diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
index 26deab2866..b57397a47f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/book_details.py
@@ -744,16 +744,16 @@ def details_context_menu_event(view, ev, book_info, add_popup_action=False, edit
 # }}}
 
 
-def create_open_cover_with_menu(self, parent_menu):
+def create_open_cover_with_menu(self, parent_menu, text=''):
     from calibre.gui2.open_with import edit_programs, populate_menu
-    m = QMenu(_('Open cover with...'))
+    m = QMenu(text or _('Open cover with...'))
 
     def connect_action(ac, entry):
         connect_lambda(ac.triggered, self, lambda self: self.open_with(entry))
 
     populate_menu(m, connect_action, 'cover_image')
     if len(m.actions()) == 0:
-        parent_menu.addAction(_('Open cover with...'), self.choose_open_with)
+        parent_menu.addAction(text or _('Open cover with...'), self.choose_open_with)
     else:
         m.addSeparator()
         m.addAction(_('Add another application to open cover with...'), self.choose_open_with)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py
index 5b415af265..003b2566ea 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/basic_widgets.py
@@ -1232,6 +1232,8 @@ class Cover(ImageView):  # {{{
         m = super().build_context_menu()
         m.addSeparator()
         m.addAction(QIcon.ic('view-image'), _('View image in popup window'), self.view_image)
+        from calibre.gui2.book_details import create_open_cover_with_menu
+        create_open_cover_with_menu(self, m, _('Edit cover with...'))
         return m
 
     def mouseDoubleClickEvent(self, event):
@@ -1249,6 +1251,32 @@ class Cover(ImageView):  # {{{
             from calibre.utils.img import image_to_data
             self.current_val = image_to_data(d.current_img.toImage(), fmt='png')
 
+    def open_with(self, entry):
+        from calibre.gui2 import info_dialog
+        from calibre.gui2.open_with import run_program
+        from calibre.utils.img import image_from_data, save_image
+        cdata = self.current_val
+        img = image_from_data(cdata)
+        pt = PersistentTemporaryFile(suffix='.png')
+        pt.close()
+        try:
+            save_image(img, pt.name)
+            run_program(entry, pt.name, self)
+            info_dialog(self, _('Cover opened in {}').format(entry.get('name') or _('external editor')), _(
+                'Close this popup when you are done making changes to the cover'), show=True, show_copy_button=False)
+        finally:
+            with open(pt.name, 'rb') as f:
+                ncdata = f.read()
+            os.remove(pt.name)
+            if ncdata and ncdata != cdata:
+                self.current_val = ncdata
+
+    def choose_open_with(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.open_with import choose_program
+        entry = choose_program('cover_image', self)
+        if entry is not None:
+            self.open_with(entry)
+
     def undo_trim(self):
         if self.cdata_before_trim:
             self.current_val = self.cdata_before_trim