diff --git a/public/app/core/components/form_dropdown/form_dropdown.ts b/public/app/core/components/form_dropdown/form_dropdown.ts
index 55b99c5fde7..bcdac6ab024 100644
--- a/public/app/core/components/form_dropdown/form_dropdown.ts
+++ b/public/app/core/components/form_dropdown/form_dropdown.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ export class FormDropdownCtrl {
 
     // listen to model changes
     $scope.$watch('ctrl.model', this.modelChanged.bind(this));
+  }
 
+  $onInit() {
     if (this.labelMode) {
       this.cssClasses = 'gf-form-label ' + this.cssClass;
     } else {