diff --git a/packages/ra-core/src/form/useChoices.ts b/packages/ra-core/src/form/useChoices.ts
index 127281965b8..4ae81da172b 100644
--- a/packages/ra-core/src/form/useChoices.ts
+++ b/packages/ra-core/src/form/useChoices.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ const useChoices = ({
                     ? optionText(choice)
                     : get(choice, optionText);
 
-            return translateChoice
+            return isValidElement(choiceName)
+                ? choiceName
+                : translateChoice
                 ? translate(choiceName, { _: choiceName })
                 : String(choiceName);
         },
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.spec.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.spec.tsx
index 5dbe54b9619..48b01d7b088 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.spec.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { render, fireEvent, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { render, fireEvent, waitFor, act } from '@testing-library/react';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 
 import { AutocompleteInput } from './AutocompleteInput';
@@ -534,6 +534,38 @@ describe('<AutocompleteInput />', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    it('should throw an error if no inputText was provided when the optionText returns an element', () => {
+        const mock = jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
+        const SuggestionItem = ({ record }: { record?: any }) => (
+            <div aria-label={record && record.name} />
+        );
+
+        const t = () => {
+            act(() => {
+                render(
+                    <Form
+                        onSubmit={jest.fn()}
+                        render={() => (
+                            <AutocompleteInput
+                                {...defaultProps}
+                                optionText={() => <SuggestionItem />}
+                                matchSuggestion={() => true}
+                                choices={[
+                                    { id: 1, name: 'bar' },
+                                    { id: 2, name: 'foo' },
+                                ]}
+                            />
+                        )}
+                    />
+                );
+            });
+        };
+        expect(t).toThrow(
+            'When optionText returns a React element, you must also provide the inputText prop'
+        );
+        mock.mockRestore();
+    });
+
     it('should display helperText if specified', () => {
         const { queryByText } = render(
             <Form
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.tsx
index 16de7230d9d..16198757e25 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/input/AutocompleteInput.tsx
@@ -229,14 +229,20 @@ export const AutocompleteInput = (props: AutocompleteInputProps) => {
         const isFunction = typeof optionText === 'function';
 
         if (isFunction) {
+            const selectedItemText = optionText(selectedItem);
+
+            if (isValidElement(selectedItemText) && !inputText) {
+                throw new Error(
+                    'When optionText returns a React element, you must also provide the inputText prop'
+                );
+            }
+
             const hasOption = choices.some(choice => {
                 const text = optionText(choice) as string;
 
                 return get(choice, text) === filterValue;
             });
 
-            const selectedItemText = optionText(selectedItem);
-
             return hasOption || selectedItemText === filterValue;
         }
 
@@ -246,7 +252,14 @@ export const AutocompleteInput = (props: AutocompleteInputProps) => {
         });
 
         return selectedItemText === filterValue || hasOption;
-    }, [choices, optionText, filterValue, matchSuggestion, selectedItem]);
+    }, [
+        optionText,
+        selectedItem,
+        choices,
+        filterValue,
+        matchSuggestion,
+        inputText,
+    ]);
 
     const shouldAllowCreate = !doesQueryMatchSuggestion;