diff --git a/components/autocomplete/index.js b/components/autocomplete/index.js
index b08b10899105b..3263a3893d81e 100644
--- a/components/autocomplete/index.js
+++ b/components/autocomplete/index.js
@@ -238,10 +238,9 @@ export class Autocomplete extends Component {
 	}
 
 	select( option ) {
-		const { onReplace } = this.props;
+		const { onReplace, onSelect } = this.props;
 		const { open, range, query } = this.state;
 		const { getOptionCompletion } = open || {};
-
 		this.reset();
 
 		if ( getOptionCompletion ) {
@@ -258,13 +257,18 @@ export class Autocomplete extends Component {
 				this.insertCompletion( range, value );
 			} else if ( 'backcompat' === action ) {
 				// NOTE: This block should be removed once we no longer support the old completer interface.
-				const onSelect = value;
+				const onSelectValue = value;
 				const deprecatedOptionObject = option.value;
-				const selectionResult = onSelect( deprecatedOptionObject.value, range, query );
+				const selectionResult = onSelectValue( deprecatedOptionObject.value, range, query );
 				if ( selectionResult !== undefined ) {
 					this.insertCompletion( range, selectionResult );
 				}
 			}
+
+			// Call the Autocomplete component's onSelect method if available.
+			if ( onSelect ) {
+				onSelect( completion );
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/edit-post/components/sidebar/document-sidebar/index.js b/edit-post/components/sidebar/document-sidebar/index.js
index 9bcd667a00f4a..dbe435e5e9088 100644
--- a/edit-post/components/sidebar/document-sidebar/index.js
+++ b/edit-post/components/sidebar/document-sidebar/index.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { __ } from '@wordpress/i18n';
  * Internal Dependencies
  */
 import PostStatus from '../post-status';
+import PostAuthor from '../post-author';
 import PostExcerpt from '../post-excerpt';
 import PostTaxonomies from '../post-taxonomies';
 import FeaturedImage from '../featured-image';
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ const DocumentSidebar = () => (
 		<SettingsHeader sidebarName={ SIDEBAR_NAME } />
 		<Panel>
 			<PostStatus />
+			<PostAuthor />
 			<LastRevision />
 			<PostTaxonomies />
 			<FeaturedImage />
diff --git a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/check.js b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/check.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..821990714a384
--- /dev/null
+++ b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/check.js
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/**
+ * External dependencies
+ */
+import { get } from 'lodash';
+
+/**
+ * WordPress dependencies
+ */
+import { withInstanceId } from '@wordpress/components';
+import { compose } from '@wordpress/element';
+import { withSelect } from '@wordpress/data';
+
+/**
+ * Internal dependencies
+ */
+import PostTypeSupportCheck from '../../../../editor/components/post-type-support-check';
+
+export function PostAuthorCheck( { hasAssignAuthorAction, authors, children } ) {
+	if ( ! hasAssignAuthorAction || authors.length < 1 ) {
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	return <PostTypeSupportCheck supportKeys="author">{ children }</PostTypeSupportCheck>;
+}
+
+export default compose( [
+	withSelect( ( select ) => {
+		const post = select( 'core/editor' ).getCurrentPost();
+		return {
+			hasAssignAuthorAction: get( post, [ '_links', 'wp:action-assign-author' ], false ),
+			postType: select( 'core/editor' ).getCurrentPostType(),
+			authors: select( 'core' ).getAuthors(),
+		};
+	} ),
+	withInstanceId,
+] )( PostAuthorCheck );
diff --git a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/index.js b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/index.js
index c61f7e70ec2d5..30b99b67a8df3 100644
--- a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/index.js
+++ b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/index.js
@@ -1,22 +1,100 @@
 /**
  * WordPress dependencies
  */
-import { PanelRow } from '@wordpress/components';
-import { PostAuthor as PostAuthorForm, PostAuthorCheck } from '@wordpress/editor';
+import { __ } from '@wordpress/i18n';
+import { PanelBody, PanelRow, withInstanceId } from '@wordpress/components';
+import { Component, compose } from '@wordpress/element';
+import { withSelect, withDispatch } from '@wordpress/data';
+import { authorAutocompleter } from '../../../../editor/components/autocompleters';
+import RichText from '../../../../editor/components/rich-text';
 
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
  */
+import PostAuthorCheck from './check';
 import './style.scss';
+const PANEL_NAME = 'author-panel';
 
-export function PostAuthor() {
-	return (
-		<PostAuthorCheck>
-			<PanelRow>
-				<PostAuthorForm />
-			</PanelRow>
-		</PostAuthorCheck>
-	);
+export class PostAuthor extends Component {
+	constructor() {
+		super( ...arguments );
+		this.onSelect = this.onSelect.bind( this );
+		this.onFocus = this.onFocus.bind( this );
+		this.state = {
+			theAuthor: false,
+		};
+		const { postAuthor } = this.props;
+		wp.apiRequest( { path: '/wp/v2/users/' + postAuthor + '?context=edit' } )
+			.then( ( response ) => {
+				this.setState( { theAuthor: response } );
+			} );
+	}
+
+	// When an author is selected, set the post author.
+	onSelect( value ) {
+		if ( ! value ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		const { onUpdateAuthor } = this.props;
+		onUpdateAuthor( Number( value.id ) );
+	}
+
+	onFocus( editor ) {
+		if ( ! editor.dom ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		const range = editor.dom.createRng();
+		range.selectNodeContents( editor.getBody() );
+		editor.selection.setRng( range );
+	}
+
+	render() {
+		const { isOpened, onTogglePanel } = this.props;
+		const theAuthor = this.state.theAuthor;
+
+		/* eslint-disable jsx-a11y/no-onchange */
+		return (
+			<PostAuthorCheck>
+				<PanelBody title={ __( 'Author' ) } opened={ isOpened } onToggle={ onTogglePanel }>
+					<PanelRow>
+						<div className="components-form-token-field">
+							<div className="components-form-token-field__input-container">
+								<RichText
+									tagName="p"
+									className="editor-post-author__select wp-block-paragraph"
+									value={ theAuthor ? theAuthor.name : '' }
+									aria-autocomplete="list"
+									onSelect={ this.onSelect }
+									onChange={ () => {} }
+									autocompleters={ [ authorAutocompleter ] }
+									onFocus={ this.onFocus }
+								/>
+							</div>
+						</div>
+					</PanelRow>
+				</PanelBody>
+			</PostAuthorCheck>
+		);
+		/* eslint-enable jsx-a11y/no-onchange */
+	}
 }
 
-export default PostAuthor;
+export default compose( [
+	withSelect( ( select ) => {
+		return {
+			postAuthor: select( 'core/editor' ).getEditedPostAttribute( 'author' ),
+			authors: select( 'core' ).getAuthors(),
+			isOpened: select( 'core/edit-post' ).isEditorSidebarPanelOpened( PANEL_NAME ),
+
+		};
+	} ),
+	withDispatch( ( dispatch ) => ( {
+		onUpdateAuthor( author ) {
+			dispatch( 'core/editor' ).editPost( { author } );
+		},
+		onTogglePanel() {
+			return dispatch( 'core/edit-post' ).toggleGeneralSidebarEditorPanel( PANEL_NAME );
+		},
+	} ) ),
+	withInstanceId,
+] )( PostAuthor );
diff --git a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/style.scss b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/style.scss
index a423d651051b8..855e5678ce8d0 100644
--- a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/style.scss
+++ b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-author/style.scss
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
 .editor-post-author__select {
 	margin: -5px 0;
+	border: none;
+	width: 150px;
+	padding: 4px;
+	display: inline-block;
+    width: auto;
+    max-width: 100%;
+    line-height: 24px;
+    background: inherit;
+    font-size: 13px;
+    color: #23282d;
+    box-shadow: none;
 }
diff --git a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-status/index.js b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-status/index.js
index 141795d047b22..1c6a2639e9747 100644
--- a/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-status/index.js
+++ b/edit-post/components/sidebar/post-status/index.js
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import PostVisibility from '../post-visibility';
 import PostTrash from '../post-trash';
 import PostSchedule from '../post-schedule';
 import PostSticky from '../post-sticky';
-import PostAuthor from '../post-author';
 import PostFormat from '../post-format';
 import PostPendingStatus from '../post-pending-status';
 import PluginPostStatusInfo from '../plugin-post-status-info';
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ function PostStatus( { isOpened, onTogglePanel } ) {
 			<PostFormat />
 			<PostSticky />
 			<PostPendingStatus />
-			<PostAuthor />
 			<PluginPostStatusInfo.Slot />
 			<PostTrash />
 		</PanelBody>
diff --git a/editor/components/autocompleters/author.js b/editor/components/autocompleters/author.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..31fc112683859
--- /dev/null
+++ b/editor/components/autocompleters/author.js
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/**
+* An author autocompleter.
+*
+* @type {Completer}
+*/
+export default {
+	name: 'users',
+	className: 'blocks-autocompleters__user',
+	triggerPrefix: '',
+	options( search ) {
+		let payload = '';
+		if ( search ) {
+			payload = '?search=' + encodeURIComponent( search );
+		}
+		return wp.apiRequest( { path: '/wp/v2/users' + payload } );
+	},
+	isDebounced: true,
+	getOptionKeywords( user ) {
+		return [ user.slug, user.name ];
+	},
+	getOptionLabel( user ) {
+		return [
+			<span key="name" className="blocks-autocompleters__user-name">{ user.name }</span>,
+		];
+	},
+	allowNode() {
+		return true;
+	},
+
+	getOptionCompletion( user ) {
+		return {
+			action: 'insert-at-caret',
+			value: `${ user.name }`,
+			id: user.id,
+		};
+	},
+};
diff --git a/editor/components/autocompleters/index.js b/editor/components/autocompleters/index.js
index e367e83c199f0..ea436add7f9be 100644
--- a/editor/components/autocompleters/index.js
+++ b/editor/components/autocompleters/index.js
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ import './style.scss';
 
 export { default as blockAutocompleter } from './block';
 export { default as userAutocompleter } from './user';
+export { default as authorAutocompleter } from './author';
diff --git a/editor/components/post-author/index.js b/editor/components/post-author/index.js
index 46e3b4b3fe220..dde79b8e81b8e 100644
--- a/editor/components/post-author/index.js
+++ b/editor/components/post-author/index.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import { __ } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import { withInstanceId } from '@wordpress/components';
 import { Component, compose } from '@wordpress/element';
 import { withSelect, withDispatch } from '@wordpress/data';
+import { authorAutocompleter } from '../../../editor/components/autocompleters';
+import RichText from '../../../editor/components/rich-text';
 
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
@@ -14,36 +16,45 @@ import PostAuthorCheck from './check';
 export class PostAuthor extends Component {
 	constructor() {
 		super( ...arguments );
-
 		this.setAuthorId = this.setAuthorId.bind( this );
+		this.state = {
+			theAuthor: false,
+		};
+		const { postAuthor } = this.props;
+		wp.apiRequest( { path: '/wp/v2/users/' + postAuthor + '?context=edit' } )
+			.then( ( response ) => {
+				this.setState( { theAuthor: response } );
+			} );
 	}
 
-	setAuthorId( event ) {
+	// When an author is selected, set the post author.
+	setAuthorId( value ) {
+		if ( ! value ) {
+			return;
+		}
 		const { onUpdateAuthor } = this.props;
-		const { value } = event.target;
-		onUpdateAuthor( Number( value ) );
+		onUpdateAuthor( Number( value.id ) );
 	}
 
 	render() {
-		const { postAuthor, instanceId, authors } = this.props;
+		const { instanceId } = this.props;
 		const selectId = 'post-author-selector-' + instanceId;
+		const theAuthor = this.state.theAuthor;
 
 		// Disable reason: A select with an onchange throws a warning
-
 		/* eslint-disable jsx-a11y/no-onchange */
 		return (
 			<PostAuthorCheck>
 				<label htmlFor={ selectId }>{ __( 'Author' ) }</label>
-				<select
-					id={ selectId }
-					value={ postAuthor }
+				<RichText
+					tagName="p"
+					className="editor-post-author__select wp-block-paragraph"
+					value={ theAuthor ? theAuthor.name : '' }
+					aria-autocomplete="list"
 					onChange={ this.setAuthorId }
-					className="editor-post-author__select"
-				>
-					{ authors.map( ( author ) => (
-						<option key={ author.id } value={ author.id }>{ author.name }</option>
-					) ) }
-				</select>
+					autocompleters={ [ authorAutocompleter ] }
+				/>
+
 			</PostAuthorCheck>
 		);
 		/* eslint-enable jsx-a11y/no-onchange */
diff --git a/editor/components/rich-text/index.js b/editor/components/rich-text/index.js
index d1d54bf312d3e..30546fc98d9b9 100644
--- a/editor/components/rich-text/index.js
+++ b/editor/components/rich-text/index.js
@@ -202,6 +202,10 @@ export class RichText extends Component {
 		if ( this.props.setFocusedElement ) {
 			this.props.setFocusedElement( this.props.instanceId );
 		}
+
+		if ( this.props.onFocus ) {
+			this.props.onFocus( this.editor );
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -858,6 +862,7 @@ export class RichText extends Component {
 			formatters,
 			autocompleters,
 			format,
+			onSelect,
 		} = this.props;
 
 		const ariaProps = { ...pickAriaProps( this.props ), 'aria-multiline': !! MultilineTag };
@@ -895,7 +900,7 @@ export class RichText extends Component {
 						{ formatToolbar }
 					</div>
 				) }
-				<Autocomplete onReplace={ this.props.onReplace } completers={ autocompleters }>
+				<Autocomplete onReplace={ this.props.onReplace } completers={ autocompleters } onSelect={ onSelect }>
 					{ ( { isExpanded, listBoxId, activeId } ) => (
 						<Fragment>
 							<TinyMCE