diff --git a/src/pretix/base/services/orders.py b/src/pretix/base/services/orders.py
index 86497c935..5c59e81af 100644
--- a/src/pretix/base/services/orders.py
+++ b/src/pretix/base/services/orders.py
@@ -1065,6 +1065,21 @@ class OrderChangeManager:
         self._operations.append(self.ItemOperation(position, item, variation))
 
     def change_seat(self, position: OrderPosition, seat: Seat):
+        if isinstance(seat, str):
+            subev = None
+            if self.event.has_subevents:
+                subev = position.subevent
+                for p in self._operations:
+                    if isinstance(p, self.SubeventOperation) and p.position == position:
+                        subev = p.subevent
+            try:
+                seat = Seat.objects.get(
+                    event=self.event,
+                    subevent=subev,
+                    seat_guid=seat
+                )
+            except Seat.DoesNotExist:
+                raise OrderError(error_messages['seat_invalid'])
         if position.seat:
             self._seatdiff.subtract([position.seat])
         if seat:
@@ -1148,6 +1163,19 @@ class OrderChangeManager:
 
     def add_position(self, item: Item, variation: ItemVariation, price: Decimal, addon_to: Order = None,
                      subevent: SubEvent = None, seat: Seat = None):
+        if isinstance(seat, str):
+            if not seat:
+                seat = None
+            else:
+                try:
+                    seat = Seat.objects.get(
+                        event=self.event,
+                        subevent=subevent,
+                        seat_guid=seat
+                    )
+                except Seat.DoesNotExist:
+                    raise OrderError(error_messages['seat_invalid'])
+
         if price is None:
             price = get_price(item, variation, subevent=subevent, invoice_address=self._invoice_address)
         else:
@@ -1171,7 +1199,7 @@ class OrderChangeManager:
             raise OrderError(self.error_messages['seat_required'])
         elif not seated and seat:
             raise OrderError(self.error_messages['seat_forbidden'])
-        if seat and subevent and seat.subevent_id != subevent:
+        if seat and subevent and seat.subevent_id != subevent.pk:
             raise OrderError(self.error_messages['seat_subevent_mismatch'].format(seat=seat.name))
 
         new_quotas = (variation.quotas.filter(subevent=subevent)
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py
index 50a4ad17e..efb9557a4 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/orders.py
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import pgettext_lazy, ugettext_lazy as _
 from pretix.base.email import get_available_placeholders
 from pretix.base.forms import I18nModelForm, PlaceholderValidator
 from pretix.base.forms.widgets import DatePickerWidget
-from pretix.base.models import (
-    InvoiceAddress, ItemAddOn, Order, OrderPosition, Seat,
-)
+from pretix.base.models import InvoiceAddress, ItemAddOn, Order, OrderPosition
 from pretix.base.models.event import SubEvent
 from pretix.base.services.pricing import get_price
 from pretix.control.forms.widgets import Select2
@@ -204,11 +202,10 @@ class OrderPositionAddForm(forms.Form):
         required=False,
         label=_('Add-on to'),
     )
-    seat = forms.ModelChoiceField(
-        Seat.objects.none(),
+    seat = forms.CharField(
         required=False,
-        label=_('Seat'),
-        empty_label=_('General admission')
+        widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={'placeholder': _('General admission'), 'data-seat-guid-field': 'true'}),
+        label=_('Seat')
     )
     price = forms.DecimalField(
         required=False,
@@ -255,19 +252,6 @@ class OrderPositionAddForm(forms.Form):
         else:
             del self.fields['addon_to']
 
-        self.fields['seat'].queryset = order.event.seats.all()
-        self.fields['seat'].widget = Select2(
-            attrs={
-                'data-model-select2': 'seat',
-                'data-select2-url': reverse('control:event.seats.select2', kwargs={
-                    'event': order.event.slug,
-                    'organizer': order.event.organizer.slug,
-                }),
-                'data-placeholder': _('General admission')
-            }
-        )
-        self.fields['seat'].widget.choices = self.fields['seat'].choices
-
         if order.event.has_subevents:
             self.fields['subevent'].queryset = order.event.subevents.all()
             self.fields['subevent'].widget = Select2(
@@ -318,10 +302,9 @@ class OrderPositionChangeForm(forms.Form):
         required=False,
         empty_label=_('(Unchanged)')
     )
-    seat = forms.ModelChoiceField(
-        Seat.objects.none(),
+    seat = forms.CharField(
         required=False,
-        empty_label=_('(Unchanged)')
+        widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={'placeholder': _('(Unchanged)'), 'data-seat-guid-field': 'true'})
     )
     price = forms.DecimalField(
         required=False,
@@ -366,20 +349,7 @@ class OrderPositionChangeForm(forms.Form):
         else:
             del self.fields['subevent']
 
-        if instance.seat:
-            self.fields['seat'].queryset = instance.order.event.seats.all()
-            self.fields['seat'].widget = Select2(
-                attrs={
-                    'data-model-select2': 'seat',
-                    'data-select2-url': reverse('control:event.seats.select2', kwargs={
-                        'event': instance.order.event.slug,
-                        'organizer': instance.order.event.organizer.slug,
-                    }),
-                    'data-placeholder': _('(Unchanged)')
-                }
-            )
-            self.fields['seat'].widget.choices = self.fields['seat'].choices
-        else:
+        if not instance.seat:
             del self.fields['seat']
 
         choices = [
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/order/change.html b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/order/change.html
index bcbb68cf2..e85d19498 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/order/change.html
+++ b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/order/change.html
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
                     </h3>
                 </div>
                 <div class="panel-body">
-                    <div class="form-order-change" data-pricecalc-endpoint="{% url "api-v1:orderposition-price_calc" organizer=order.event.organizer.slug event=order.event.slug pk=position.pk %}" {% if position.subevent %}data-subevent="{{ position.subevent.id }}{% endif %}">
+                    <div class="form-order-change" data-pricecalc-endpoint="{% url "api-v1:orderposition-price_calc" organizer=order.event.organizer.slug event=order.event.slug pk=position.pk %}" {% if position.subevent %}data-subevent="{{ position.subevent.id }}"{% endif %} data-position="{{ position.pk }}">
                         {% bootstrap_form_errors position.form %}
                         {% if position.custom_error %}
                             <div class="alert alert-danger">
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
             {% bootstrap_formset_errors add_formset %}
             <div data-formset-body>
                 {% for add_form in add_formset %}
-                    <div class="panel panel-default items" data-formset-form>
+                    <div class="panel panel-default items" data-formset-form data-subevent="0">
                         <div class="panel-heading">
                             <h3 class="panel-title">
                                 <button type="button" class="btn btn-danger btn-xs pull-right flip"
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
             </div>
             <script type="form-template" data-formset-empty-form>
                 {% escapescript %}
-                    <div class="panel panel-default items" data-formset-form>
+                    <div class="panel panel-default items" data-formset-form data-subevent="0">
                         <div class="panel-heading">
                             <h3 class="panel-title">
                                 <button type="button" class="btn btn-danger btn-xs pull-right flip"
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/urls.py b/src/pretix/control/urls.py
index 527428001..9b9efa3f0 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/urls.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/urls.py
@@ -147,7 +147,6 @@ urlpatterns = [
         url(r'^pdf/editor/(?P<filename>[^/]+).pdf$', pdf.PdfView.as_view(), name='pdf.background'),
         url(r'^subevents/$', subevents.SubEventList.as_view(), name='event.subevents'),
         url(r'^subevents/select2$', typeahead.subevent_select2, name='event.subevents.select2'),
-        url(r'^seats/select2$', typeahead.seat_select2, name='event.seats.select2'),
         url(r'^subevents/(?P<subevent>\d+)/$', subevents.SubEventUpdate.as_view(), name='event.subevent'),
         url(r'^subevents/(?P<subevent>\d+)/delete$', subevents.SubEventDelete.as_view(),
             name='event.subevent.delete'),
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/views/orders.py b/src/pretix/control/views/orders.py
index f4fecfd12..b250c02e1 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/views/orders.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/views/orders.py
@@ -1303,6 +1303,7 @@ class OrderChange(OrderView):
         positions = list(self.order.positions.all())
         for p in positions:
             p.form = OrderPositionChangeForm(prefix='op-{}'.format(p.pk), instance=p,
+                                             initial={'seat': p.seat.seat_guid if p.seat else None},
                                              data=self.request.POST if self.request.method == "POST" else None)
             try:
                 ia = self.order.invoice_address
@@ -1398,12 +1399,12 @@ class OrderChange(OrderView):
                     if item != p.item or variation != p.variation:
                         ocm.change_item(p, item, variation)
 
-                if p.seat and p.form.cleaned_data['seat'] and p.form.cleaned_data['seat'] != p.seat:
-                    ocm.change_seat(p, p.form.cleaned_data['seat'])
-
                 if self.request.event.has_subevents and p.form.cleaned_data['subevent'] and p.form.cleaned_data['subevent'] != p.subevent:
                     ocm.change_subevent(p, p.form.cleaned_data['subevent'])
 
+                if p.seat and p.form.cleaned_data['seat'] and p.form.cleaned_data['seat'] != p.seat.seat_guid:
+                    ocm.change_seat(p, p.form.cleaned_data['seat'])
+
                 if p.form.cleaned_data['price'] != p.price:
                     ocm.change_price(p, p.form.cleaned_data['price'])
 
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/views/typeahead.py b/src/pretix/control/views/typeahead.py
index 3ce685b83..df9b12aa6 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/views/typeahead.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/views/typeahead.py
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ from django.utils.timezone import make_aware
 from django.utils.translation import pgettext, ugettext as _
 
 from pretix.base.models import (
-    EventMetaProperty, EventMetaValue, Order, Organizer, SubEvent, User,
-    Voucher,
+    EventMetaProperty, EventMetaValue, Order, Organizer, User, Voucher,
 )
 from pretix.control.forms.event import EventWizardCopyForm
 from pretix.control.permissions import event_permission_required
@@ -225,46 +224,6 @@ def nav_context_list(request):
     return JsonResponse(doc)
 
 
-@event_permission_required("can_view_orders")
-def seat_select2(request, **kwargs):
-    query = request.GET.get('query', '')
-    try:
-        page = int(request.GET.get('page', '1'))
-    except ValueError:
-        page = 1
-
-    if request.event.has_subevents:
-        try:
-            qs = request.event.subevents.get(active=True, pk=request.GET.get('subevent', 0)).free_seats()
-        except SubEvent.DoesNotExist:
-            qs = request.event.seats.none()
-    else:
-        qs = request.event.free_seats()
-    qs = qs.filter(
-        Q(name__icontains=query) | Q(seat_guid__icontains=query)
-    ).order_by('name').select_related('product', 'subevent')
-
-    total = qs.count()
-    pagesize = 20
-    offset = (page - 1) * pagesize
-    doc = {
-        'results': [
-            {
-                'id': e.pk,
-                'text': '{} ({})'.format(str(e), str(e.product)),
-                'product': e.product_id,
-                'event': str(e.subevent) if e.subevent else ''
-
-            }
-            for e in qs[offset:offset + pagesize]
-        ],
-        'pagination': {
-            "more": total >= (offset + pagesize)
-        }
-    }
-    return JsonResponse(doc)
-
-
 @event_permission_required(None)
 def subevent_select2(request, **kwargs):
     query = request.GET.get('query', '')