diff --git a/src/components/modals/SortModal.svelte b/src/components/modals/SortModal.svelte
index b0bc955..56c4371 100644
--- a/src/components/modals/SortModal.svelte
+++ b/src/components/modals/SortModal.svelte
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <svelte:options immutable={true} />
 
 <script>
-  import { getContext, setContext, onDestroy } from 'svelte'
+  import { getContext } from 'svelte'
   import Select from 'svelte-select'
   import Header from './Header.svelte'
   import { getNestedPaths } from '../../utils/arrayUtils.js'
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   import { stringifyPath } from '../../utils/pathUtils.js'
   import { sortArray, sortObjectKeys } from '../../logic/sort.js'
   import { sortModalState } from './sortModalState.js'
-import { compileJSONPointer } from '../../utils/jsonPointer';
+  import { compileJSONPointer } from '../../utils/jsonPointer'
 
   export let id
   export let json
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import { compileJSONPointer } from '../../utils/jsonPointer';
   export let onSort
 
   const {close} = getContext('simple-modal')
-  const stateId = `${id}:${compileJSONPointer(rootPath)}`
 
+  let stateId = `${id}:${compileJSONPointer(rootPath)}`
   $: json
   $: jsonIsArray = Array.isArray(json)
   $: paths = jsonIsArray ? getNestedPaths(json) : undefined
diff --git a/src/components/modals/TransformModal.svelte b/src/components/modals/TransformModal.svelte
index 2b05055..75b1e66 100644
--- a/src/components/modals/TransformModal.svelte
+++ b/src/components/modals/TransformModal.svelte
@@ -2,17 +2,22 @@
 
 <script>
   import { getContext } from 'svelte'
-import { compileJSONPointer } from '../../utils/jsonPointer';
+  import { compileJSONPointer } from '../../utils/jsonPointer'
   import Header from './Header.svelte'
+  import { transformModalState } from './transformModalState.js'
 
   export let id
   export let json
   export let rootPath
   export let onTransform
 
+  const DEFAULT_QUERY = 'function query (data) {\n  return data\n}'
+
   const {close} = getContext('simple-modal')
 
-  let query = 'function query (data) {\n  return data\n}'
+  let stateId = `${id}:${compileJSONPointer(rootPath)}`
+
+  let query = transformModalState[stateId]?.query || DEFAULT_QUERY
   let previewHasError = false
   let preview = ''
 
@@ -49,7 +54,13 @@ import { compileJSONPointer } from '../../utils/jsonPointer';
           value: jsonTransformed
         }
       ])
-      
+
+      // remember the selected values for the next time we open the SortModal
+      // just in memory, not persisted
+      transformModalState[stateId] = {
+        query
+      }
+
       close()
     } catch (err) {
       // this should never occur since we can only press the Transform 
diff --git a/src/components/modals/transformModalState.js b/src/components/modals/transformModalState.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6aa5784
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/modals/transformModalState.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export const transformModalState = {}