diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
index 704b851eda..c86ecf5457 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/search_and_replace.py
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
         '''
         new_val = None
         legacy = {}
+        rest = {}
         for name, val in recs.items():
             if name == 'search_replace':
                 new_val = val
@@ -239,6 +240,11 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
                     self.search_replace.setDisabled(True)
             elif name.startswith('sr'):
                 legacy[name] = val if val else ''
+            else:
+                rest[name] = val
+
+        if rest:
+            super(SearchAndReplaceWidget, self).apply_recommendations(rest)
 
         if new_val is None and legacy:
             for i in range(1, 4):
@@ -250,6 +256,14 @@ class SearchAndReplaceWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
         if new_val is not None:
             self.set_value(self.opt_search_replace, new_val)
 
+    def restore_defaults(self, get_option):
+        super(SearchAndReplaceWidget, self).restore_defaults(get_option)
+        # This method is only called to set global defaults, not per book
+        # defaults. Therefore, we ensure that the value is None. Without this,
+        # apply_recommendations will not work, as it only applies the value if
+        # it is not None.
+        self.set_value(self.opt_search_replace, None)
+
     def setup_help_handler(self, g, help):
         if g is self.opt_search_replace:
             self.search_replace._help = _(