diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
index 0e56510a42..c6b8ab7641 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
@@ -296,19 +296,20 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
             ca.triggered.connect(partial(self.search_for_books, item))
             if disable_copy_paste_search:
                 ca.setEnabled(False)
-        m.addSeparator()
-        case_menu = QMenu(_('Change case'))
-        action_upper_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Upper case'))
-        action_lower_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Lower case'))
-        action_swap_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Swap case'))
-        action_title_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Title case'))
-        action_capitalize = case_menu.addAction(_('Capitalize'))
-        action_upper_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, icu_upper))
-        action_lower_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, icu_lower))
-        action_swap_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, self.swap_case))
-        action_title_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, titlecase))
-        action_capitalize.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, capitalize))
-        m.addMenu(case_menu)
+        if self.table.state() == self.table.EditingState:
+            m.addSeparator()
+            case_menu = QMenu(_('Change case'))
+            action_upper_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Upper case'))
+            action_lower_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Lower case'))
+            action_swap_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Swap case'))
+            action_title_case = case_menu.addAction(_('Title case'))
+            action_capitalize = case_menu.addAction(_('Capitalize'))
+            action_upper_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, icu_upper))
+            action_lower_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, icu_lower))
+            action_swap_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, self.swap_case))
+            action_title_case.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, titlecase))
+            action_capitalize.triggered.connect(partial(self.do_case, capitalize))
+            m.addMenu(case_menu)
         m.exec_(self.table.mapToGlobal(point))
 
     def search_for_books(self, item):