diff --git a/common/widgets/ui_common.cpp b/common/widgets/ui_common.cpp
index cf0e4e5f80..b6601a11f6 100644
--- a/common/widgets/ui_common.cpp
+++ b/common/widgets/ui_common.cpp
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ void KIUI::SelectReferenceNumber( wxTextEntry* aTextEntry )
     {
         aTextEntry->SetSelection( ref.find_first_of( '?' ), ref.find_last_of( '?' ) + 1 );
     }
+    else if( ref.find_first_of( '*' ) != ref.npos )
+    {
+        aTextEntry->SetSelection( ref.find_first_of( '*' ), ref.find_last_of( '*' ) + 1 );
+    }
     else
     {
         wxString num = ref;
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.cpp
index 047d0214a4..986af26c72 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES::DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES( PCB_BASE_EDIT_FRAME* aParent, BO
     m_thickness( aParent, m_ThicknessLabel, m_ThicknessCtrl, m_ThicknessUnits, true ),
     m_posX( aParent, m_PositionXLabel, m_PositionXCtrl, m_PositionXUnits ),
     m_posY( aParent, m_PositionYLabel, m_PositionYCtrl, m_PositionYUnits ),
-    m_linesThickness( aParent, m_LineThicknessLabel, m_LineThicknessCtrl,
-                      m_LineThicknessUnits, true ),
+    m_linesThickness( aParent, m_LineThicknessLabel, m_LineThicknessCtrl, m_LineThicknessUnits,
+                      true ),
     m_OrientValidator( 1, &m_OrientValue )
 {
     wxString title;
@@ -227,6 +227,28 @@ void DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES::OnCharHook( wxKeyEvent& aEvent )
 }
 
 
+void DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES::OnSetFocusText( wxFocusEvent& event )
+{
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+    // Force an update of the text control before setting the text selection
+    // This is needed because GTK seems to ignore the selection on first update
+    //
+    // Note that we can't do this on OSX as it tends to provoke Apple's
+    // "[NSAlert runModal] may not be invoked inside of transaction begin/commit pair"
+    // bug.  See: https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/1837225
+    if( m_fieldId == REFERENCE_FIELD || m_fieldId == VALUE_FIELD || m_fieldId == SHEETNAME_V )
+        m_TextCtrl->Update();
+#endif
+
+    if( m_fpText->GetType() == FP_TEXT::TEXT_is_REFERENCE )
+        KIUI::SelectReferenceNumber( static_cast<wxTextEntry*>( m_SingleLineText ) );
+    else
+        m_SingleLineText->SetSelection( -1, -1 );
+
+    event.Skip();
+}
+
+
 bool DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES::TransferDataToWindow()
 {
     if( m_SingleLineText->IsShown() )
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.h b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.h
index 5f8179b8e9..4ea37f7cde 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.h
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties.h
@@ -43,6 +43,13 @@ public:
     DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES( PCB_BASE_EDIT_FRAME* aParent, BOARD_ITEM* aItem );
     ~DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES();
 
+    /**
+     * Used to select the variant part of some text fields (for instance, the question mark
+     * or number in a reference).
+     * @param event
+     */
+    virtual void OnSetFocusText( wxFocusEvent& event ) override;
+
 private:
     PCB_BASE_EDIT_FRAME* m_Parent;
     BOARD_ITEM*          m_item;        // FP_TEXT, PCB_TEXT, or DIMENSION
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.cpp b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.cpp
index d257c21702..235ad0d43e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.cpp
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE( wxWindow* parent, wxWi
 
 	// Connect Events
 	this->Connect( wxEVT_INIT_DIALOG, wxInitDialogEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnInitDlg ) );
+	m_SingleLineText->Connect( wxEVT_SET_FOCUS, wxFocusEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnSetFocusText ), NULL, this );
 	m_SingleLineText->Connect( wxEVT_COMMAND_TEXT_ENTER, wxCommandEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnOkClick ), NULL, this );
 	m_SizeXCtrl->Connect( wxEVT_COMMAND_TEXT_ENTER, wxCommandEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnOkClick ), NULL, this );
 	m_SizeYCtrl->Connect( wxEVT_COMMAND_TEXT_ENTER, wxCommandEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnOkClick ), NULL, this );
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::~DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE()
 {
 	// Disconnect Events
 	this->Disconnect( wxEVT_INIT_DIALOG, wxInitDialogEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnInitDlg ) );
+	m_SingleLineText->Disconnect( wxEVT_SET_FOCUS, wxFocusEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnSetFocusText ), NULL, this );
 	m_SingleLineText->Disconnect( wxEVT_COMMAND_TEXT_ENTER, wxCommandEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnOkClick ), NULL, this );
 	m_SizeXCtrl->Disconnect( wxEVT_COMMAND_TEXT_ENTER, wxCommandEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnOkClick ), NULL, this );
 	m_SizeYCtrl->Disconnect( wxEVT_COMMAND_TEXT_ENTER, wxCommandEventHandler( DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE::OnOkClick ), NULL, this );
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.fbp b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.fbp
index 5a2b6b664c..197bc2d007 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.fbp
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.fbp
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@
                                 <property name="window_extra_style"></property>
                                 <property name="window_name"></property>
                                 <property name="window_style"></property>
+                                <event name="OnSetFocus">OnSetFocusText</event>
                                 <event name="OnTextEnter">OnOkClick</event>
                             </object>
                         </object>
diff --git a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.h b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.h
index f4f5d05582..7d8566978e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.h
+++ b/pcbnew/dialogs/dialog_text_properties_base.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class DIALOG_TEXT_PROPERTIES_BASE : public DIALOG_SHIM
 
 		// Virtual event handlers, overide them in your derived class
 		virtual void OnInitDlg( wxInitDialogEvent& event ) { event.Skip(); }
+		virtual void OnSetFocusText( wxFocusEvent& event ) { event.Skip(); }
 		virtual void OnOkClick( wxCommandEvent& event ) { event.Skip(); }