 <p>You need to change the jQuery code like this:</p> <pre><code>$(document).ready(function(){ var eventChoice = $('#test'), prodInterest = $('#productInterest'); eventChoice.change(function(){ var str = ""; $('#test option:selected').each(function(){ str += "Channel &amp; TR Event Reg - " + $(this).text(); }); prodInterest.val( str ); }); }); </code></pre> <p>Notice the removal of <code>change()</code> after the binding which caused it to trigger the change right after the binding was done.</p> <p>Code version when selected option is blank:</p> <pre><code>$(document).ready(function(){ var eventChoice = $('#test'), prodInterest = $('#productInterest'); eventChoice.change(function(){ var str = ""; $('#test option:selected').each(function(){ if ($(this).val() != "") { str += "Channel &amp; TR Event Reg - " + $(this).text(); } }); prodInterest.val( str ); }); }); </code></pre>