diff --git a/src/app/qgslabelinggui.cpp b/src/app/qgslabelinggui.cpp
index 73d92b75e298..74b2b7a954df 100644
--- a/src/app/qgslabelinggui.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgslabelinggui.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QMessageBox>
 
-
 QgsLabelingGui::QgsLabelingGui( QgsPalLabeling* lbl, QgsVectorLayer* layer, QgsMapCanvas* mapCanvas, QWidget* parent )
     : QDialog( parent ), mLBL( lbl ), mLayer( layer ), mMapCanvas( mapCanvas )
 {
@@ -470,6 +469,9 @@ void QgsLabelingGui::showExpressionDialog()
     connect(buttonBox,SIGNAL( accepted() ),dlg,SLOT( accept() ) );
     connect(buttonBox,SIGNAL( rejected() ),dlg,SLOT( reject() ) );
 
+    // Set the current expression using the selected text in the combo box.
+    builder->setExpressionString(this->cboFieldName->currentText());
+
     if ( dlg->exec() == QDialog::Accepted )
     { 
       QString expression =  builder->getExpressionString();
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.cpp b/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.cpp
index a3096eae7a42..b116cc8dfc3e 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.cpp
@@ -32,3 +32,9 @@ QString QgsExpressionBuilder::getExpressionString()
 {
     return this->txtExpressionString->toPlainText();
 }
+
+void QgsExpressionBuilder::setExpressionString(const QString expressionString)
+{
+    this->txtExpressionString->setPlainText(expressionString);
+}
+
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.h b/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.h
index 901311d9efa6..4cb7d115d3ef 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.h
+++ b/src/gui/qgsexpressionbuilder.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class QgsExpressionBuilder : public QWidget, private Ui::QgsExpressionBuilder {
     ~QgsExpressionBuilder();
 
     QString getExpressionString();
+    void setExpressionString(const QString expressionString);
 };
 
 #endif // QGSEXPRESSIONBUILDER_H