diff --git a/components/virtualtreeview-new/branches/4.8/VirtualTrees.pas b/components/virtualtreeview-new/branches/4.8/VirtualTrees.pas
index 6c9e77c47..e222cf3c1 100644
--- a/components/virtualtreeview-new/branches/4.8/VirtualTrees.pas
+++ b/components/virtualtreeview-new/branches/4.8/VirtualTrees.pas
@@ -30682,8 +30682,8 @@ constructor TCustomVirtualStringTree.Create(AOwner: TComponent);
 
 begin
   inherited;
-
-  FDefaultText := 'Node';
+  if (Owner = nil) or (([csReading, csDesigning] * Owner.ComponentState) = [csDesigning]) then
+    FDefaultText := 'Node';
   FInternalDataOffset := AllocateInternalDataArea(SizeOf(Cardinal));
 end;