diff --git a/themes/easyshop_advanced/media/js/content_customer_registration.js b/themes/easyshop_advanced/media/js/content_customer_registration.js
index 3c62aec..b53bfa3 100644
--- a/themes/easyshop_advanced/media/js/content_customer_registration.js
+++ b/themes/easyshop_advanced/media/js/content_customer_registration.js
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
 		if (!$('#label_firma').hasClass('highlighted')) {
 			$('#label_firma').addClass('highlighted');
 		}
-                if (!$('#label_tax_id').hasClass('highlighted')) {
-                        $('#label_tax_id').addClass('highlighted');
-                }
 	}
 	else {
 		if (!$('#label_vorname').hasClass('highlighted')) {
@@ -62,9 +59,6 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
 			if (!$('#label_firma').hasClass('highlighted')) {
 				$('#label_firma').addClass('highlighted');
 			}
-                        if (!$('#label_tax_id').hasClass('highlighted')) {
-				$('#label_tax_id').addClass('highlighted');
-			}
 		}
 		else {
 			if (!$('#label_vorname').hasClass('highlighted')) {
@@ -74,7 +68,6 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
 				$('#label_nachname').addClass('highlighted');
 			}
                         $('#label_firma').removeClass('highlighted');
-			$('#label_tax_id').removeClass('highlighted');
 		}
 
 		
diff --git a/themes/easyshop_advanced/templates/content_customer_registration.tpl b/themes/easyshop_advanced/templates/content_customer_registration.tpl
index 39adb1e..2fbd98f 100644
--- a/themes/easyshop_advanced/templates/content_customer_registration.tpl
+++ b/themes/easyshop_advanced/templates/content_customer_registration.tpl
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 				<div class="short highlighted {if isset($data.state) && $data.state == 2}required{/if}">
 					<label for="customer_field[honorific]">Anrede *</label><br />
 					<select id="honorific" name="customer_field[honorific]" class="short">
+					{* 18.09.2026 -- Leerfeld vorn, damit "Firma" nicht die stille Vorbelegung ist *}
+					<option value="" {if !isset($data.form_data.honorific) || $data.form_data.honorific == ''}selected="selected"{/if}>Bitte w&auml;hlen...</option>
 					<option value="2" {if isset($data.form_data.honorific) && $data.form_data.honorific == '2'}selected="selected"{/if}>Firma</option>
 						<option value="0" {if isset($data.form_data.honorific) && $data.form_data.honorific == '0'}selected="selected"{/if}>Herr</option>
 						<option value="1" {if isset($data.form_data.honorific) && $data.form_data.honorific == '1'}selected="selected"{/if}>Frau</option>
@@ -104,8 +106,9 @@
                         {if $system_configuration.merchant_registration_active}
 			<div id="merchant_data">
 				<div class="line ">
-					<div id="label_tax_id" class="half  {if isset($data.state) && $data.state == 2 && $data.form_data.honorific == 2}highlighted required{/if}">
-						<label for="customer_field[tax_id]">Ust-ID <span>*</span></label>
+					{* 18.09.2026 -- USt-ID auch bei Firma keine Pflicht (war ohnehin nie geprueft) *}
+					<div id="label_tax_id" class="half">
+						<label for="customer_field[tax_id]">Ust-ID</label>
 						<input type="text" class="half" name="customer_field[tax_id]" value="{if isset($data.form_data.tax_id)}{$data.form_data.tax_id}{/if}" />
 					</div>