diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp
index e67a8512a..b9e0044ce 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwgui/alchemywindow.cpp
@@ -134,11 +134,12 @@ namespace MWGui
         for (MWMechanics::Alchemy::TToolsIterator iter (mAlchemy.beginTools());
             iter!=mAlchemy.endTools() && index<static_cast<int> (mApparatus.size()); ++iter, ++index)
         {
+            mApparatus.at (index)->setItem(*iter);
+            mApparatus.at (index)->clearUserStrings();
             if (!iter->isEmpty())
             {
                 mApparatus.at (index)->setUserString ("ToolTipType", "ItemPtr");
                 mApparatus.at (index)->setUserData (*iter);
-                mApparatus.at (index)->setItem(*iter);
             }
         }