diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/dropdown_selector.js b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/dropdown_selector.js
index 3786ff085..c5bf4d78d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/dropdown_selector.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/dropdown_selector.js
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ var dropdownSelector = (function() {
     container.find('.dropdown-group, .dropdown-option, .empty-dropdown, .delimiter').remove();
     if (!data) return;
 
-    if (data.length > 0) {
+    if (data.length > 0 && !(data.length === 1 && data[0].value === '')) {
       // If we use select-by-group option we need first draw groups
       if (selector.data('select-by-group')) {
         $.each(data, function(gi, group) {
@@ -741,14 +741,14 @@ var dropdownSelector = (function() {
       ajaxParams = customParams ? customParams(defaultParams) : defaultParams;
 
       $.get(selector.data('ajax-url'), ajaxParams, (data) => {
-        var optionsAjax = data;
+        var optionsAjax = data.constructor === Array ? data : [];
         if (selector.data('config').emptyOptionAjax) {
           optionsAjax = [{
-            label: '',
+            label: selector.data('placeholder') || '',
             value: '',
             group: null,
             params: {}
-          }].concat(data);
+          }].concat(optionsAjax);
         }
         loadData(selector, container, optionsAjax);
         PerfectSb().update_all();
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/shared/dropdown_selector.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/shared/dropdown_selector.scss
index 95081cdac..bc7976030 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/shared/dropdown_selector.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/shared/dropdown_selector.scss
@@ -163,9 +163,14 @@
         background: $color-concrete;
       }
 
+      &[data-value=""] {
+        opacity: .7;
+      }
+
       &.select {
         background: $brand-primary;
         color: $color-white;
+        opacity: 1;
       }
 
     }
@@ -267,6 +272,10 @@
           overflow: hidden;
           text-overflow: ellipsis;
           white-space: nowrap;
+
+          &[data-ds-tag-id=""] {
+            opacity: .7;
+          }
         }
 
         .fa-times {
diff --git a/app/views/repository_columns/manage_column_partials/_list.html.erb b/app/views/repository_columns/manage_column_partials/_list.html.erb
index 18ac30db7..6e6c83a19 100644
--- a/app/views/repository_columns/manage_column_partials/_list.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/repository_columns/manage_column_partials/_list.html.erb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
   </div>
 </div>
   <div class="col-sm-9">
-    <%= text_area_tag 'items-textarea', column.repository_list_items.pluck(:data).join(selected_delimiter_char), rows: 10, class: 'form-control items-textarea' %>
+    <%= text_area_tag 'items-textarea', column.repository_list_items.pluck(:data).join(selected_delimiter_char), rows: 10, class: 'form-control items-textarea', name: "repository_column[repository_list_items]" %>
     <% unless column.new_record? %>
       <div class="bg-danger hidden changing-existing-list-items-warning">
         <%= t('libraries.manange_modal_column.change_multi_select_items_warning') %>