diff --git a/qt/aqt/editor.py b/qt/aqt/editor.py
index f27fed0d5..a293c19c7 100644
--- a/qt/aqt/editor.py
+++ b/qt/aqt/editor.py
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ to a cloze type first, via Edit>Change Note Type."""
 
     def addMedia(self, path, canDelete=False):
         html = self._addMedia(path, canDelete)
-        self.web.eval("setFormat('inserthtml', %s);" % json.dumps(html))
+        self.web.eval("insertHtmlRemovingInitialBR(%s);" % json.dumps(html))
 
     def _addMedia(self, path, canDelete=False):
         "Add to media folder and return local img or sound tag."
diff --git a/qt/ts/src/editor.ts b/qt/ts/src/editor.ts
index ae70a31ce..8efe4bf23 100644
--- a/qt/ts/src/editor.ts
+++ b/qt/ts/src/editor.ts
@@ -376,10 +376,10 @@ function hideDupes() {
     $("#dupes").hide();
 }
 
-let pasteHTML = function(html, internal, extendedMode) {
-    html = filterHTML(html, internal, extendedMode);
+/// If the field has only an empty br, remove it first.
+let insertHtmlRemovingInitialBR = function(html: string) {
     if (html !== "") {
-        // remove trailing <br> in empty field
+        // remove <br> in empty field
         if (currentField && currentField.innerHTML === "<br>") {
             currentField.innerHTML = "";
         }
@@ -387,6 +387,11 @@ let pasteHTML = function(html, internal, extendedMode) {
     }
 };
 
+let pasteHTML = function(html, internal, extendedMode) {
+    html = filterHTML(html, internal, extendedMode);
+    insertHtmlRemovingInitialBR(html);
+};
+
 let filterHTML = function(html, internal, extendedMode) {
     // wrap it in <top> as we aren't allowed to change top level elements
     const top = $.parseHTML("<ankitop>" + html + "</ankitop>")[0] as Element;