diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js b/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js
index 0839f13b..59174f01 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/osem.js
@@ -147,6 +147,15 @@ function word_count(text, divId, maxcount) {
     });
 };
 
+function fill_if_empty(text_area, filler) {
+    let area = $('#' + text_area);
+
+    if (!area.val()) {
+        area.val(filler);
+        area.trigger('change');
+    }
+}
+
 /* Wait for the DOM to be ready before attaching events to the elements */
 $( document ).ready(function() {
     /* Set the minimum and maximum proposal abstract and submission text word length */
@@ -155,15 +164,15 @@ $( document ).ready(function() {
         var max = $selected.data("max-words");
         var min = $selected.data("min-words");
 
+        // Set the placeholder text for the abstract
+        fill_if_empty('event_submission_text', $selected.data("help"));
+
         $("#abstract-maximum-word-count").text(max);
         $("#submission-maximum-word-count").text(max);
         $("#abstract-minimum-word-count").text(min);
         $("#submission-minimum-word-count").text(min);
         word_count($('#event_abstract').get(0), 'abstract-count', max);
         word_count($('#event_submission_text').get(0), 'submission-count', max);
-
-        // Set the placeholder text for the abstract
-        $('#event_submission_text').attr("placeholder", $selected.data("help"));
     })
         .trigger('change');