diff --git a/rtgui/editorpanel.cc b/rtgui/editorpanel.cc
index 829bb21c5..6aae2f9a9 100644
--- a/rtgui/editorpanel.cc
+++ b/rtgui/editorpanel.cc
@@ -904,6 +904,7 @@ EditorPanel::EditorPanel (FilePanel* filePanel)
 
     send_to_external = Gtk::manage(new PopUpButton("", false));
     send_to_external->set_tooltip_text(M("MAIN_BUTTON_SENDTOEDITOR_TOOLTIP"));
+    send_to_external->setEmptyImage("palette-brush.png");
     setExpandAlignProperties(send_to_external->buttonGroup, false, false, Gtk::ALIGN_CENTER, Gtk::ALIGN_FILL);
     updateExternalEditorWidget(
         options.externalEditorIndex >= 0 ? options.externalEditorIndex : options.externalEditors.size(),
diff --git a/rtgui/popupcommon.cc b/rtgui/popupcommon.cc
index a6d9b6046..2517a0a76 100644
--- a/rtgui/popupcommon.cc
+++ b/rtgui/popupcommon.cc
@@ -136,6 +136,21 @@ bool PopUpCommon::insertEntryImpl(int position, const Glib::ustring& fileName, c
     return true;
 }
 
+void PopUpCommon::setEmptyImage(const Glib::ustring &fileName)
+{
+    emptyImageFilename = fileName;
+
+    if (getEntryCount()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    if (fileName.empty()) {
+        buttonImage->hide();
+    } else {
+        changeImage(emptyImageFilename, Glib::RefPtr<const Gio::Icon>());
+        buttonImage->show();
+    }
+}
+
 void PopUpCommon::removeEntry(int position)
 {
     if (position < 0 || position >= getEntryCount()) {
@@ -147,8 +162,13 @@ void PopUpCommon::removeEntry(int position)
         button->get_style_context()->remove_class("Left");
         arrowButton->hide();
         hasMenu = false;
-        // Remove the button image.
-        buttonImage->hide();
+        if (emptyImageFilename.empty()) {
+            // Remove the button image.
+            buttonImage->hide();
+        } else {
+            // Show the empty icon.
+            changeImage(emptyImageFilename, Glib::RefPtr<const Gio::Icon>());
+        }
         selected = -1;
     }
     else if (position < selected) {
diff --git a/rtgui/popupcommon.h b/rtgui/popupcommon.h
index 9ca6b2030..228e0fba0 100644
--- a/rtgui/popupcommon.h
+++ b/rtgui/popupcommon.h
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ public:
     bool addEntry (const Glib::ustring& fileName, const Glib::ustring& label, Gtk::RadioButtonGroup* radioGroup = nullptr);
     bool insertEntry(int position, const Glib::ustring& fileName, const Glib::ustring& label, Gtk::RadioButtonGroup* radioGroup = nullptr);
     bool insertEntry(int position, const Glib::RefPtr<const Gio::Icon>& gIcon, const Glib::ustring& label, Gtk::RadioButtonGroup* radioGroup = nullptr);
+    /// Sets the button image to show when there are no entries.
+    void setEmptyImage(const Glib::ustring &fileName);
     int getEntryCount () const;
     bool setSelected (int entryNum);
     int  getSelected () const;
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ private:
     type_signal_changed messageChanged;
     type_signal_item_selected messageItemSelected;
 
+    Glib::ustring emptyImageFilename;
     std::vector<Glib::RefPtr<const Gio::Icon>> imageIcons;
     std::vector<Glib::ustring> imageFilenames;
     std::vector<const RTImage*> images;