diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.spec.ts
index f8d3611bb03..1edd044931d 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.spec.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
 } from '@ng-dynamic-forms/core';
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { InfiniteScrollModule } from 'ngx-infinite-scroll';
+import { of } from 'rxjs';
 
 import { APP_DATA_SERVICES_MAP } from '../../../../../../../config/app-config.interface';
 import { VocabularyEntry } from '../../../../../../core/submission/vocabularies/models/vocabulary-entry.model';
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   hasClass,
 } from '../../../../../testing/utils.test';
 import { VocabularyServiceStub } from '../../../../../testing/vocabulary-service.stub';
+import { FormFieldMetadataValueObject } from '../../../models/form-field-metadata-value.model';
 import { DsDynamicScrollableDropdownComponent } from './dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component';
 import { DynamicScrollableDropdownModel } from './dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.model';
 
@@ -232,6 +234,50 @@ describe('Dynamic Dynamic Scrollable Dropdown component', () => {
         expect(scrollableDropdownComp.optionsList).toEqual(vocabularyServiceStub.getList());
         expect(scrollableDropdownComp.model.value).toEqual(modelValue);
       });
+
+      it('should fall back to the underlying value when display is empty on value change', () => {
+        const valueWithEmptyDisplay = { display: '', value: 'Corpus' };
+        scrollableDropdownComp.setCurrentValue(valueWithEmptyDisplay);
+
+        let currentValue;
+        scrollableDropdownComp.currentValue.subscribe((v) => currentValue = v);
+
+        expect(currentValue).toBe('Corpus');
+      });
+
+      it('should fall back to the underlying value when display is empty on init', () => {
+        // Build the value bypassing the FormFieldMetadataValueObject constructor (which would
+        // otherwise apply its own `display || value`), so the init branch genuinely receives an
+        // empty display and exercises the fallback in setCurrentValue.
+        const emptyDisplayValue = Object.assign(
+          new FormFieldMetadataValueObject(),
+          { display: '', value: 'Corpus' },
+        );
+        spyOn(scrollableDropdownComp, 'getInitValueFromModel').and.returnValue(of(emptyDisplayValue));
+        scrollableDropdownComp.setCurrentValue(emptyDisplayValue, true);
+
+        let currentValue;
+        scrollableDropdownComp.currentValue.subscribe((v) => currentValue = v);
+
+        expect(currentValue).toBe('Corpus');
+      });
+
+      // Regression for ufal/clarin-dspace#1377: after a dc.type change the section
+      // reloads and pushes a new value with an empty display through the form control.
+      // The rendered input must not blank out.
+      it('should keep the rendered value when a value with empty display arrives via valueChanges', fakeAsync(() => {
+        const reloadedValue = Object.assign(
+          new FormFieldMetadataValueObject(),
+          { display: '', value: 'Corpus', authority: 'corpus-auth' },
+        );
+
+        scrollableDropdownComp.group.get(scrollableDropdownComp.model.id).setValue(reloadedValue);
+        tick();
+        scrollableDropdownFixture.detectChanges();
+
+        const input = scrollableDropdownFixture.debugElement.query(By.css('input.form-control')).nativeElement;
+        expect(input.value).toBe('Corpus');
+      }));
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.ts b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.ts
index 243efcc8963..bad01bd3b86 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/form/builder/ds-dynamic-form-ui/models/scrollable-dropdown/dynamic-scrollable-dropdown.component.ts
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ export class DsDynamicScrollableDropdownComponent extends DsDynamicVocabularyCom
 
     if (init && !this.useFindAllService) {
       result = this.getInitValueFromModel().pipe(
-        map((formValue: FormFieldMetadataValueObject) => formValue.display),
+        map((formValue: FormFieldMetadataValueObject) => formValue.display || formValue.value),
       );
     } else {
       if (isEmpty(value)) {
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ export class DsDynamicScrollableDropdownComponent extends DsDynamicVocabularyCom
       } else if (this.useFindAllService) {
         result = of(value[this.model.displayKey]);
       } else {
-        result = of(value.display);
+        result = of(value.display || value.value);
       }
     }