diff --git a/admin/inc/class.admin_mail.inc.php b/admin/inc/class.admin_mail.inc.php
index a0504fd033..d3d676806e 100644
--- a/admin/inc/class.admin_mail.inc.php
+++ b/admin/inc/class.admin_mail.inc.php
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ class admin_mail
 		// admin access to account with no credentials available
 		if ($this->is_admin && (empty($content['acc_imap_username']) || empty($content['acc_imap_host']) || $content['called_for']))
 		{
-			// cant connection to imap --> allow free entries in taglists
+			// can't connection to imap --> allow free entries in taglists
 			foreach(array('acc_folder_sent', 'acc_folder_trash', 'acc_folder_draft', 'acc_folder_template', 'acc_folder_junk') as $folder)
 			{
 				$tpl->setElementAttribute($folder, 'allowFreeEntries', true);
@@ -1335,11 +1335,6 @@ class admin_mail
 		}
 		Framework::message($msg ? $msg : (string)$_GET['msg'], $msg_type);
 
-		if (is_array($content['account_id']) && count($content['account_id']) > 1)
-		{
-			$tpl->setElementAttribute('account_id', 'multiple', true);
-			$readonlys['button[multiple]'] = true;
-		}
 		// when called by admin for existing accounts, display further administrative actions
 		if ($content['called_for'] && (int)$content['acc_id'] > 0)
 		{
@@ -1411,11 +1406,15 @@ class admin_mail
 
 		if (!is_array($account_id))
 		{
-			$account_id = explode(',', $account_id);
+			$account_id = $account_id ? explode(',', $account_id) : [];
 		}
-		if (($k = array_search($back?'':'0', $account_id)) !== false)
+		if ($back && !$account_id)
 		{
-			$account_id[$k] = $back ? '0' : '';
+			$account_id = 0;
+		}
+		if (!$back && count($account_id) === 1 && !current($account_id))
+		{
+			$account_id = [];
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/admin/js/app.ts b/admin/js/app.ts
index 59e65b7a9b..c78de0d372 100644
--- a/admin/js/app.ts
+++ b/admin/js/app.ts
@@ -131,9 +131,6 @@ class AdminApp extends EgwApp
 				this.cf_type_change(null,widget);
 				break;
 
-			case 'admin.mailaccount':
-				this.account_hide_not_applying();
-				break;
 			case 'admin.cmds':
 				var selected = this.et2.getWidgetById('nm').getSelection();
 				if (selected && selected.ids.length == 1)
@@ -1293,57 +1290,6 @@ class AdminApp extends EgwApp
 		this.et2.getWidgetById('acc_sieve_enabled').set_value(1);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Hide not applying fields, used as:
-	 * - onchange handler on account_id
-	 * - called from et2_ready for emailadmin.account template
-	 *
-	 * @param {object} _event event-object or information about event
-	 * @param {et2_baseWidget} _widget widget causing the event
-	 */
-	account_hide_not_applying(_event?, _widget?)
-	{
-		var account_id = this.et2.getWidgetById('account_id');
-		var ids = account_id && account_id.get_value ? account_id.get_value() : [];
-		if (typeof ids == 'string') ids = ids.split(',');
-
-		var multiple = ids.length >= 2 || ids[0] === '' || ids[0] < 0;
-		//alert('multiple='+(multiple?'true':'false')+': '+ids.join(','));
-
-		// initial call
-		if (typeof _widget == 'undefined')
-		{
-			if (!multiple)
-			{
-				jQuery('.emailadmin_no_single').hide();
-			}
-			if (!this.egw.user('apps').admin)
-			{
-				jQuery('.emailadmin_no_user,#button\\[multiple\\]').hide();
-			}
-			if (ids.length == 1)
-			{
-				// switch back to single selectbox
-				account_id.set_multiple(false);
-			}
-		}
-		// switched to single user
-		else if (!multiple)
-		{
-			jQuery('.emailadmin_no_single').fadeOut();
-			// switch back to single selectbox
-			account_id.set_multiple(false);
-			this.et2.getWidgetById('button[multiple]').set_disabled(false);
-		}
-		// switched to multiple user
-		else
-		{
-			jQuery('.emailadmin_no_single').fadeIn();
-		}
-		if (_event && _event.stopPropagation) _event.stopPropagation();
-		return false;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Callback if user changed account selction
 	 *
diff --git a/admin/templates/default/mailaccount.xet b/admin/templates/default/mailaccount.xet
index a117ae77f4..b44a5837b6 100644
--- a/admin/templates/default/mailaccount.xet
+++ b/admin/templates/default/mailaccount.xet
@@ -260,12 +260,12 @@
 				</row>
 				<row>
 					<description for="mailAlternateAddress" value="Alternate email address"/>
-					<select-email id="mailAlternateAddress" autocomplete_url="" full_email="true"/>
+					<select-email id="mailAlternateAddress" autocomplete_url="" full_email="true" allowFreeEntries="true"/>
 					<description/>
 				</row>
 				<row disabled="@no_forward_available">
 					<description for="mailForwardingAddress" value="Forward email's to"/>
-					<select-email id="mailForwardingAddress" autocomplete_url="" full_email="true"/>
+					<select-email id="mailForwardingAddress" autocomplete_url="" full_email="true" allowFreeEntries="true"/>
 					<vbox>
 						<checkbox label="Forward only" id="deliveryMode" selected_value="forwardOnly" onchange="if (widget.getValue()) et2_dialog.alert('Forward only disables IMAP mailbox / storing of mails and just forwards them to given address.','Forward only');"/>
 						<checkbox label="Allow users to change forwards" id="acc_user_forward"/>
@@ -342,9 +342,7 @@
                 <row class="emailadmin_no_user dialogHeader2">
                     <description for="account_id" value="Valid for"/>
                     <hbox span="all">
-                        <select-account account_type="both" id="account_id"
-                                        onchange="app.admin.account_hide_not_applying" empty_label="Everyone"
-                                        expand_multiple_rows="4"/>
+                        <select-account account_type="both" id="account_id" placeholder="Everyone" multiple="true"/>
                         <checkbox label="account editable by user" id="acc_user_editable"/>
                     </hbox>
                 </row>