diff --git a/ts/editable/ContentEditable.svelte b/ts/editable/ContentEditable.svelte
index 2fee28aaf..645c5d3bc 100644
--- a/ts/editable/ContentEditable.svelte
+++ b/ts/editable/ContentEditable.svelte
@@ -7,11 +7,9 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 </script>
 
 <script lang="ts">
-    import { getContext } from "svelte";
-    import type { Readable, Writable } from "svelte/store";
+    import type { Writable } from "svelte/store";
 
     import { updateAllState } from "../components/WithState.svelte";
-    import { descriptionKey } from "../lib/context-keys";
     import actionList from "../sveltelib/action-list";
     import type { MirrorAction } from "../sveltelib/dom-mirror";
     import type { SetupInputHandlerAction } from "../sveltelib/input-handler";
@@ -35,15 +33,9 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
     const [focusHandler, setupFocusHandling] = useFocusHandler();
 
     Object.assign(api, { focusHandler });
-
-    const description = getContext<Readable<string>>(descriptionKey);
-    $: descriptionCSSValue = `"${$description}"`;
-
-    export let content: string;
 </script>
 
 <anki-editable
-    class:empty={!content}
     contenteditable="true"
     use:resolve
     use:setupFocusHandling
@@ -54,14 +46,13 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
     on:blur
     on:click={updateAllState}
     on:keyup={updateAllState}
-    style="--description: {descriptionCSSValue}"
 />
 
 <style lang="scss">
     anki-editable {
         display: block;
         position: relative;
-        padding: 6px;
+
         overflow: auto;
         overflow-wrap: anywhere;
         /* fallback for iOS */
@@ -70,17 +61,6 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
         &:focus {
             outline: none;
         }
-        &.empty::before {
-            content: var(--description);
-            opacity: 0.4;
-            cursor: text;
-            /* stay on single line */
-            position: absolute;
-            max-width: 95%;
-            overflow-x: hidden;
-            white-space: nowrap;
-            text-overflow: ellipsis;
-        }
     }
 
     /* editable-base.scss contains styling targeting user HTML */
diff --git a/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextInput.svelte b/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextInput.svelte
index 1ee7a091e..a5e3da25a 100644
--- a/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextInput.svelte
+++ b/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextInput.svelte
@@ -47,10 +47,17 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 </script>
 
 <script lang="ts">
-    import { getAllContexts, onMount } from "svelte";
+    import { getAllContexts, getContext, onMount } from "svelte";
+    import type { Readable } from "svelte/store";
 
     import { placeCaretAfterContent } from "../../domlib/place-caret";
     import ContentEditable from "../../editable/ContentEditable.svelte";
+    import {
+        descriptionKey,
+        directionKey,
+        fontFamilyKey,
+        fontSizeKey,
+    } from "../../lib/context-keys";
     import { promiseWithResolver } from "../../lib/promise";
     import { singleCallback } from "../../lib/typing";
     import useDOMMirror from "../../sveltelib/dom-mirror";
@@ -68,6 +75,11 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
     const { focusedInput } = noteEditorContext.get();
     const { content, editingInputs } = editingAreaContext.get();
 
+    const description = getContext<Readable<string>>(descriptionKey);
+    const fontFamily = getContext<Readable<string>>(fontFamilyKey);
+    const fontSize = getContext<Readable<number>>(fontSizeKey);
+    const direction = getContext<Readable<"ltr" | "rtl">>(directionKey);
+
     const nodes = getNormalizingNodeStore();
     const [richTextPromise, resolve] = useRichTextResolve();
     const { mirror, preventResubscription } = useDOMMirror();
@@ -148,7 +160,6 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
                     mirrors: [mirror],
                     inputHandlers: [setupInputHandler, setupGlobalInputHandler],
                     api: api.editable,
-                    content: $content,
                 },
                 context: allContexts,
             });
@@ -160,6 +171,15 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
         $editingInputs = $editingInputs;
     }
 
+    function setFocus(): void {
+        $focusedInput = api;
+
+        // We do not unset focusedInput here.
+        // If we did, UI components for the input would react the store
+        // being unset, even though most likely it will be set to some other
+        // field right away.
+    }
+
     $: pushUpdate(!hidden);
 
     onMount(() => {
@@ -180,9 +200,23 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
     setupLifecycleHooks(api);
 </script>
 
-<div class="rich-text-input" on:focusin={() => ($focusedInput = api)}>
+<div class="rich-text-input" on:focusin={setFocus} {hidden}>
+    {#if $content.length === 0}
+        <div
+            class="rich-text-placeholder"
+            style:font-family={$fontFamily}
+            style:font-size={$fontSize + "px"}
+            style:direction={$direction}
+        >
+            {$description}
+        </div>
+    {/if}
+
     <RichTextStyles
         color={$pageTheme.isDark ? "white" : "black"}
+        fontFamily={$fontFamily}
+        fontSize={$fontSize}
+        direction={$direction}
         callback={stylesResolve}
         let:attachToShadow={attachStyles}
         let:stylesDidLoad
@@ -190,7 +224,6 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
         <div
             bind:this={richTextDiv}
             class={className}
-            class:hidden
             class:night-mode={$pageTheme.isDark}
             use:attachShadow
             use:attachStyles
@@ -208,7 +241,17 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 </div>
 
 <style lang="scss">
-    .hidden {
-        display: none;
+    .rich-text-input {
+        position: relative;
+        margin: 6px;
+    }
+
+    .rich-text-placeholder {
+        position: absolute;
+        color: var(--disabled);
+
+        /* Adopts same size as the content editable element */
+        width: 100%;
+        height: 100%;
     }
 </style>
diff --git a/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextStyles.svelte b/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextStyles.svelte
index 9679a3939..1010befe7 100644
--- a/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextStyles.svelte
+++ b/ts/editor/rich-text-input/RichTextStyles.svelte
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@ Copyright: Ankitects Pty Ltd and contributors
 License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
 -->
 <script lang="ts">
-    import { getContext } from "svelte";
-    import type { Readable } from "svelte/store";
-
-    import { directionKey, fontFamilyKey, fontSizeKey } from "../../lib/context-keys";
     import { promiseWithResolver } from "../../lib/promise";
     import type { StyleLinkType, StyleObject } from "./CustomStyles.svelte";
     import CustomStyles from "./CustomStyles.svelte";
@@ -25,9 +21,9 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
     });
 
     export let color: string;
-    const fontFamily = getContext<Readable<string>>(fontFamilyKey);
-    const fontSize = getContext<Readable<number>>(fontSizeKey);
-    const direction = getContext<Readable<"ltr" | "rtl">>(directionKey);
+    export let fontFamily: string;
+    export let fontSize: number;
+    export let direction: "ltr" | "rtl";
 
     async function setStyling(property: string, value: unknown): Promise<void> {
         const rule = await userBaseRule;
@@ -35,9 +31,9 @@ License: GNU AGPL, version 3 or later; http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html
     }
 
     $: setStyling("color", color);
-    $: setStyling("fontFamily", $fontFamily);
-    $: setStyling("fontSize", $fontSize + "px");
-    $: setStyling("direction", $direction);
+    $: setStyling("fontFamily", fontFamily);
+    $: setStyling("fontSize", fontSize + "px");
+    $: setStyling("direction", direction);
 
     const styles = [
         {