diff --git a/spec/controllers/curation_concern/generic_files_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/curation_concern/generic_files_controller_spec.rb
index 2caa970..c40e7d2 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/curation_concern/generic_files_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/curation_concern/generic_files_controller_spec.rb
@@ -132,10 +132,11 @@
       end
 
       context "updating metadata" do
-        it "should be successful" do
+        it "should be successful and update attributes" do
           post :update, id: generic_file, generic_file:
             {title: 'new_title', tag: [''], permissions: { new_user_name: {'archivist1'=>'edit'}}}
           expect(response).to redirect_to [:curation_concern, generic_file]
+          expect(assigns[:generic_file].title).to eq(['new_title'])
         end
 
         it "should go back to edit on an error" do
diff --git a/spec/models/worthwhile/generic_file_spec.rb b/spec/models/worthwhile/generic_file_spec.rb
index bd7fd85..9369bf2 100644
--- a/spec/models/worthwhile/generic_file_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/worthwhile/generic_file_spec.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
     subject.depositor = 'tess@example.com'
   end
 
+  it "should update attributes" do
+    subject.attributes = {title:"My new Title"}
+    expect(subject.title).to eq(["My new Title"])
+  end
+
   describe "to_solr" do
     before do
       subject.title = ['One Flew Over the Cuckoo\'s Nest']
diff --git a/worthwhile-models/app/models/concerns/worthwhile/generic_file_base.rb b/worthwhile-models/app/models/concerns/worthwhile/generic_file_base.rb
index 01eef89..022ce42 100644
--- a/worthwhile-models/app/models/concerns/worthwhile/generic_file_base.rb
+++ b/worthwhile-models/app/models/concerns/worthwhile/generic_file_base.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module GenericFileBase
     include Sufia::GenericFile::Derivatives
     include Sufia::GenericFile::Metadata
     include Sufia::GenericFile::Versions
-    include Sufia::Permissions::Readable
+    include Sufia::GenericFile::Permissions
     include ::CurationConcern::VersionedContent
 
     included do
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ module GenericFileBase
 
       attr_accessor :file
 
+      attr_accessible *(terms_for_display + [:permissions])
+
       # make filename single-value (Sufia::GenericFile::Characterization makes it multivalue)
       # has_attributes :filename, datastream: :characterization, multiple: false
       def filename