diff --git a/src/ui/readerportselection.cpp b/src/ui/readerportselection.cpp
index abb954589..2372e0fe4 100644
--- a/src/ui/readerportselection.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/readerportselection.cpp
@@ -1,145 +1,147 @@
 /*
     ui/readerportselection.cpp
 
     This file is part of libkleopatra
     SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 g10 Code GmbH
     SPDX-FileContributor: Ingo Klöcker <dev@ingo-kloecker.de>
 
     SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 */
 
 #include <config-libkleo.h>
 
 #include "readerportselection.h"
 
 #include "utils/scdaemon.h"
 
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 
 #if __has_include(<QGpgME/Debug>)
 # include <QGpgME/Debug>
 #endif
 
 #include <QComboBox>
 #include <QHBoxLayout>
+#include <QLineEdit>
 
 #include <gpgme++/error.h>
 
 #include <libkleo_debug.h>
 
 using namespace Kleo;
 
 class ReaderPortSelection::Private
 {
 public:
     Private(ReaderPortSelection *q);
 
     void setValue(const QString &value);
     QString value() const;
 
 private:
     void onCurrentIndexChanged(int);
     void onEditTextChanged(const QString &);
 
 private:
     ReaderPortSelection *const q = nullptr;
     QComboBox *const mComboBox = nullptr;
-    const QString mCustomEntryPlaceholderText;
 };
 
 ReaderPortSelection::Private::Private(Kleo::ReaderPortSelection *qq)
     : q{qq}
     , mComboBox{new QComboBox{qq}}
-    , mCustomEntryPlaceholderText{i18nc("@item:inlistbox", "Custom entry")}
 {
     auto layout = new QHBoxLayout{q};
     layout->setContentsMargins({});
     layout->addWidget(mComboBox);
 
     mComboBox->addItem(i18nc("@item:inlistbox", "Default reader"), {});
 
     GpgME::Error err;
     const auto readers = SCDaemon::getReaders(err);
     if (err) {
         qCWarning(LIBKLEO_LOG) << "Getting available smart card readers failed:" << err;
     } else {
         std::for_each(std::begin(readers), std::end(readers),
                     [this](const auto &reader) {
                         const auto readerId = QString::fromStdString(reader);
                         mComboBox->addItem(readerId, readerId);
                     });
     }
 
-    mComboBox->addItem(mCustomEntryPlaceholderText, {});
+    mComboBox->addItem(QString{}, {});
     mComboBox->setToolTip(xi18nc("@info:tooltip",
                                     "<para>Select the smart card reader that GnuPG shall use.<list>"
                                     "<item>The first item will make GnuPG use the first reader that is found.</item>"
                                     "<item>The last item allows you to enter a custom reader ID or reader port number.</item>"
                                     "<item>All other items represent readers that were found by GnuPG.</item>"
                                     "</list></para>"));
 
     connect(mComboBox, qOverload<int>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged),
             q, [this](int index) {
                 onCurrentIndexChanged(index);
                 Q_EMIT q->valueChanged(q->value());
             });
     connect(mComboBox, &QComboBox::editTextChanged,
             q, [this](const QString &text) {
                 onEditTextChanged(text);
                 Q_EMIT q->valueChanged(q->value());
             });
 }
 
 void ReaderPortSelection::Private::setValue(const QString &value)
 {
     if (value.isEmpty()) {
         mComboBox->setCurrentIndex(0);
         return;
     }
     const int indexOfValue = mComboBox->findData(value);
     if (indexOfValue != -1) {
         mComboBox->setCurrentIndex(indexOfValue);
     } else {
         mComboBox->setCurrentIndex(mComboBox->count() - 1);
         mComboBox->setEditText(value);
     }
 }
 
 QString ReaderPortSelection::Private::value() const
 {
     return mComboBox->currentData().toString();
 }
 
 void ReaderPortSelection::Private::onCurrentIndexChanged(int index)
 {
     // the last item serves as input for a custom entry
     mComboBox->setEditable(index == mComboBox->count() - 1);
+    if (mComboBox->lineEdit()) {
+        mComboBox->lineEdit()->setPlaceholderText(i18nc("@item:inlistbox", "Custom reader ID or port number"));
+    }
 }
 
 void ReaderPortSelection::Private::onEditTextChanged(const QString &text)
 {
     const int lastIndex = mComboBox->count() - 1;
     // do not overwrite the text of the custom item with the text of another item
     if (mComboBox->currentIndex() == lastIndex) {
         mComboBox->setItemText(lastIndex, text);
         mComboBox->setItemData(lastIndex, text);
     }
 }
 
 ReaderPortSelection::ReaderPortSelection(QWidget *parent)
     : QWidget{parent}
     , d{new Private{this}}
 {
 }
 
 ReaderPortSelection::~ReaderPortSelection() = default;
 
 void ReaderPortSelection::setValue(const QString &value)
 {
     d->setValue(value);
 }
 
 QString ReaderPortSelection::value() const
 {
     return d->value();
 }