diff --git a/platform/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java b/platform/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java
index be5dd5d604af..38c1cecadb99 100644
--- a/platform/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java
+++ b/platform/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java
@@ -1096,10 +1096,10 @@ public MultiLineComboBoxEditor(JComboBox<?> reference) {
             area.setLineWrap(false);
 
             Border border = ((JComponent)reference.getEditor().getEditorComponent()).getBorder();
-            if (border == null) {
-                border = reference.getBorder();
+            
+            if (border != null) {
+                area.setBorder(border);
             }
-            area.setBorder(border);
 
             // retain standard focus traversal behavior
             area.setFocusTraversalKeys(KeyboardFocusManager.FORWARD_TRAVERS‌​AL_KEYS, null);