diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
index 23cac74cf8..81274f25a8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
@@ -70,9 +70,6 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     def initialize_metadata_options(self):
         self.initialize_combos()
         self.author.editTextChanged.connect(self.deduce_author_sort)
-        self.author.set_separator('&')
-        self.author.set_space_before_sep(True)
-        self.author.update_items_cache(self.db.all_author_names())
 
         mi = self.db.get_metadata(self.book_id, index_is_id=True)
         self.title.setText(mi.title)
@@ -109,6 +106,9 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     def initalize_authors(self):
         all_authors = self.db.all_authors()
         all_authors.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
+        self.author.set_separator('&')
+        self.author.set_space_before_sep(True)
+        self.author.update_items_cache(self.db.all_author_names())
 
         for i in all_authors:
             id, name = i
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     def initialize_series(self):
         all_series = self.db.all_series()
         all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
+        self.series.set_separator(None)
+        self.series.update_items_cache([x[1] for x in all_series])
 
         for i in all_series:
             id, name = i
@@ -133,6 +135,8 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     def initialize_publisher(self):
         all_publishers = self.db.all_publishers()
         all_publishers.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
+        self.publisher.set_separator(None)
+        self.publisher.update_items_cache([x[1] for x in all_publishers])
 
         for i in all_publishers:
             id, name = i
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui
index 47d983d870..95ccac6890 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@
         </widget>
        </item>
        <item row="5" column="1">
-        <widget class="EnComboBox" name="series">
+        <widget class="MultiCompleteComboBox" name="series">
          <property name="sizePolicy">
           <sizepolicy hsizetype="Preferred" vsizetype="Fixed">
            <horstretch>10</horstretch>
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@
         </widget>
        </item>
        <item row="3" column="1">
-        <widget class="EnComboBox" name="publisher">
+        <widget class="MultiCompleteComboBox" name="publisher">
          <property name="editable">
           <bool>true</bool>
          </property>
@@ -276,11 +276,6 @@
    <extends>QLineEdit</extends>
    <header>widgets.h</header>
   </customwidget>
-  <customwidget>
-   <class>EnComboBox</class>
-   <extends>QComboBox</extends>
-   <header>widgets.h</header>
-  </customwidget>
   <customwidget>
    <class>MultiCompleteComboBox</class>
    <extends>QComboBox</extends>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py b/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
index 0555d42b4f..5180999379 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ class Text(Base):
             w.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Minimum, QSizePolicy.Preferred)
         else:
             w = MultiCompleteComboBox(parent)
+            w.set_separator(None)
             w.setSizeAdjustPolicy(w.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
             w.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
         self.widgets = [QLabel('&'+self.col_metadata['name']+':', parent), w]
@@ -708,6 +709,7 @@ class BulkSeries(BulkBase):
 
     def initialize(self, book_id):
         self.idx_widget.setChecked(False)
+        self.main_widget.set_separator(None)
         self.main_widget.update_items_cache(self.all_values)
         for c in self.all_values:
             self.main_widget.addItem(c)
@@ -835,6 +837,7 @@ class BulkText(BulkBase):
             w.checkbox.stateChanged.connect(self.a_c_checkbox_changed)
         else:
             self.make_widgets(parent, MultiCompleteComboBox)
+            self.main_widget.set_separator(None)
             self.main_widget.setSizeAdjustPolicy(
                         self.main_widget.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
             self.main_widget.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
index 9239a0e136..12f49baaca 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
     def initialize_series(self):
         all_series = self.db.all_series()
         all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
+        self.series.set_separator(None)
         self.series.update_items_cache([x[1] for x in all_series])
 
         for i in all_series:
@@ -774,6 +775,7 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
     def initialize_publisher(self):
         all_publishers = self.db.all_publishers()
         all_publishers.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
+        self.publisher.set_separator(None)
         self.publisher.update_items_cache([x[1] for x in all_publishers])
 
         for i in all_publishers:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
index 0fbe188aa5..9c91446f3c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
 
         all_series = db.all_series()
         all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
+        self.series_box.set_separator(None)
         self.series_box.update_items_cache([x[1] for x in all_series])
         for i in all_series:
             id, name = i