diff --git a/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationItem.qml b/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationItem.qml
--- a/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationItem.qml
+++ b/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationItem.qml
@@ -297,42 +297,20 @@
         Layout.preferredHeight: Math.max(actionFlow.implicitHeight, replyLoader.height)
         visible: actionRepeater.count > 0
 
-        states: [
-            State {
-                when: notificationItem.replying
-                PropertyChanges {
-                    target: actionFlow
-                    enabled: false
-                    opacity: 0
-                }
-                PropertyChanges {
-                    target: replyLoader
-                    active: true
-                    visible: true
-                    opacity: 1
-                    x: 0
-                }
-            }
-        ]
-
-        transitions: [
-            Transition {
-                to: "*" // any state
-                NumberAnimation {
-                    targets: [actionFlow, replyLoader]
-                    properties: "opacity,scale,x"
-                    duration: units.longDuration
-                    easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad
-                }
-            }
-        ]
-
         // Notification actions
         Flow { // it's a Flow so it can wrap if too long
             id: actionFlow
             width: parent.width
             spacing: units.smallSpacing
             layoutDirection: Qt.RightToLeft
+            enabled: !replyLoader.active
+            opacity: replyLoader.active ? 0 : 1
+            Behavior on opacity {
+                NumberAnimation {
+                    duration: units.longDuration
+                    easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad
+                }
+            }
 
             Repeater {
                 id: actionRepeater
@@ -367,10 +345,7 @@
 
                     onClicked: {
                         if (modelData.actionName === "inline-reply") {
-                            notificationItem.replying = true;
-
-                            plasmoid.nativeInterface.forceActivateWindow(notificationItem.Window.window);
-                            replyLoader.item.activate();
+                            replyLoader.beginReply();
                             return;
                         }
 
@@ -385,15 +360,39 @@
             id: replyLoader
             width: parent.width
             height: active ? item.implicitHeight : 0
-            active: false
-            visible: false
-            opacity: 0
-            x: parent.width
+            // When there is only one action and it is a reply action, show text field right away
+            active: notificationItem.replying || (notificationItem.hasReplyAction && (notificationItem.actionNames || []).length === 0)
+            visible: active
+            opacity: active ? 1 : 0
+            x: active ? 0 : parent.width
+            Behavior on x {
+                NumberAnimation {
+                    duration: units.longDuration
+                    easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad
+                }
+            }
+            Behavior on opacity {
+                NumberAnimation {
+                    duration: units.longDuration
+                    easing.type: Easing.InOutQuad
+                }
+            }
+
+            function beginReply() {
+                notificationItem.replying = true;
+
+                plasmoid.nativeInterface.forceActivateWindow(notificationItem.Window.window);
+                replyLoader.item.activate();
+            }
+
             sourceComponent: NotificationReplyField {
                 placeholderText: notificationItem.replyPlaceholderText
                 buttonIconName: notificationItem.replySubmitButtonIconName
                 buttonText: notificationItem.replySubmitButtonText
                 onReplied: notificationItem.replied(text)
+
+                replying: notificationItem.replying
+                onBeginReplyRequested: replyLoader.beginReply()
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationReplyField.qml b/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationReplyField.qml
--- a/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationReplyField.qml
+++ b/applets/notifications/package/contents/ui/NotificationReplyField.qml
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@
 RowLayout {
     id: replyRow
 
+    signal beginReplyRequested
     signal replied(string text)
 
+    property bool replying: false
+
     property alias text: replyTextField.text
     property string placeholderText
     property string buttonIconName
@@ -49,6 +52,14 @@
                 replyRow.replied(text);
             }
         }
+
+        // Catches mouse click when reply field is already shown to start a reply
+        MouseArea {
+            anchors.fill: parent
+            cursorShape: Qt.IBeamCursor
+            visible: !replyRow.replying
+            onPressed: replyRow.beginReplyRequested()
+        }
     }
 
     PlasmaComponents.Button {