diff --git a/templates/repo/issue/fields/textarea.tmpl b/templates/repo/issue/fields/textarea.tmpl
index ad3c5efa045c4..49d51eb5a8ba2 100644
--- a/templates/repo/issue/fields/textarea.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/issue/fields/textarea.tmpl
@@ -1,6 +1,25 @@
-<div class="field">
+{{$useMarkdownEditor := not .item.Attributes.render}}
+<div class="field {{if $useMarkdownEditor}}combo-editor-dropzone{{end}}">
 	{{template "repo/issue/fields/header" .}}
-	{{/* FIXME: preview markdown result */}}
-	{{/* FIXME: required validation for markdown editor */}}
-	<textarea name="form-field-{{.item.ID}}" placeholder="{{.item.Attributes.placeholder}}" {{if and .item.Validations.required .item.Attributes.render}}required{{end}}>{{.item.Attributes.value}}</textarea>
+
+	{{/* the real form element to provide the value */}}
+	<textarea class="form-field-real" name="form-field-{{.item.ID}}" placeholder="{{.item.Attributes.placeholder}}" {{if and .item.Validations.required}}required{{end}}>{{.item.Attributes.value}}</textarea>
+
+	{{if $useMarkdownEditor}}
+		{{template "shared/combomarkdowneditor" (dict
+			"locale" .root.locale
+			"ContainerClasses" "gt-hidden"
+			"MarkdownPreviewUrl" (print .root.RepoLink "/markup")
+			"MarkdownPreviewContext" .root.RepoLink
+			"TextareaContent" .item.Attributes.value
+			"TextareaPlaceholder"  .item.Attributes.placeholder
+			"DropzoneParentContainer" ".combo-editor-dropzone"
+		)}}
+
+		{{if .root.IsAttachmentEnabled}}
+		<div class="gt-mt-4 form-field-dropzone gt-hidden">
+			{{template "repo/upload" .root}}
+		</div>
+		{{end}}
+	{{end}}
 </div>
diff --git a/templates/repo/issue/new_form.tmpl b/templates/repo/issue/new_form.tmpl
index 196e91106122d..c12b8149b0864 100644
--- a/templates/repo/issue/new_form.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/issue/new_form.tmpl
@@ -24,18 +24,13 @@
 							{{else if eq .Type "markdown"}}
 								{{template "repo/issue/fields/markdown" dict "Context" $.Context "item" .}}
 							{{else if eq .Type "textarea"}}
-								{{template "repo/issue/fields/textarea" dict "Context" $.Context "item" .}}
+								{{template "repo/issue/fields/textarea" dict "Context" $.Context "item" . "root" $}}
 							{{else if eq .Type "dropdown"}}
 								{{template "repo/issue/fields/dropdown" dict "Context" $.Context "item" .}}
 							{{else if eq .Type "checkboxes"}}
 								{{template "repo/issue/fields/checkboxes" dict "Context" $.Context "item" .}}
 							{{end}}
 						{{end}}
-						{{if .IsAttachmentEnabled}}
-						<div class="field">
-							{{template "repo/upload" .}}
-						</div>
-						{{end}}
 					{{else}}
 						{{template "repo/issue/comment_tab" .}}
 					{{end}}
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/comp/ComboMarkdownEditor.js b/web_src/js/features/comp/ComboMarkdownEditor.js
index 90d1bcde5ab62..103e71daae473 100644
--- a/web_src/js/features/comp/ComboMarkdownEditor.js
+++ b/web_src/js/features/comp/ComboMarkdownEditor.js
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@ import {attachTribute} from '../tribute.js';
 import {hideElem, showElem, autosize} from '../../utils/dom.js';
 import {initEasyMDEImagePaste, initTextareaImagePaste} from './ImagePaste.js';
 import {handleGlobalEnterQuickSubmit} from './QuickSubmit.js';
-import {emojiString} from '../emoji.js';
 import {renderPreviewPanelContent} from '../repo-editor.js';
-import {matchEmoji, matchMention} from '../../utils/match.js';
 import {easyMDEToolbarActions} from './EasyMDEToolbarActions.js';
+import {initTextExpander} from './TextExpander.js';
 
 let elementIdCounter = 0;
 
@@ -43,14 +42,12 @@ class ComboMarkdownEditor {
 
   async init() {
     this.prepareEasyMDEToolbarActions();
+    this.setupContainer();
     this.setupTab();
     this.setupDropzone();
     this.setupTextarea();
-    this.setupExpander();
 
-    if (this.userPreferredEditor === 'easymde') {
-      await this.switchToEasyMDE();
-    }
+    await this.switchToUserPreference();
   }
 
   applyEditorHeights(el, heights) {
@@ -60,6 +57,11 @@ class ComboMarkdownEditor {
     if (heights.maxHeight) el.style.maxHeight = heights.maxHeight;
   }
 
+  setupContainer() {
+    initTextExpander(this.container.querySelector('text-expander'));
+    this.container.addEventListener('ce-editor-content-changed', (e) => this.options?.onContentChanged?.(this, e));
+  }
+
   setupTextarea() {
     this.textarea = this.container.querySelector('.markdown-text-editor');
     this.textarea._giteaComboMarkdownEditor = this;
@@ -103,64 +105,6 @@ class ComboMarkdownEditor {
     }
   }
 
-  setupExpander() {
-    const expander = this.container.querySelector('text-expander');
-    expander?.addEventListener('text-expander-change', ({detail: {key, provide, text}}) => {
-      if (key === ':') {
-        const matches = matchEmoji(text);
-        if (!matches.length) return provide({matched: false});
-
-        const ul = document.createElement('ul');
-        ul.classList.add('suggestions');
-        for (const name of matches) {
-          const emoji = emojiString(name);
-          const li = document.createElement('li');
-          li.setAttribute('role', 'option');
-          li.setAttribute('data-value', emoji);
-          li.textContent = `${emoji} ${name}`;
-          ul.append(li);
-        }
-
-        provide({matched: true, fragment: ul});
-      } else if (key === '@') {
-        const matches = matchMention(text);
-        if (!matches.length) return provide({matched: false});
-
-        const ul = document.createElement('ul');
-        ul.classList.add('suggestions');
-        for (const {value, name, fullname, avatar} of matches) {
-          const li = document.createElement('li');
-          li.setAttribute('role', 'option');
-          li.setAttribute('data-value', `${key}${value}`);
-
-          const img = document.createElement('img');
-          img.src = avatar;
-          li.append(img);
-
-          const nameSpan = document.createElement('span');
-          nameSpan.textContent = name;
-          li.append(nameSpan);
-
-          if (fullname && fullname.toLowerCase() !== name) {
-            const fullnameSpan = document.createElement('span');
-            fullnameSpan.classList.add('fullname');
-            fullnameSpan.textContent = fullname;
-            li.append(fullnameSpan);
-          }
-
-          ul.append(li);
-        }
-
-        provide({matched: true, fragment: ul});
-      }
-    });
-    expander?.addEventListener('text-expander-value', ({detail}) => {
-      if (detail?.item) {
-        detail.value = detail.item.getAttribute('data-value');
-      }
-    });
-  }
-
   setupDropzone() {
     const dropzoneParentContainer = this.container.getAttribute('data-dropzone-parent-container');
     if (dropzoneParentContainer) {
@@ -224,7 +168,16 @@ class ComboMarkdownEditor {
     return processed;
   }
 
+  async switchToUserPreference() {
+    if (this.userPreferredEditor === 'easymde') {
+      await this.switchToEasyMDE();
+    } else {
+      this.switchToTextarea();
+    }
+  }
+
   switchToTextarea() {
+    if (!this.easyMDE) return;
     showElem(this.textareaMarkdownToolbar);
     if (this.easyMDE) {
       this.easyMDE.toTextArea();
@@ -233,6 +186,7 @@ class ComboMarkdownEditor {
   }
 
   async switchToEasyMDE() {
+    if (this.easyMDE) return;
     // EasyMDE's CSS should be loaded via webpack config, otherwise our own styles can not overwrite the default styles.
     const {default: EasyMDE} = await import(/* webpackChunkName: "easymde" */'easymde');
     const easyMDEOpt = {
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/comp/ImagePaste.js b/web_src/js/features/comp/ImagePaste.js
index 9145b24062f26..dc335495a310f 100644
--- a/web_src/js/features/comp/ImagePaste.js
+++ b/web_src/js/features/comp/ImagePaste.js
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ function clipboardPastedImages(e) {
   return files;
 }
 
+function triggerEditorContentChanged(target) {
+  target.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('ce-editor-content-changed', {bubbles: true}));
+}
+
 class TextareaEditor {
   constructor(editor) {
     this.editor = editor;
@@ -38,6 +42,7 @@ class TextareaEditor {
     editor.selectionStart = startPos;
     editor.selectionEnd = startPos + value.length;
     editor.focus();
+    triggerEditorContentChanged(editor);
   }
 
   replacePlaceholder(oldVal, newVal) {
@@ -54,6 +59,7 @@ class TextareaEditor {
     }
     editor.selectionStart = editor.selectionEnd;
     editor.focus();
+    triggerEditorContentChanged(editor);
   }
 }
 
@@ -70,6 +76,7 @@ class CodeMirrorEditor {
     endPoint.ch = startPoint.ch + value.length;
     editor.setSelection(startPoint, endPoint);
     editor.focus();
+    triggerEditorContentChanged(editor.getTextArea());
   }
 
   replacePlaceholder(oldVal, newVal) {
@@ -84,6 +91,7 @@ class CodeMirrorEditor {
     endPoint.ch += newVal.length;
     editor.setSelection(endPoint, endPoint);
     editor.focus();
+    triggerEditorContentChanged(editor.getTextArea());
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/comp/QuickSubmit.js b/web_src/js/features/comp/QuickSubmit.js
index 43424a949f1ec..d598a59655308 100644
--- a/web_src/js/features/comp/QuickSubmit.js
+++ b/web_src/js/features/comp/QuickSubmit.js
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ export function handleGlobalEnterQuickSubmit(target) {
   if ($form.length) {
     // here use the event to trigger the submit event (instead of calling `submit()` method directly)
     // otherwise the `areYouSure` handler won't be executed, then there will be an annoying "confirm to leave" dialog
-    $form.trigger('submit');
+    if ($form[0].checkValidity()) {
+      $form.trigger('submit');
+    }
   } else {
     // if no form, then the editor is for an AJAX request, dispatch an event to the target, let the target's event handler to do the AJAX request.
     // the 'ce-' prefix means this is a CustomEvent
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/comp/TextExpander.js b/web_src/js/features/comp/TextExpander.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..e2840610dfd8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web_src/js/features/comp/TextExpander.js
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import {matchEmoji, matchMention} from '../../utils/match.js';
+import {emojiString} from '../emoji.js';
+
+export function initTextExpander(expander) {
+  expander?.addEventListener('text-expander-change', ({detail: {key, provide, text}}) => {
+    if (key === ':') {
+      const matches = matchEmoji(text);
+      if (!matches.length) return provide({matched: false});
+
+      const ul = document.createElement('ul');
+      ul.classList.add('suggestions');
+      for (const name of matches) {
+        const emoji = emojiString(name);
+        const li = document.createElement('li');
+        li.setAttribute('role', 'option');
+        li.setAttribute('data-value', emoji);
+        li.textContent = `${emoji} ${name}`;
+        ul.append(li);
+      }
+
+      provide({matched: true, fragment: ul});
+    } else if (key === '@') {
+      const matches = matchMention(text);
+      if (!matches.length) return provide({matched: false});
+
+      const ul = document.createElement('ul');
+      ul.classList.add('suggestions');
+      for (const {value, name, fullname, avatar} of matches) {
+        const li = document.createElement('li');
+        li.setAttribute('role', 'option');
+        li.setAttribute('data-value', `${key}${value}`);
+
+        const img = document.createElement('img');
+        img.src = avatar;
+        li.append(img);
+
+        const nameSpan = document.createElement('span');
+        nameSpan.textContent = name;
+        li.append(nameSpan);
+
+        if (fullname && fullname.toLowerCase() !== name) {
+          const fullnameSpan = document.createElement('span');
+          fullnameSpan.classList.add('fullname');
+          fullnameSpan.textContent = fullname;
+          li.append(fullnameSpan);
+        }
+
+        ul.append(li);
+      }
+
+      provide({matched: true, fragment: ul});
+    }
+  });
+  expander?.addEventListener('text-expander-value', ({detail}) => {
+    if (detail?.item) {
+      detail.value = detail.item.getAttribute('data-value');
+    }
+  });
+}
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/repo-issue.js b/web_src/js/features/repo-issue.js
index 7e1249ed2f68b..8ecc7aa4ca2af 100644
--- a/web_src/js/features/repo-issue.js
+++ b/web_src/js/features/repo-issue.js
@@ -665,3 +665,59 @@ export function initRepoIssueGotoID() {
     }
   });
 }
+
+export function initSingleCommentEditor($commentForm) {
+  // pages:
+  // * normal new issue/pr page, no status-button
+  // * issue/pr view page, with comment form, has status-button
+  const opts = {};
+  const $statusButton = $('#status-button');
+  if ($statusButton.length) {
+    $statusButton.on('click', (e) => {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      $('#status').val($statusButton.data('status-val'));
+      $('#comment-form').trigger('submit');
+    });
+    opts.onContentChanged = (editor) => {
+      $statusButton.text($statusButton.attr(editor.value().trim() ? 'data-status-and-comment' : 'data-status'));
+    };
+  }
+  initComboMarkdownEditor($commentForm.find('.combo-markdown-editor'), opts);
+}
+
+export function initIssueTemplateCommentEditors($commentForm) {
+  // pages:
+  // * new issue with issue template
+  const $comboFields = $commentForm.find('.combo-editor-dropzone');
+
+  const initCombo = async ($combo) => {
+    const $dropzoneContainer = $combo.find('.form-field-dropzone');
+    const $formField = $combo.find('.form-field-real');
+    const $markdownEditor = $combo.find('.combo-markdown-editor');
+
+    const editor = await initComboMarkdownEditor($markdownEditor, {
+      onContentChanged: (editor) => {
+        $formField.val(editor.value());
+      }
+    });
+
+    $formField.on('focus', async () => {
+      // deactivate all markdown editors
+      showElem($commentForm.find('.combo-editor-dropzone .form-field-real'));
+      hideElem($commentForm.find('.combo-editor-dropzone .combo-markdown-editor'));
+      hideElem($commentForm.find('.combo-editor-dropzone .form-field-dropzone'));
+
+      // activate this markdown editor
+      hideElem($formField);
+      showElem($markdownEditor);
+      showElem($dropzoneContainer);
+
+      await editor.switchToUserPreference();
+      editor.focus();
+    });
+  };
+
+  for (const el of $comboFields) {
+    initCombo($(el));
+  }
+}
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/repo-legacy.js b/web_src/js/features/repo-legacy.js
index c3bd0ccb760d4..2804844d81f2d 100644
--- a/web_src/js/features/repo-legacy.js
+++ b/web_src/js/features/repo-legacy.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {
   initRepoIssueBranchSelect, initRepoIssueCodeCommentCancel, initRepoIssueCommentDelete,
   initRepoIssueComments, initRepoIssueDependencyDelete, initRepoIssueReferenceIssue,
   initRepoIssueTitleEdit, initRepoIssueWipToggle,
-  initRepoPullRequestUpdate, updateIssuesMeta, handleReply
+  initRepoPullRequestUpdate, updateIssuesMeta, handleReply, initIssueTemplateCommentEditors, initSingleCommentEditor,
 } from './repo-issue.js';
 import {initUnicodeEscapeButton} from './repo-unicode-escape.js';
 import {svg} from '../svg.js';
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ export function initRepoCommentForm() {
     return;
   }
 
+  if ($commentForm.find('.field.combo-editor-dropzone').length) {
+    // at the moment, if a form has multiple combo-markdown-editors, it must be a issue template form
+    initIssueTemplateCommentEditors($commentForm);
+  } else {
+    initSingleCommentEditor($commentForm);
+  }
+
   function initBranchSelector() {
     const $selectBranch = $('.ui.select-branch');
     const $branchMenu = $selectBranch.find('.reference-list-menu');
@@ -82,19 +89,6 @@ export function initRepoCommentForm() {
     });
   }
 
-  const $statusButton = $('#status-button');
-  $statusButton.on('click', (e) => {
-    e.preventDefault();
-    $('#status').val($statusButton.data('status-val'));
-    $('#comment-form').trigger('submit');
-  });
-
-  const _promise = initComboMarkdownEditor($commentForm.find('.combo-markdown-editor'), {
-    onContentChanged(editor) {
-      $statusButton.text($statusButton.attr(editor.value().trim() ? 'data-status-and-comment' : 'data-status'));
-    },
-  });
-
   initBranchSelector();
 
   // List submits