diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit.cpp b/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit.cpp
index 1a2dabc742d..8a0caf5962f 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit.cpp
@@ -726,8 +726,7 @@ void QPlainTextEditPrivate::updateViewport()
 
 QPlainTextEditPrivate::QPlainTextEditPrivate()
     : tabChangesFocus(false), showCursorOnInitialShow(false), backgroundVisible(false),
-      centerOnScroll(false), inDrag(false), clickCausedFocus(false), placeholderVisible(true),
-      pageUpDownLastCursorYIsValid(false)
+      centerOnScroll(false), inDrag(false), clickCausedFocus(false), pageUpDownLastCursorYIsValid(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -800,14 +799,7 @@ void QPlainTextEditPrivate::updatePlaceholderVisibility()
     // document that has changed (in repaintContents). But the placeholder
     // text is not a part of the document, but is drawn on separately. So whenever
     // we either show or hide the placeholder text, we issue a full update.
-    bool placeholderCurrentyVisible = placeholderVisible;
-
-    placeholderVisible = !placeholderText.isEmpty()
-            && q->document()->isEmpty()
-            && (!q->firstVisibleBlock().isValid() ||
-                 q->firstVisibleBlock().layout()->preeditAreaText().isEmpty());
-
-    if (placeholderCurrentyVisible != placeholderVisible)
+    if (q->document()->isEmpty())
         viewport->update();
 }
 
@@ -1910,7 +1902,7 @@ void QPlainTextEdit::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *e)
     er.setRight(qMin(er.right(), maxX));
     painter.setClipRect(er);
 
-    if (d->placeholderVisible) {
+    if (d->isPlaceHolderTextVisible()) {
         const QColor col = d->control->palette().placeholderText().color();
         painter.setPen(col);
         painter.setClipRect(e->rect());
diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit_p.h b/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit_p.h
index 4cb754bd68a..6e4aa8133c2 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit_p.h
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit_p.h
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ public:
     uint centerOnScroll : 1;
     uint inDrag : 1;
     uint clickCausedFocus : 1;
-    uint placeholderVisible : 1;
     uint pageUpDownLastCursorYIsValid : 1;
 
     void setTopLine(int visualTopLine, int dx = 0);
@@ -144,6 +143,11 @@ public:
 
     void cursorPositionChanged();
     void modificationChanged(bool);
+    inline bool isPlaceHolderTextVisible()
+    {
+        Q_Q(QPlainTextEdit);
+        return q->document()->isEmpty() && !q->placeholderText().isEmpty();
+    }
 };
 
 QT_END_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/tests/auto/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit/tst_qplaintextedit.cpp b/tests/auto/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit/tst_qplaintextedit.cpp
index ed68c735d45..bec4a55814a 100644
--- a/tests/auto/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit/tst_qplaintextedit.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/widgets/widgets/qplaintextedit/tst_qplaintextedit.cpp
@@ -1830,7 +1830,7 @@ void tst_QPlainTextEdit::placeholderVisibility_data()
     QTest::addColumn<QList<SetupCommand>>("setupCommands");
     QTest::addColumn<bool>("placeholderVisible");
     QTest::addRow("no placeholder set + no text set")
-            << QList<SetupCommand>{} << true;
+            << QList<SetupCommand>{} << false;
     QTest::addRow("no placeholder set + text set or text set + no placeholder set")
             << QList<SetupCommand>{ SetContent } << false;
     QTest::addRow("no placeholder set + text set + empty text set")
@@ -1840,7 +1840,7 @@ void tst_QPlainTextEdit::placeholderVisibility_data()
             << QList<SetupCommand>{ ClearContent, SetContent }
             << false;
     QTest::addRow("empty placeholder set + no text set")
-            << QList<SetupCommand>{ ClearPlaceHolder } << true;
+            << QList<SetupCommand>{ ClearPlaceHolder } << false;
     QTest::addRow("empty placeholder set + text set")
             << QList<SetupCommand>{ ClearPlaceHolder, SetContent }
             << false;
@@ -1917,7 +1917,7 @@ void tst_QPlainTextEdit::placeholderVisibility()
 
     plainTextEdit.show();
     QVERIFY(QTest::qWaitForWindowExposed(&plainTextEdit));
-    QTRY_VERIFY(plainTextEdit_d->placeholderVisible == placeholderVisible);
+    QTRY_VERIFY(plainTextEdit_d->isPlaceHolderTextVisible() == placeholderVisible);
 }