diff --git a/question.php b/question.php
index 1f780365..92864398 100644
--- a/question.php
+++ b/question.php
@@ -959,9 +959,18 @@ public function has_combined_unit_field(): bool {
 
         // Furthermore, there must be either a {_0}{_u} without whitespace in the part's text
         // (meaning the user explicitly wants a combined unit field) or no answer box placeholders
-        // at all, neither for the answer nor for the unit.
-        $combinedrequested = strpos($this->subqtext, '{_0}{_u}') !== false;
-        $noplaceholders = strpos($this->subqtext, '{_0}') === false && strpos($this->subqtext, '{_u}') === false;
+        // at all, neither for the answer nor for the unit. As the placeholders may contain formatting
+        // options, it makes sense to first simplify the part's question text by removing those. Note
+        // that the regex is different from e. g. the one in scan_for_answer_boxes(), because there
+        // MUST NOT be an :options-variable or a :MC/:MCE/:MCES/:MCS part.
+        $simplifiedtext = preg_replace(
+            '/\{(_u|_\d+)((\|[\w =#]*)*)\}/',
+            '{\1}',
+            $this->subqtext,
+        );
+
+        $combinedrequested = strpos($simplifiedtext, '{_0}{_u}') !== false;
+        $noplaceholders = strpos($simplifiedtext, '{_0}') === false && strpos($this->subqtext, '{_u}') === false;
         return $combinedrequested || $noplaceholders;
     }
 
diff --git a/renderer.php b/renderer.php
index 78c0f823..9c3d7365 100644
--- a/renderer.php
+++ b/renderer.php
@@ -666,10 +666,16 @@ public function get_part_formulation(question_attempt $qa, question_display_opti
 
         // If part has combined unit answer input.
         if ($part->has_combined_unit_field()) {
+            // For a combined unit field, we try to merge the formatting options from the {_0} and the
+            // {_u} placeholder, giving precedence to the latter.
+            $mergedformat = $boxes['_u']['format'] + $boxes['_0']['format'];
             $combinedfieldhtml = $this->create_input_box(
-                $part, self::COMBINED_FIELD, $qa, $options, $boxes[$placeholder]['format'], $sub->feedbackclass
+                $part, self::COMBINED_FIELD, $qa, $options, $mergedformat, $sub->feedbackclass
             );
-            return str_replace('{_0}{_u}', $combinedfieldhtml, $subqreplaced);
+            // The combined field must be placed where the user has the {_0}{_u} placeholders, possibly with
+            // their formatting options.
+            $boxplaceholders = $boxes['_0']['placeholder'] . $boxes['_u']['placeholder'];
+            return str_replace($boxplaceholders, $combinedfieldhtml, $subqreplaced);
         }
 
         // Iterate over all boxes again, this time creating the appropriate input control and insert it
diff --git a/tests/renderer_test.php b/tests/renderer_test.php
index 722ff9b6..6f134125 100644
--- a/tests/renderer_test.php
+++ b/tests/renderer_test.php
@@ -394,6 +394,85 @@ public function test_render_formatted_input_box($styles, $placeholder): void {
         $this->check_current_output(...$expectations);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Data provider.
+     *
+     * @return array
+     */
+    public static function provide_combined_box_formatting(): array {
+        return [
+            [[], '{_0}{_u}'],
+            [['width: 100px'], '{_0|w=100px}{_u}'],
+            [['width: 100px'], '{_0}{_u|w=100px}'],
+            [['width: 80px', 'background-color: blue'], '{_0|w=100px|bgcol=red}{_u|w=80px|bgcol=blue}'],
+            [['width: 100px', 'background-color: red'], '{_0|w=100px|bgcol=red}{_u}'],
+            [['width: 100px', 'background-color: red'], '{_0}{_u|w=100px|bgcol=red}'],
+            [['width: 80px', 'background-color: blue'], '{_0|w=100px|bgcol=red}{_u|w=80px|bgcol=blue}'],
+            [['width: 80px', 'background-color: blue', 'text-align: right'], '{_0|w=100px|align=right}{_u|w=80px|bgcol=blue}'],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test formatting of combined unit field works as expected.
+     *
+     * @param array $styles (combined) style settings to be checked for
+     * @param string $placeholder placeholder definition with formatting
+     * @return void
+     *
+     * @dataProvider provide_combined_box_formatting
+     */
+    public function test_formatting_of_combined_unit_box($styles, $placeholder): void {
+        $q = $this->get_test_formulas_question('testsinglenumunit');
+        $q->parts[0]->subqtext = $placeholder;
+        $this->start_attempt_at_question($q, 'immediatefeedback', 1);
+
+        // Check that there is a combined unit field and no other fields or stray placeholders.
+        $this->render();
+        $this->check_output_contains_text_input('0_');
+        $this->check_output_does_not_contain_text_input_with_class('0_0');
+        $this->check_output_does_not_contain_text_input_with_class('0_1');
+        $this->check_output_does_not_contain_stray_placeholders();
+
+        // Check the formatting.
+        $expectations = [];
+        foreach ($styles as $style) {
+            $expectations[] = $this->get_contains_input_with_css_expectation($style);
+        }
+        $this->check_current_output(...$expectations);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test formatting of separate unit field works as expected.
+     *
+     * @param array $styles style settings to be checked for
+     * @param string $placeholder placeholder definition with formatting
+     * @return void
+     *
+     * @dataProvider provide_styles
+     */
+    public function test_formatting_of_separate_unit_box($styles, $placeholder): void {
+        // We take the formatting intended for the number box and use it for the unit box. Also,
+        // we add a placeholder for an unformatted number box in front of it.
+        $placeholder = str_replace('{_0', '{_0} {_u', $placeholder);
+        $q = $this->get_test_formulas_question('testsinglenumunit');
+        $q->parts[0]->subqtext = $placeholder;
+        $this->start_attempt_at_question($q, 'immediatefeedback', 1);
+
+        // There must be a number box and a unit box, no combined field and no stray placeholders.
+        $this->render();
+        $this->check_output_contains_text_input('0_0');
+        $this->check_output_contains_text_input('0_1');
+        $this->check_output_does_not_contain_text_input_with_class('0_');
+        $this->check_output_does_not_contain_stray_placeholders();
+
+        // Check the formatting.
+        $expectations = [];
+        foreach ($styles as $style) {
+            $expectations[] = $this->get_contains_input_with_css_expectation($style);
+        }
+        $this->check_current_output(...$expectations);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Data provider.
      *