diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/serials/subscription-add.tt b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/serials/subscription-add.tt
index 128b8c87ed..b2a9db7fcf 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/serials/subscription-add.tt
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/serials/subscription-add.tt
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@
                         </li>
                         [% IF makePreviousSerialAvailable %]
                             <li>
-                                <label for="previousitemtype">item type for older issues:</label>
+                                <label for="previousitemtype">Item type for older issues:</label>
                                 <select name="previousitemtype" id="previousitemtype">
                                     <option value=""></option>
                                     [% FOREACH previous IN previoustypeloop %]
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@
                                         [% END %]
                                     [% END %]
                                 </select>
+                                <div class="hint">If older issues itemtype is not selected old item type is preserved.</div>
                             </li>
                         [% END %]
                         <li>
diff --git a/serials/serials-edit.pl b/serials/serials-edit.pl
index 382b485789..d824d7c83e 100755
--- a/serials/serials-edit.pl
+++ b/serials/serials-edit.pl
@@ -260,10 +260,14 @@ if ( $op and $op eq 'cud-serialchangestatus' ) {
 
                     # Changing the status to "available" and the itemtype according to the previousitemtype db field
                     my $item = Koha::Items->find($itemnumber);
+                    my $itype =
+                          $subscriptioninfos->{'previousitemtype'}
+                        ? $subscriptioninfos->{'previousitemtype'}
+                        : $item->itype;
                     $item->set(
                         {
                             notforloan => 0,
-                            itype      => $subscriptioninfos->{'previousitemtype'}
+                            itype      => $itype
                         }
                     )->store;
                 }