diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/reftex-ref.el b/lisp/textmodes/reftex-ref.el
index f8bd3556018..7464268d1a7 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/reftex-ref.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/reftex-ref.el
@@ -574,12 +574,6 @@ When called with 2 \\[universal-argument] prefix args, disable magic word recogn
               (unless (eq major-mode 'reftex-select-label-mode)
                 (reftex-select-label-mode))
               (cl-pushnew (current-buffer) selection-buffers)
-              (setq truncate-lines t)
-              (setq mode-line-format
-                    (list "----  " 'mode-line-buffer-identification
-                          "  " 'global-mode-string "   (" mode-name ")"
-                          "  S<" 'reftex-refstyle ">"
-                          " -%-"))
               (cond
                ((= 0 (buffer-size))
                 (let ((buffer-read-only nil))
diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/reftex-sel.el b/lisp/textmodes/reftex-sel.el
index 45087e69de8..84170f710e0 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/reftex-sel.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/reftex-sel.el
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ During a selection process, these are the local bindings.
 
 \\{reftex-select-label-mode-map}"
   (setq-local reftex-select-marked nil)
+  (setq truncate-lines t)
+  (setq mode-line-format
+        (list "----  " 'mode-line-buffer-identification
+              "  " 'global-mode-string "   (" mode-name ")"
+              "  S<" 'reftex-refstyle ">"
+              " -%-"))
   (when (syntax-table-p reftex-latex-syntax-table)
     (set-syntax-table reftex-latex-syntax-table))
   ;; We do not set a local map - reftex-select-item does this.