diff --git a/src/libs/utils/aspects.cpp b/src/libs/utils/aspects.cpp
index 4c824df6015..d04162e430f 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/aspects.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/aspects.cpp
@@ -671,6 +671,7 @@ public:
     // the validation changes focus by opening a dialog
     bool m_blockAutoApply = false;
     bool m_allowPathFromDevice = true;
+    bool m_validatePlaceHolder = false;
 
     template<class Widget> void updateWidgetFromCheckStatus(StringAspect *aspect, Widget *w)
     {
@@ -985,6 +986,13 @@ void StringAspect::setAllowPathFromDevice(bool allowPathFromDevice)
         d->m_pathChooserDisplay->setAllowPathFromDevice(allowPathFromDevice);
 }
 
+void StringAspect::setValidatePlaceHolder(bool validatePlaceHolder)
+{
+    d->m_validatePlaceHolder = validatePlaceHolder;
+    if (d->m_pathChooserDisplay)
+        d->m_pathChooserDisplay->lineEdit()->setValidatePlaceHolder(validatePlaceHolder);
+}
+
 /*!
     Sets \a elideMode as label elide mode.
 */
@@ -1131,6 +1139,7 @@ void StringAspect::addToLayout(LayoutItem &parent)
         d->m_pathChooserDisplay->setPromptDialogTitle(d->m_prompDialogTitle);
         d->m_pathChooserDisplay->setCommandVersionArguments(d->m_commandVersionArguments);
         d->m_pathChooserDisplay->setAllowPathFromDevice(d->m_allowPathFromDevice);
+        d->m_pathChooserDisplay->lineEdit()->setValidatePlaceHolder(d->m_validatePlaceHolder);
         if (defaultValue() == value())
             d->m_pathChooserDisplay->setDefaultValue(defaultValue());
         else
@@ -1169,6 +1178,7 @@ void StringAspect::addToLayout(LayoutItem &parent)
             d->m_lineEditDisplay->setValidationFunction(d->m_validator);
         d->m_lineEditDisplay->setTextKeepingActiveCursor(displayedString);
         d->m_lineEditDisplay->setReadOnly(isReadOnly());
+        d->m_lineEditDisplay->setValidatePlaceHolder(d->m_validatePlaceHolder);
         d->updateWidgetFromCheckStatus(this, d->m_lineEditDisplay.data());
         addLabeledItem(parent, d->m_lineEditDisplay);
         useMacroExpander(d->m_lineEditDisplay);
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/aspects.h b/src/libs/utils/aspects.h
index 297842b3787..77315495392 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/aspects.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/aspects.h
@@ -407,6 +407,7 @@ public:
     void setAutoApplyOnEditingFinished(bool applyOnEditingFinished);
     void setElideMode(Qt::TextElideMode elideMode);
     void setAllowPathFromDevice(bool allowPathFromDevice);
+    void setValidatePlaceHolder(bool validatePlaceHolder);
 
     void validateInput();
 
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.cpp b/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.cpp
index b06745c5066..2bf50a70fa1 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ public:
     bool m_isFiltering = false;
     bool m_firstChange = true;
     bool m_toolTipSet = false;
+    bool m_validatePlaceHolder = false;
 
     QString m_lastFilterText;
 
@@ -469,6 +470,11 @@ QString FancyLineEdit::errorMessage() const
     return d->m_errorMessage;
 }
 
+void FancyLineEdit::setValidatePlaceHolder(bool on)
+{
+    d->m_validatePlaceHolder = on;
+}
+
 void FancyLineEdit::validate()
 {
     const QString t = text();
@@ -501,7 +507,8 @@ void FancyLineEdit::validate()
         p.setColor(QPalette::Active, QPalette::Text,
             newState == Invalid ? d->m_errorTextColor : d->m_okTextColor);
         p.setColor(QPalette::Active, QPalette::PlaceholderText,
-            validates ? d->m_placeholderTextColor : d->m_errorTextColor);
+            validates || !d->m_validatePlaceHolder
+                ? d->m_placeholderTextColor : d->m_errorTextColor);
         setPalette(p);
 
         if (validHasChanged)
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.h b/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.h
index 6ec0f6d33d4..eb54bc8d866 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/fancylineedit.h
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ public:
     bool isValid() const;
     QString errorMessage() const;
 
+    void setValidatePlaceHolder(bool on);
+
     void setValidationFunction(const ValidationFunction &fn);
     static ValidationFunction defaultValidationFunction();
     void validate();
diff --git a/src/plugins/beautifier/abstractsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/beautifier/abstractsettings.cpp
index 1b4ff3aa10e..362a2481538 100644
--- a/src/plugins/beautifier/abstractsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/beautifier/abstractsettings.cpp
@@ -88,9 +88,10 @@ AbstractSettings::AbstractSettings(const QString &name, const QString &ending)
     setSettingsGroups(Utils::Constants::BEAUTIFIER_SETTINGS_GROUP, name);
 
     command.setSettingsKey("command");
-    command.setExpectedKind(Utils::PathChooser::ExistingCommand);
+    command.setExpectedKind(PathChooser::ExistingCommand);
     command.setCommandVersionArguments({"--version"});
     command.setPromptDialogTitle(BeautifierPlugin::msgCommandPromptDialogTitle("Clang Format"));
+    command.setValidatePlaceHolder(true);
 
     supportedMimeTypes.setDisplayStyle(StringAspect::LineEditDisplay);
     supportedMimeTypes.setSettingsKey("supportedMime");