featureId)
-  }
-
   renderCustomFeatureForm() {
     this.setState({
       selectedFeatureId: null,
@@ -262,27 +257,40 @@ class FeaturePicker extends Component {
     this.props.onSave(newState.activeFeatureList)
   }
 
-  addFeature(feature) {
-    let newState
-    const featureIndex = _.findIndex(this.state.activeFeatureList, (f) => f.id === feature.id )
-    // if feature is already added and is custom feature, update feature
-    if (feature.categoryId === 'custom' && featureIndex >= 0) {
-      newState = update(this.state, {
+  toggleFeature(featureId, disable) {
+    const featureIndex = _.findIndex(this.state.activeFeatureList, (f) => f.id === featureId )
+    if (featureIndex >= 0) {
+      const feature = this.state.activeFeatureList[featureIndex]
+      let featureListQuery
+      // separate update query for custom and standard features
+      // when disabling, we remove standard feature from the list while update custom feature with disabled flag
+      if (feature.categoryId === 'custom') {
+        feature.disabled = disable
+        featureListQuery = { $splice : [[featureIndex, 1, feature]] }
+      } else {
+        featureListQuery = { $splice: [[featureIndex, 1]] }
+      }
+      const newState = update(this.state, {
         activeFeatureCount: { $set: this.state.activeFeatureCount - 1 },
-        activeFeatureList: { $splice : [[featureIndex, 1, feature]] },
-        selectedFeatureId: { $set : feature.id }
-      })
-    } else {// add standard feature
-      newState = update(this.state, {
-        activeFeatureCount: {$set: this.state.activeFeatureCount + 1},
-        activeFeatureList: { $push : [feature] },
+        activeFeatureList: featureListQuery,
         selectedFeatureId: { $set : feature.id }
       })
+      this.setState(newState)
+      this.props.onSave(newState.activeFeatureList)
     }
+  }
+
+  addFeature(feature) {
+    const newState = update(this.state, {
+      activeFeatureCount: {$set: this.state.activeFeatureCount + 1},
+      activeFeatureList: { $push : [feature] },
+      selectedFeatureId: { $set : feature.id }
+    })
     this.setState(newState)
     this.props.onSave(newState.activeFeatureList)
   }
 
+  // removeFeature is only called for custom feature
   removeFeature(featureId) {
     // lookup index
     const idx = _.findIndex(this.state.activeFeatureList, f => f.id === featureId )
@@ -328,6 +336,7 @@ class FeaturePicker extends Component {
         featureDesc={selectedFeature}
         featureData={selectedFeatureData}
         updateFeature={this.updateSelectedFeature}
+        toggleFeature={ this.toggleFeature }
         addFeature={this.addFeature}
         removeFeature={this.removeFeature}
        />)
@@ -360,6 +369,7 @@ class FeaturePicker extends Component {
                   isEdittable={isEdittable}
                   featureData={selectedFeatureData}
                   updateFeature={this.updateSelectedFeature}
+                  toggleFeature={ this. toggleFeature }
                   addFeature={this.addFeature}
                   removeFeature={this.removeFeature}
                   onCancel={this.renderDefaultFeatureForm}