diff --git a/openide.explorer/src/org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/ComboInplaceEditor.java b/openide.explorer/src/org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/ComboInplaceEditor.java
--- a/openide.explorer/src/org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/ComboInplaceEditor.java
+++ b/openide.explorer/src/org/openide/explorer/propertysheet/ComboInplaceEditor.java
@@ -187,9 +187,11 @@
             boolean editable = (editor instanceof EnhancedPropertyEditor)
                 ? ((EnhancedPropertyEditor) editor).supportsEditingTaggedValues()
                 : ((env != null) && Boolean.TRUE.equals(env.getFeatureDescriptor().getValue("canEditAsText"))); //NOI18N
+            Object canAutocompleteValue = env != null? env.getFeatureDescriptor().getValue("canAutocomplete"): null; //NOI18N
+            boolean canAutocomplete = canAutocompleteValue != null? Boolean.TRUE.equals(canAutocompleteValue): true;
 
             strictAutoCompleteMatching = !editable;
-            setEditable(editable || isAutoComplete);
+            setEditable(editable || canAutocomplete && isAutoComplete);
             setActionCommand(COMMAND_SUCCESS);
 
             //Support for custom ListCellRenderer injection via PropertyEnv