diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.html b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.html
index 7a0ac10e83..7a0489345f 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.html
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.html
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
       <mat-icon matChipRemove *ngIf="!disabled">close</mat-icon>
     </mat-chip-row>
     <input matInput type="text"
-           (blur)="addOnBlur($event)"
            placeholder="{{ placeholder }}"
            style="max-width: 300px;min-width: 250px"
            #stringItemInput
@@ -40,19 +39,23 @@
            #origin="matAutocompleteOrigin"
            [matChipInputFor]="itemsChipList"
            [matChipInputSeparatorKeyCodes]="separatorKeysCodes"
+           [matChipInputAddOnBlur]="true"
            matAutocompleteOrigin
            (matChipInputTokenEnd)="addOnEnd($event)"
            [matAutocompleteConnectedTo]="origin"
            [matAutocomplete]="stringItemAutocomplete"
-           [matAutocompleteDisabled]="!predefinedValues?.length">
+           [matAutocompleteDisabled]="!predefinedValues?.length && !fetchOptionsFn">
   </mat-chip-grid>
   <mat-autocomplete #stringItemAutocomplete="matAutocomplete"
                     [displayWith]="displayValueFn"
+                    (optionSelected)="onOptionSelected($event)"
                     class="tb-autocomplete">
     @for (value of filteredValues | async; track value.value) {
-      <mat-option [value]="value"><span [innerHTML]="value.name | highlight:searchText"></span></mat-option>
+      <mat-option [value]="value" (mousedown)="$event.preventDefault()"><span [innerHTML]="value.name | highlight:searchText:true"></span></mat-option>
     } @empty {
-      <mat-option [value]="null">{{ 'common.not-found' | translate }}</mat-option>
+      @if (!allowUserValue) {
+        <mat-option [value]="null" (mousedown)="$event.preventDefault()">{{ 'common.not-found' | translate }}</mat-option>
+      }
     }
   </mat-autocomplete>
   <mat-hint [hidden]="!hint">
diff --git a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.ts b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.ts
index 4f9f9cc178..fe9c2746c3 100644
--- a/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.ts
+++ b/ui-ngx/src/app/shared/components/string-items-list.component.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import { FloatLabelType, MatFormFieldAppearance, SubscriptSizing } from '@angula
 import { coerceArray, coerceBoolean } from '@shared/decorators/coercion';
 import { Observable, of } from 'rxjs';
 import { filter, mergeMap, share, tap } from 'rxjs/operators';
-import { MatAutocompleteTrigger } from '@angular/material/autocomplete';
+import { MatAutocompleteSelectedEvent, MatAutocompleteTrigger } from '@angular/material/autocomplete';
 import { isDefined, isUndefined } from '@core/utils';
 
 export interface StringItemsOption {
@@ -37,18 +37,18 @@ export interface StringItemsOption {
   value: any;
 }
 @Component({
-    selector: 'tb-string-items-list',
-    templateUrl: './string-items-list.component.html',
-    styleUrls: [],
-    providers: [
-        {
-            provide: NG_VALUE_ACCESSOR,
-            useExisting: forwardRef(() => StringItemsListComponent),
-            multi: true
-        }
-    ],
-    encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
-    standalone: false
+  selector: 'tb-string-items-list',
+  templateUrl: './string-items-list.component.html',
+  styleUrls: [],
+  providers: [
+    {
+      provide: NG_VALUE_ACCESSOR,
+      useExisting: forwardRef(() => StringItemsListComponent),
+      multi: true
+    }
+  ],
+  encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
+  standalone: false
 })
 export class StringItemsListComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, OnInit {
 
@@ -149,9 +149,7 @@ export class StringItemsListComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, OnInit {
       this.filteredValues = this.itemControl.valueChanges
         .pipe(
           tap((value) => {
-            if (value && typeof value !== 'string') {
-              this.add(value);
-            } else if (value === null) {
+            if (value === null) {
               this.clear();
             }
           }),
@@ -209,16 +207,17 @@ export class StringItemsListComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, OnInit {
     this.dirty = true;
   }
 
-  addOnBlur(event: FocusEvent) {
-    const target: HTMLElement = event.relatedTarget as HTMLElement;
-    if (target && target.tagName !== 'MAT-OPTION') {
-      this.addItem(this.stringItemInput.nativeElement.value ?? '')
+  onOptionSelected(event: MatAutocompleteSelectedEvent): void {
+    if (event.option.value) {
+      this.add(event.option.value);
+    } else {
+      this.clear();
     }
-    this.onTouched();
   }
 
   addOnEnd(event: MatChipInputEvent): void {
-    this.addItem(event.value ?? '')
+    this.addItem(event.value ?? '');
+    this.onTouched();
   }
 
   removeItems(item: StringItemsOption) {
@@ -295,6 +294,8 @@ export class StringItemsListComponent implements ControlValueAccessor, OnInit {
     this.stringItemInput.nativeElement.value = value;
     this.itemControl.patchValue(value, {emitEvent: true});
     setTimeout(() => {
+      this.stringItemInput.nativeElement.value = value;
+      this.itemControl.patchValue(null, {emitEvent: false});
       this.stringItemInput.nativeElement.blur();
       this.stringItemInput.nativeElement.focus();
     }, 0);