diff --git a/.werks/16123.md b/.werks/16123.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..280b8c425dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.werks/16123.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[//]: # (werk v2)
+# Use the original message text for rewriting the comment field
+
+key        | value
+---------- | ---
+date       | 2024-09-11T13:54:07+00:00
+version    | 2.3.0p17
+class      | fix
+edition    | cre
+component  | ec
+level      | 1
+compatible | yes
+
+Werk 16534 made the rewriting of the comment field use the comment field
+itself as the basis. For this field, it doesn't really make sense, because
+rewriting is the only way to fill that field, so e.g. \0 was always empty.
+
+With this change, we revert to the old behaviour where all match groups
+refer to the original message text.
diff --git a/cmk/ec/main.py b/cmk/ec/main.py
index 045c1ae6ff8..b3596aebb32 100644
--- a/cmk/ec/main.py
+++ b/cmk/ec/main.py
@@ -1465,9 +1465,7 @@ def rewrite_event(  # pylint: disable=too-many-branches
             event["first"] = event["time"]
         event["last"] = event["time"]
         if "set_comment" in rule:
-            event["comment"] = replace_groups(
-                rule["set_comment"], event.get("comment", ""), match_groups
-            )
+            event["comment"] = replace_groups(rule["set_comment"], event["text"], match_groups)
         if "set_text" in rule:
             event["text"] = replace_groups(rule["set_text"], event["text"], match_groups)
         if "set_host" in rule:
diff --git a/cmk/gui/mkeventd/wato.py b/cmk/gui/mkeventd/wato.py
index 2ede43a1cce..c13fd7fd8e8 100644
--- a/cmk/gui/mkeventd/wato.py
+++ b/cmk/gui/mkeventd/wato.py
@@ -1354,7 +1354,7 @@ def vs_mkeventd_rule(customer: str | None = None) -> Dictionary:
                     "etc. matching group."
                 )
                 + _(
-                    "The placeholder <tt>\\0</tt> will be replaced by the original text of this field. "
+                    "The placeholder <tt>\\0</tt> will be replaced by the original message text. "
                     "This allows you to add new information at the beginning or at the end."
                 ),
                 size=64,