diff --git a/autotests/kcombobox_unittest.cpp b/autotests/kcombobox_unittest.cpp
--- a/autotests/kcombobox_unittest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/kcombobox_unittest.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@
         w.addItem(QStringLiteral("Hello world"));
         QVERIFY(w.lineEdit());
         QVERIFY(qobject_cast<KLineEdit *>(w.lineEdit()));
+        auto lineEdit = w.lineEdit();
+        // set editable again, don't recreate the line edit
+        w.setEditable(true);
+        QCOMPARE(w.lineEdit(), lineEdit);
         // KLineEdit signals
         QSignalSpy qReturnPressedSpy(w.lineEdit(), SIGNAL(returnPressed()));
         QSignalSpy kReturnPressedSpy(w.lineEdit(), SIGNAL(returnPressed(QString)));
diff --git a/src/kcombobox.cpp b/src/kcombobox.cpp
--- a/src/kcombobox.cpp
+++ b/src/kcombobox.cpp
@@ -389,6 +389,10 @@
 
 void KComboBox::setEditable(bool editable)
 {
+    if (editable == isEditable()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (editable) {
         // Create a KLineEdit instead of a QLineEdit
         // Compared to QComboBox::setEditable, we might be missing the SH_ComboBox_Popup code though...