diff --git a/blocks/api/parser.js b/blocks/api/parser.js
index d2c58bab6757b1..a396ce544d3829 100644
--- a/blocks/api/parser.js
+++ b/blocks/api/parser.js
@@ -79,9 +79,13 @@ export function matcherFromSource( sourceConfig ) {
 			return children( sourceConfig.selector );
 		case 'node':
 			return node( sourceConfig.selector );
-		case 'query':
-			const subMatchers = mapValues( sourceConfig.query, matcherFromSource );
+		case 'query': {
+			const subMatchers = sourceConfig.query ?
+				mapValues( sourceConfig.query, matcherFromSource ) :
+				( element ) => node()( element );
+
 			return query( sourceConfig.selector, subMatchers );
+		}
 		default:
 			// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
 			console.error( `Unknown source type "${ sourceConfig.source }"` );
diff --git a/blocks/library/pullquote/index.js b/blocks/library/pullquote/index.js
index 8116d44d63ded6..9d28020ef0f549 100644
--- a/blocks/library/pullquote/index.js
+++ b/blocks/library/pullquote/index.js
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-/**
- * External dependencies
- */
-import { map } from 'lodash';
-
 /**
  * WordPress dependencies
  */
@@ -18,20 +13,11 @@ import RichText from '../../rich-text';
 import BlockControls from '../../block-controls';
 import BlockAlignmentToolbar from '../../block-alignment-toolbar';
 
-const toRichTextValue = value => map( value, ( subValue => subValue.children ) );
-const fromRichTextValue = value => map( value, ( subValue ) => ( {
-	children: subValue,
-} ) );
 const blockAttributes = {
 	value: {
 		type: 'array',
 		source: 'query',
 		selector: 'blockquote > p',
-		query: {
-			children: {
-				source: 'node',
-			},
-		},
 	},
 	citation: {
 		type: 'array',
@@ -84,10 +70,10 @@ export const settings = {
 			<blockquote key="quote" className={ className }>
 				<RichText
 					multiline="p"
-					value={ toRichTextValue( value ) }
+					value={ value }
 					onChange={
 						( nextValue ) => setAttributes( {
-							value: fromRichTextValue( nextValue ),
+							value: nextValue,
 						} )
 					}
 					placeholder={ __( 'Write quote…' ) }
@@ -118,9 +104,7 @@ export const settings = {
 
 		return (
 			<blockquote className={ `align${ align }` }>
-				{ value && value.map( ( paragraph, i ) =>
-					<p key={ i }>{ paragraph.children && paragraph.children.props.children }</p>
-				) }
+				{ [ value ] /* Prevent keys warning... */ }
 				{ citation && citation.length > 0 && (
 					<cite>{ citation }</cite>
 				) }
diff --git a/blocks/library/quote/index.js b/blocks/library/quote/index.js
index 5487416b90824d..6d2aa79937c362 100644
--- a/blocks/library/quote/index.js
+++ b/blocks/library/quote/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /**
  * External dependencies
  */
-import { castArray, get, isString } from 'lodash';
+import { castArray, get, isString, first } from 'lodash';
 import classnames from 'classnames';
 
 /**
@@ -20,21 +20,11 @@ import AlignmentToolbar from '../../alignment-toolbar';
 import BlockControls from '../../block-controls';
 import RichText from '../../rich-text';
 
-const toRichTextValue = value => value.map( ( subValue => subValue.children ) );
-const fromRichTextValue = value => value.map( ( subValue ) => ( {
-	children: subValue,
-} ) );
-
 const blockAttributes = {
 	value: {
 		type: 'array',
 		source: 'query',
 		selector: 'blockquote > p',
-		query: {
-			children: {
-				source: 'node',
-			},
-		},
 		default: [],
 	},
 	citation: {
@@ -69,7 +59,7 @@ export const settings = {
 				transform: ( { content } ) => {
 					return createBlock( 'core/quote', {
 						value: [
-							{ children: <p key="1">{ content }</p> },
+							<p key="1">{ content }</p>,
 						],
 					} );
 				},
@@ -80,7 +70,7 @@ export const settings = {
 				transform: ( { content } ) => {
 					return createBlock( 'core/quote', {
 						value: [
-							{ children: <p key="1">{ content }</p> },
+							<p key="1">{ content }</p>,
 						],
 					} );
 				},
@@ -91,7 +81,7 @@ export const settings = {
 				transform: ( { content } ) => {
 					return createBlock( 'core/quote', {
 						value: [
-							{ children: <p key="1">{ content }</p> },
+							<p key="1">{ content }</p>,
 						],
 					} );
 				},
@@ -112,7 +102,7 @@ export const settings = {
 					}
 					// transforming a quote with content
 					return ( value || [] ).map( item => createBlock( 'core/paragraph', {
-						content: [ get( item, 'children.props.children', '' ) ],
+						content: [ get( item, 'props.children', '' ) ],
 					} ) ).concat( citation ? createBlock( 'core/paragraph', {
 						content: citation,
 					} ) : [] );
@@ -130,7 +120,7 @@ export const settings = {
 						} );
 					}
 
-					const firstValue = get( value, [ 0, 'children' ] );
+					const firstValue = first( value );
 					const headingContent = castArray( isString( firstValue ) ?
 						firstValue :
 						get( firstValue, [ 'props', 'children' ], '' )
@@ -197,10 +187,10 @@ export const settings = {
 			>
 				<RichText
 					multiline="p"
-					value={ toRichTextValue( value ) }
+					value={ value }
 					onChange={
 						( nextValue ) => setAttributes( {
-							value: fromRichTextValue( nextValue ),
+							value: nextValue,
 						} )
 					}
 					onMerge={ mergeBlocks }
@@ -240,9 +230,7 @@ export const settings = {
 				className={ style === 2 ? 'is-large' : '' }
 				style={ { textAlign: align ? align : null } }
 			>
-				{ value.map( ( paragraph, i ) => (
-					<p key={ i }>{ paragraph.children && paragraph.children.props.children }</p>
-				) ) }
+				{ [ value ] /* Prevent keys warning... */ }
 				{ citation && citation.length > 0 && (
 					<cite>{ citation }</cite>
 				) }
diff --git a/blocks/rich-text/index.js b/blocks/rich-text/index.js
index 592b07b49c5a79..37266153f062be 100644
--- a/blocks/rich-text/index.js
+++ b/blocks/rich-text/index.js
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ import { pickAriaProps } from './aria';
 import patterns from './patterns';
 import { EVENTS } from './constants';
 
+/**
+ * Browser dependencies
+ */
+const { console } = window;
+
 const { BACKSPACE, DELETE, ENTER } = keycodes;
 
 export function createTinyMCEElement( type, props, ...children ) {
@@ -146,6 +151,7 @@ export class RichText extends Component {
 		};
 
 		this.isEmpty = ! value || ! value.length;
+		this.savedContent = value;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -695,15 +701,16 @@ export class RichText extends Component {
 			!! this.editor &&
 			this.props.tagName === prevProps.tagName &&
 			this.props.value !== prevProps.value &&
-			this.props.value !== this.savedContent &&
-
-			// Comparing using isEqual is necessary especially to avoid unnecessary updateContent calls
-			// This fixes issues in multi richText blocks like quotes when moving the focus between
-			// the different editables.
-			! isEqual( this.props.value, prevProps.value ) &&
-			! isEqual( this.props.value, this.savedContent )
+			this.props.value !== this.savedContent
 		) {
 			this.updateContent();
+
+			if (
+				'development' === process.env.NODE_ENV &&
+				isEqual( this.props.value, prevProps.value )
+			) {
+				console.warn( 'The current and previous value props are not strictly equal but the contents are the same. Please ensure the value prop reference does not change.' );
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote.json b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote.json
index e044ae447f65f8..0b46f2c7ff37ba 100644
--- a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote.json
+++ b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote.json
@@ -6,16 +6,8 @@
         "attributes": {
             "value": [
                 {
-                    "children": {
-                        "type": "p",
-                        "key": null,
-                        "ref": null,
-                        "props": {
-                            "children": "Testing pullquote block..."
-                        },
-                        "_owner": null,
-                        "_store": {}
-                    }
+                    "type": "p",
+                    "children": "Testing pullquote block..."
                 }
             ],
             "citation": [
diff --git a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote__multi-paragraph.json b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote__multi-paragraph.json
index c2a6c0d770de73..abbb803f1c5263 100644
--- a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote__multi-paragraph.json
+++ b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__pullquote__multi-paragraph.json
@@ -6,40 +6,18 @@
         "attributes": {
             "value": [
                 {
-                    "children": {
-                        "type": "p",
-                        "key": null,
-                        "ref": null,
-                        "props": {
-                            "children": [
-                                "Paragraph ",
-                                {
-                                    "type": "strong",
-                                    "key": "_domReact71",
-                                    "ref": null,
-                                    "props": {
-                                        "children": "one"
-                                    },
-                                    "_owner": null,
-                                    "_store": {}
-                                }
-                            ]
-                        },
-                        "_owner": null,
-                        "_store": {}
-                    }
+                    "type": "p",
+                    "children": [
+                        "Paragraph ",
+                        {
+                            "type": "strong",
+                            "children": "one"
+                        }
+                    ]
                 },
                 {
-                    "children": {
-                        "type": "p",
-                        "key": null,
-                        "ref": null,
-                        "props": {
-                            "children": "Paragraph two"
-                        },
-                        "_owner": null,
-                        "_store": {}
-                    }
+                    "type": "p",
+                    "children": "Paragraph two"
                 }
             ],
             "citation": [
diff --git a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-1.json b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-1.json
index 1a1f57668d6bba..abbc5e6042edc4 100644
--- a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-1.json
+++ b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-1.json
@@ -6,16 +6,8 @@
         "attributes": {
             "value": [
                 {
-                    "children": {
-                        "type": "p",
-                        "key": null,
-                        "ref": null,
-                        "props": {
-                            "children": "The editor will endeavour to create a new page and post building experience that makes writing rich posts effortless, and has “blocks” to make it easy what today might take shortcodes, custom HTML, or “mystery meat” embed discovery."
-                        },
-                        "_owner": null,
-                        "_store": {}
-                    }
+                    "type": "p",
+                    "children": "The editor will endeavour to create a new page and post building experience that makes writing rich posts effortless, and has “blocks” to make it easy what today might take shortcodes, custom HTML, or “mystery meat” embed discovery."
                 }
             ],
             "citation": [
diff --git a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-2.json b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-2.json
index 2462f8aa0a8fc4..075537a1d9b327 100644
--- a/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-2.json
+++ b/blocks/test/fixtures/core__quote__style-2.json
@@ -6,16 +6,8 @@
         "attributes": {
             "value": [
                 {
-                    "children": {
-                        "type": "p",
-                        "key": null,
-                        "ref": null,
-                        "props": {
-                            "children": "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
-                        },
-                        "_owner": null,
-                        "_store": {}
-                    }
+                    "type": "p",
+                    "children": "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
                 }
             ],
             "citation": [