diff --git a/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py b/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py
index 9eb4731505..9f9c1a05cb 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from django import forms
+from django.db.models import BLANK_CHOICE_DASH
 from django.utils.functional import cached_property
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from wagtail.blocks import (
@@ -9,8 +10,13 @@
 )
 from wagtail.coreutils import resolve_model_string
 
+from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget, ChoicesSelectWidget
 from hypha.apply.stream_forms.blocks import OptionalFormFieldBlock
 
+# Above this many options a radio/checkbox list stops being usable, so fall back
+# to a searchable Choices.js select.
+SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD = 32
+
 
 class ModelChooserBlock(ChoiceBlock):
     # Implement this block as it's referenced in the old migrations.
@@ -65,23 +71,24 @@ def get_field_kwargs(self, struct_value):
         kwargs = super().get_field_kwargs(struct_value)
         category = self.get_instance(id=struct_value["category"])
         kwargs = self.use_defaults_from_category(kwargs, category)
-        choices = category.options.values_list("id", "value")
+        choices = list(category.options.values_list("id", "value"))
+        if not struct_value["multi"] and len(choices) >= SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD:
+            # A <select> auto-selects its first option, so offer an empty one.
+            choices.insert(0, BLANK_CHOICE_DASH[0])
         kwargs.update({"choices": choices})
         return kwargs
 
     def get_widget(self, struct_value):
+        category = self.get_instance(id=struct_value["category"])
+        # Pick widget according to number of options to maintain good usability.
+        many_options = category.options.count() >= SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD
         if struct_value["multi"]:
-            category = self.get_instance(id=struct_value["category"])
-            category_size = category.options.count()
-            # Pick widget according to number of options to maintain good usability.
-            if category_size < 32:
-                return forms.CheckboxSelectMultiple
-            else:
-                from hypha.apply.funds.tables import MultiCheckboxesWidget
-
-                return MultiCheckboxesWidget
-        else:
-            return forms.RadioSelect
+            return (
+                ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
+                if many_options
+                else forms.CheckboxSelectMultiple
+            )
+        return ChoicesSelectWidget if many_options else forms.RadioSelect
 
     def prepare_data(self, value, data, serialize):
         if not data:
diff --git a/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py b/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py
index 6fbb2f3701..3e4d26e2bc 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from .models.co_applicants import CoApplicantProjectPermission, CoApplicantRole
 from .permissions import can_change_external_reviewers
 from .utils import model_form_initial, render_icon
-from .widgets import MultiCheckboxesWidget
+from .widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
 
 
 class ApplicationSubmissionModelForm(forms.ModelForm):
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ class BatchUpdateReviewersForm(forms.Form):
     )
     external_reviewers = forms.ModelMultipleChoiceField(
         queryset=User.objects.reviewers().only("pk", "full_name"),
-        widget=MultiCheckboxesWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
+        widget=ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
         label=_("External Reviewers"),
         required=False,
     )
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, choices_groupby, **kwargs):
 class UpdateMetaTermsForm(ApplicationSubmissionModelForm):
     meta_terms = GroupedModelMultipleChoiceField(
         queryset=None,  # updated in init method
-        widget=MultiCheckboxesWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
+        widget=ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
         label=_("Tags"),
         choices_groupby="get_parent",
         required=False,
diff --git a/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py b/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py
index d189e3d58c..19ac3452d1 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 from hypha.core.tables import RelativeTimeColumn
 
 from .models import ApplicationSubmission, Round, ScreeningStatus
-from .widgets import MultiCheckboxesWidget
+from .widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
 from .workflows import STATUS_SLUGS, STATUSES
 
 User = get_user_model()
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class MultiCheckboxesMixin(filters.Filter):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         label = kwargs.get("label")
         kwargs.setdefault(
-            "widget", MultiCheckboxesWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": label})
+            "widget", ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": label})
         )
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py b/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py
index 4fbe82f358..7d0540ee65 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py
@@ -1,15 +1,23 @@
 from django import forms
 
 
-class MultiCheckboxesWidget(forms.SelectMultiple):
+class ChoicesJSMixin:
     """
-    Custom widget for Choices.js. Adds the required attributes.
+    Adds the attributes required to initialise Choices.js on a select.
     """
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         attrs = kwargs.get("attrs", {})
-        # Add the date attribute for Choices.js initialization
+        # Add the data attributes for Choices.js initialization
         attrs.setdefault("data-js-choices", "")
         attrs.setdefault("data-placeholder", "")
         kwargs["attrs"] = attrs
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+class ChoicesSelectWidget(ChoicesJSMixin, forms.Select):
+    pass
+
+
+class ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(ChoicesJSMixin, forms.SelectMultiple):
+    pass
diff --git a/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py b/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py
index 872c12e62e..8c93cb4fd1 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django_file_form.forms import FileFormMixin
 
-from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import MultiCheckboxesWidget
+from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
 from hypha.apply.stream_forms.fields import MultiFileField, SingleFileField
 
 from ..models.invoice import (
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def clean_invoices(self):
 class InvoiceTagsForm(forms.ModelForm):
     tags = forms.ModelMultipleChoiceField(
         queryset=InvoiceTag.objects.all(),
-        widget=MultiCheckboxesWidget,
+        widget=ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget,
         required=False,
         label=_("Tags"),
     )