diff --git a/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py b/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py
index 9eb4731505..a6c0e25a80 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/categories/blocks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from django import forms
+from django.db.models import BLANK_CHOICE_DASH
 from django.utils.functional import cached_property
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from wagtail.blocks import (
@@ -9,8 +10,13 @@
 )
 from wagtail.coreutils import resolve_model_string
 
+from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget, ChoicesSelectWidget
 from hypha.apply.stream_forms.blocks import OptionalFormFieldBlock
 
+# At this many options a radio/checkbox list stops being usable, so fall back
+# to a searchable Choices.js select.
+SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD = 32
+
 
 class ModelChooserBlock(ChoiceBlock):
     # Implement this block as it's referenced in the old migrations.
@@ -61,28 +67,29 @@ def use_defaults_from_category(self, kwargs, category):
 
         return kwargs
 
+    def widget_for_choices(self, struct_value, choices):
+        # Pick widget according to number of options to maintain good usability.
+        many_options = len(choices) >= SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD
+        if struct_value["multi"]:
+            return (
+                ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
+                if many_options
+                else forms.CheckboxSelectMultiple
+            )
+        return ChoicesSelectWidget if many_options else forms.RadioSelect
+
     def get_field_kwargs(self, struct_value):
         kwargs = super().get_field_kwargs(struct_value)
         category = self.get_instance(id=struct_value["category"])
         kwargs = self.use_defaults_from_category(kwargs, category)
-        choices = category.options.values_list("id", "value")
-        kwargs.update({"choices": choices})
+        choices = list(category.options.values_list("id", "value"))
+        widget = self.widget_for_choices(struct_value, choices)
+        if widget is ChoicesSelectWidget:
+            # A <select> auto-selects its first option, so offer an empty one.
+            choices.insert(0, BLANK_CHOICE_DASH[0])
+        kwargs.update({"choices": choices, "widget": widget})
         return kwargs
 
-    def get_widget(self, struct_value):
-        if struct_value["multi"]:
-            category = self.get_instance(id=struct_value["category"])
-            category_size = category.options.count()
-            # Pick widget according to number of options to maintain good usability.
-            if category_size < 32:
-                return forms.CheckboxSelectMultiple
-            else:
-                from hypha.apply.funds.tables import MultiCheckboxesWidget
-
-                return MultiCheckboxesWidget
-        else:
-            return forms.RadioSelect
-
     def prepare_data(self, value, data, serialize):
         if not data:
             return data
diff --git a/hypha/apply/categories/tests/test_blocks.py b/hypha/apply/categories/tests/test_blocks.py
index b98f40d7ac..b4d86ede51 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/categories/tests/test_blocks.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/categories/tests/test_blocks.py
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 from django import forms
+from django.db.models import BLANK_CHOICE_DASH
 from django.test import TestCase
 
-from hypha.apply.categories.blocks import CategoryQuestionBlock
+from hypha.apply.categories.blocks import (
+    SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD,
+    CategoryQuestionBlock,
+)
+from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget, ChoicesSelectWidget
 
 from .factories import CategoryFactory, OptionFactory
 
@@ -57,3 +62,29 @@ def test_options_included_in_choices(self):
     def test_can_render_if_no_response(self):
         display = self.block.render({"category": self.category}, {"data": None})
         self.assertIn(self.block.no_response()[0], display)
+
+    def test_few_options_use_radio_and_checkbox_widgets(self):
+        OptionFactory.create_batch(
+            SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD - 1, category=self.category
+        )
+        self.assertIsInstance(self.get_field(multi=False).widget, forms.RadioSelect)
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            self.get_field(multi=True).widget, forms.CheckboxSelectMultiple
+        )
+
+    def test_many_options_use_choices_js_select_widgets(self):
+        OptionFactory.create_batch(SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD, category=self.category)
+        self.assertIsInstance(self.get_field(multi=False).widget, ChoicesSelectWidget)
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            self.get_field(multi=True).widget, ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
+        )
+
+    def test_select_widget_offers_an_empty_choice(self):
+        # A <select> auto-selects its first option, so a single select must be
+        # able to start out unanswered.
+        OptionFactory.create_batch(SEARCHABLE_SELECT_THRESHOLD, category=self.category)
+
+        field = self.get_field(multi=False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(field.choices[0], BLANK_CHOICE_DASH[0])
+        self.assertNotIn(BLANK_CHOICE_DASH[0], self.get_field(multi=True).choices)
diff --git a/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py b/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py
index 6fbb2f3701..3e4d26e2bc 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/funds/forms.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from .models.co_applicants import CoApplicantProjectPermission, CoApplicantRole
 from .permissions import can_change_external_reviewers
 from .utils import model_form_initial, render_icon
-from .widgets import MultiCheckboxesWidget
+from .widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
 
 
 class ApplicationSubmissionModelForm(forms.ModelForm):
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ class BatchUpdateReviewersForm(forms.Form):
     )
     external_reviewers = forms.ModelMultipleChoiceField(
         queryset=User.objects.reviewers().only("pk", "full_name"),
-        widget=MultiCheckboxesWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
+        widget=ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
         label=_("External Reviewers"),
         required=False,
     )
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, choices_groupby, **kwargs):
 class UpdateMetaTermsForm(ApplicationSubmissionModelForm):
     meta_terms = GroupedModelMultipleChoiceField(
         queryset=None,  # updated in init method
-        widget=MultiCheckboxesWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
+        widget=ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": _("Select...")}),
         label=_("Tags"),
         choices_groupby="get_parent",
         required=False,
diff --git a/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py b/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py
index d189e3d58c..19ac3452d1 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/funds/tables.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 from hypha.core.tables import RelativeTimeColumn
 
 from .models import ApplicationSubmission, Round, ScreeningStatus
-from .widgets import MultiCheckboxesWidget
+from .widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
 from .workflows import STATUS_SLUGS, STATUSES
 
 User = get_user_model()
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class MultiCheckboxesMixin(filters.Filter):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         label = kwargs.get("label")
         kwargs.setdefault(
-            "widget", MultiCheckboxesWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": label})
+            "widget", ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(attrs={"data-placeholder": label})
         )
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py b/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py
index 4fbe82f358..1c3bf1bc08 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/funds/widgets.py
@@ -1,15 +1,28 @@
 from django import forms
 
 
-class MultiCheckboxesWidget(forms.SelectMultiple):
+class ChoicesJSMixin:
     """
-    Custom widget for Choices.js. Adds the required attributes.
+    Adds the attributes required to initialise Choices.js on a select.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        attrs = kwargs.get("attrs", {})
-        # Add the date attribute for Choices.js initialization
+    def __init__(self, attrs=None, *args, **kwargs):
+        attrs = dict(attrs) if attrs else {}
+        # Add the data attributes for Choices.js initialization
         attrs.setdefault("data-js-choices", "")
         attrs.setdefault("data-placeholder", "")
-        kwargs["attrs"] = attrs
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        super().__init__(attrs, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    def use_required_attribute(self, initial):
+        # Choices.js conceals the underlying <select>, and browsers refuse to
+        # submit a form with a hidden required control, without showing the user
+        # an error. Required is still enforced server side by the form field.
+        return False
+
+
+class ChoicesSelectWidget(ChoicesJSMixin, forms.Select):
+    pass
+
+
+class ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget(ChoicesJSMixin, forms.SelectMultiple):
+    pass
diff --git a/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py b/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py
index 872c12e62e..8c93cb4fd1 100644
--- a/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py
+++ b/hypha/apply/projects/forms/invoice.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from django_file_form.forms import FileFormMixin
 
-from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import MultiCheckboxesWidget
+from hypha.apply.funds.widgets import ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget
 from hypha.apply.stream_forms.fields import MultiFileField, SingleFileField
 
 from ..models.invoice import (
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def clean_invoices(self):
 class InvoiceTagsForm(forms.ModelForm):
     tags = forms.ModelMultipleChoiceField(
         queryset=InvoiceTag.objects.all(),
-        widget=MultiCheckboxesWidget,
+        widget=ChoicesSelectMultipleWidget,
         required=False,
         label=_("Tags"),
     )