diff --git a/src/misc_gui.cpp b/src/misc_gui.cpp
index 251e60f676..157cdc26e8 100644
--- a/src/misc_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/misc_gui.cpp
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ void QueryString::DrawEditBox(const Window *w, WidgetID wid) const
 
 	DrawFrameRect(cr, wi->colour, wi->IsLowered() ? FR_LOWERED : FR_NONE);
 	DrawSpriteIgnorePadding(rtl ? SPR_IMG_DELETE_RIGHT : SPR_IMG_DELETE_LEFT, PAL_NONE, cr, SA_CENTER);
-	if (this->text.bytes == 1) GfxFillRect(cr.Shrink(WidgetDimensions::scaled.bevel), GetColourGradient(wi->colour, SHADE_DARKER), FILLRECT_CHECKER);
+	if (StrEmpty(this->text.GetText())) GfxFillRect(cr.Shrink(WidgetDimensions::scaled.bevel), GetColourGradient(wi->colour, SHADE_DARKER), FILLRECT_CHECKER);
 
 	DrawFrameRect(fr, wi->colour, FR_LOWERED | FR_DARKENED);
 	GfxFillRect(fr.Shrink(WidgetDimensions::scaled.bevel), PC_BLACK);
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ void QueryString::ClickEditBox(Window *w, Point pt, WidgetID wid, int click_coun
 	Rect cr = wi->GetCurrentRect().WithWidth(clearbtn_width, !rtl);
 
 	if (IsInsideMM(pt.x, cr.left, cr.right)) {
-		if (this->text.bytes > 1) {
+		if (!StrEmpty(this->text.GetText())) {
 			this->text.DeleteAll();
 			w->HandleButtonClick(wid);
 			w->OnEditboxChanged(wid);
diff --git a/src/window.cpp b/src/window.cpp
index 2aa4b2bc08..451513146c 100644
--- a/src/window.cpp
+++ b/src/window.cpp
@@ -2528,7 +2528,7 @@ EventState Window::HandleEditBoxKey(WidgetID wid, char32_t key, uint16_t keycode
 			break;
 
 		case QueryString::ACTION_CLEAR:
-			if (query->text.bytes <= 1) {
+			if (StrEmpty(query->text.GetText())) {
 				/* If already empty, unfocus instead */
 				this->UnfocusFocusedWidget();
 			} else {