diff --git a/src/libs/utils/textutils.cpp b/src/libs/utils/textutils.cpp
index f72dd89321c..21fb3caf511 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/textutils.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/textutils.cpp
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ QTextCursor wordStartCursor(const QTextCursor &textCursor)
     return cursor;
 }
 
+QString wordUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor)
+{
+    QTextCursor tc(cursor);
+    tc.select(QTextCursor::WordUnderCursor);
+    return tc.selectedText();
+}
+
 int utf8NthLineOffset(const QTextDocument *textDocument, const QByteArray &buffer, int line)
 {
     if (textDocument->blockCount() < line)
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/textutils.h b/src/libs/utils/textutils.h
index 1d4e8f7ffbf..895023903ee 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/textutils.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/textutils.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT QTextCursor selectAt(QTextCursor textCursor, uint line, u
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT QTextCursor flippedCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor);
 
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT QTextCursor wordStartCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor);
+QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT QString wordUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor);
 
 QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT int utf8NthLineOffset(const QTextDocument *textDocument,
                                              const QByteArray &buffer,
diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp
index 5ac69be40ce..235ac7f673e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp
@@ -8085,12 +8085,21 @@ void BaseTextEditor::setContextHelp(const HelpItem &item)
 
 void TextEditorWidget::contextHelpItem(const IContext::HelpCallback &callback)
 {
+    const QString fallbackWordUnderCursor = Text::wordUnderCursor(textCursor());
     if (d->m_contextHelpItem.isEmpty() && !d->m_hoverHandlers.isEmpty()) {
         d->m_hoverHandlers.first()->contextHelpId(this,
                                                   Text::wordStartCursor(textCursor()).position(),
-                                                  callback);
+                                                  [fallbackWordUnderCursor, callback](const HelpItem &item) {
+                                                      if (item.isEmpty())
+                                                          callback(fallbackWordUnderCursor);
+                                                      else
+                                                          callback(item);
+                                                  });
     } else {
-        callback(d->m_contextHelpItem);
+        if (d->m_contextHelpItem.isEmpty())
+            callback(fallbackWordUnderCursor);
+        else
+            callback(d->m_contextHelpItem);
     }
 }