diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py
index 43c06eca8a..cb4bb599f3 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py
@@ -771,7 +771,10 @@ class SeriesIndexEdit(make_undoable(QDoubleSpinBox), ToMetadataMixin):
 class BuddyLabel(QLabel):  # {{{
 
     def __init__(self, buddy):
-        QLabel.__init__(self, buddy.LABEL)
+        sval = tweaks['alternate_column_names'].get(getattr(buddy, 'FIELD_NAME', None))
+        if sval:
+            sval = '&' + sval
+        QLabel.__init__(self, sval or buddy.LABEL)
         self.setBuddy(buddy)
         self.setAlignment(Qt.AlignmentFlag.AlignRight|Qt.AlignmentFlag.AlignVCenter)
 # }}}