diff --git a/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.cpp b/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.cpp
index 3706aef1..03cc3e65 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.cpp
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@
 #include <QMetaType>
 #include <QComboBox>
 #include <QMetaType>
+#include <QPushButton>
 
 
-EditVariablesDialog::EditVariablesDialog(RVA offset, QWidget *parent) :
+EditVariablesDialog::EditVariablesDialog(RVA offset, QString initialVar, QWidget *parent) :
     QDialog(parent),
     ui(new Ui::EditVariablesDialog)
 {
@@ -18,8 +19,18 @@ EditVariablesDialog::EditVariablesDialog(RVA offset, QWidget *parent) :
     setWindowTitle(tr("Set Variable Types for Function: %1").arg(fcnName));
 
     variables = Core()->getVariables(offset);
+    int currentItemIndex = -1;
+    int index = 0;
     for (const VariableDescription &var : variables) {
         ui->dropdownLocalVars->addItem(var.name, QVariant::fromValue(var));
+        if (var.name == initialVar) {
+            currentItemIndex = index;
+        }
+        index++;
+    }
+    ui->dropdownLocalVars->setCurrentIndex(currentItemIndex);
+    if (currentItemIndex != -1) {
+        ui->nameEdit->setFocus();
     }
 
     populateTypesComboBox();
@@ -31,8 +42,17 @@ EditVariablesDialog::~EditVariablesDialog()
     delete ui;
 }
 
+bool EditVariablesDialog::empty() const
+{
+    return ui->dropdownLocalVars->count() == 0;
+}
+
 void EditVariablesDialog::applyFields()
 {
+    if (ui->dropdownLocalVars->currentIndex() < 0) {
+        // nothing was selected or list is empty
+        return;
+    }
     VariableDescription desc = ui->dropdownLocalVars->currentData().value<VariableDescription>();
 
     Core()->cmdRaw(QString("afvt %1 %2").arg(desc.name).arg(ui->typeComboBox->currentText()));
@@ -48,6 +68,13 @@ void EditVariablesDialog::applyFields()
 
 void EditVariablesDialog::updateFields()
 {
+    bool hasSelection = ui->dropdownLocalVars->currentIndex() >= 0;
+    auto okButton = ui->buttonBox->button(QDialogButtonBox::Ok);
+    okButton->setEnabled(hasSelection);
+    if (!hasSelection) {
+        ui->nameEdit->clear();
+        return;
+    }
     VariableDescription desc = ui->dropdownLocalVars->currentData().value<VariableDescription>();
     ui->nameEdit->setText(desc.name);
     ui->typeComboBox->setCurrentText(desc.type);
diff --git a/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.h b/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.h
index 5f5681ea..5a017ca7 100644
--- a/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.h
+++ b/src/dialogs/EditVariablesDialog.h
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ class EditVariablesDialog : public QDialog
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit EditVariablesDialog(RVA offset, QWidget *parent = nullptr);
+    explicit EditVariablesDialog(RVA offset, QString initialVar = QString(), QWidget *parent = nullptr);
     ~EditVariablesDialog();
 
+    bool empty() const;
 private slots:
     void applyFields();
     void updateFields();
diff --git a/src/menus/DisassemblyContextMenu.cpp b/src/menus/DisassemblyContextMenu.cpp
index 3f0db0a4..5664eaec 100644
--- a/src/menus/DisassemblyContextMenu.cpp
+++ b/src/menus/DisassemblyContextMenu.cpp
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ void DisassemblyContextMenu::updateTargetMenuActions(const QVector<ThingUsedHere
 void DisassemblyContextMenu::setOffset(RVA offset)
 {
     this->offset = offset;
+
+    this->actionSetFunctionVarTypes.setVisible(true);
 }
 
 void DisassemblyContextMenu::setCanCopy(bool enabled)
@@ -409,7 +411,8 @@ void DisassemblyContextMenu::aboutToShowSlot()
 
     // Only show retype for local vars if in a function
     if (in_fcn) {
-        actionSetFunctionVarTypes.setVisible(true);
+        auto vars = Core()->getVariables(offset);
+        actionSetFunctionVarTypes.setVisible(!vars.empty());
         actionEditFunction.setVisible(true);
         actionEditFunction.setText(tr("Edit function \"%1\"").arg(in_fcn->name));
     } else {
@@ -771,7 +774,10 @@ void DisassemblyContextMenu::on_actionSetFunctionVarTypes_triggered()
         return;
     }
 
-    EditVariablesDialog dialog(Core()->getOffset(), this);
+    EditVariablesDialog dialog(Core()->getOffset(), curHighlightedWord, this);
+    if (dialog.empty()) { // don't show the dialog if there are no variables
+        return;
+    }
     dialog.exec();
 }