diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/Utilities.js b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/Utilities.js
index d8233a316c..d51045be78 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/Utilities.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/Utilities.js
@@ -695,25 +695,26 @@ angular.module('Utilities', ['RestServices', 'Utilities', 'sanitizeFilter'])
             options = params.opts;
 
             $.fn.select2.amd.require([
-              "select2/utils",
-              "select2/dropdown",
-              "select2/dropdown/attachContainer",
-              "select2/dropdown/search",
-          ], function (Utils, DropdownAdapter, AttachContainer, DropdownSearch) {
+                'select2/utils',
+                'select2/dropdown',
+                'select2/dropdown/search',
+                'select2/dropdown/attachContainer',
+                'select2/dropdown/closeOnSelect',
+                'select2/dropdown/minimumResultsForSearch'
+          ], function (Utils, Dropdown, Search, AttachContainer, CloseOnSelect, MinimumResultsForSearch) {
 
-                var CustomAdapter = Utils.Decorate(
-                    Utils.Decorate(
-                        DropdownAdapter,
-                        DropdownSearch
-                    ),
-                      AttachContainer
-                 );
+              var CustomAdapter =
+                  _.reduce([Search, AttachContainer, CloseOnSelect, MinimumResultsForSearch],
+                           function(Adapter, Decorator) {
+                               return Utils.Decorate(Adapter, Decorator);
+                           }, Dropdown);
 
                 $(element).select2({
-                    dropdownAdapter: CustomAdapter,
                     multiple: 'true',
                     theme: "bootstrap",
-                    width: '100%'
+                    width: '100%',
+                    minimumResultsForSearch: Infinity,
+                    dropdownAdapter: CustomAdapter
                 });
                 if(options){
                     for (var d = 0; d < $(element + " option").length; d++) {
diff --git a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/form-generator.js b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/form-generator.js
index 9c2a9aea69..f0709c63fa 100644
--- a/awx/ui/client/src/shared/form-generator.js
+++ b/awx/ui/client/src/shared/form-generator.js
@@ -1117,15 +1117,18 @@ angular.module('FormGenerator', [GeneratorHelpers.name, 'Utilities', listGenerat
                         html += buildId(field, fld, this.form);
                         html += (options.mode === 'edit' && field.editRequired) ? "required " : "";
                         html += (options.mode === 'add' && field.addRequired) ? "required " : "";
+                        //used for select2 combo boxes
                         html += (field.multiSelect) ? "multiple " : "";
                         html += (field.readonly) ? "disabled " : "";
                         html += (field.awRequiredWhen) ? "data-awrequired-init=\"" + field.awRequiredWhen.init + "\" aw-required-when=\"" +
                             field.awRequiredWhen.variable + "\" " : "";
                         html += ">\n";
-                        html += "<option value=\"\">";
-                            // Add a custom default select 'value' (default text)
-                        html += (field.defaultText) ? field.defaultText : "Choose a " + field.label.toLowerCase();
-                        html += "</option>\n";
+                        if(!field.multiSelect){
+                            html += "<option value=\"\">";
+                                // Add a custom default select 'value' (default text)
+                            html += (field.defaultText) ? field.defaultText : "Choose a " + field.label.toLowerCase();
+                            html += "</option>\n";
+                        }
                         html += "</select>\n";
                             // Add error messages
                         if ((options.mode === 'add' && field.addRequired) || (options.mode === 'edit' && field.editRequired) ||