diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a368d788a78..bb0728e0b97 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+- Add `unsafe_set!(::Textbox, ::String)` [#4417](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4417)
 - Moved Axis3 clip planes slightly outside to avoid clipping objects on the border with 0 margin [#4742](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4742)
 - Fixed an issue with transformations not propagating to child plots when their spaces only match indirectly. [#4723](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4723)
 - Added a tutorial on creating an inset plot [#4697](https://github.com/MakieOrg/Makie.jl/pull/4697)
diff --git a/src/makielayout/blocks/textbox.jl b/src/makielayout/blocks/textbox.jl
index 58f4252726c..acf06bc01ab 100644
--- a/src/makielayout/blocks/textbox.jl
+++ b/src/makielayout/blocks/textbox.jl
@@ -86,8 +86,7 @@ function initialize_block!(tbox::Textbox)
 
         if ci > length(bbs)
             # correct cursorindex if it's outside of the displayed charbbs range
-            cursorindex[] = length(bbs)
-            return
+            ci = cursorindex[] = length(bbs)
         end
 
         if 0 < ci < length(bbs)
@@ -344,10 +343,18 @@ end
 Sets the stored_string of the given `Textbox` to `string`, triggering listeners of `tb.stored_string`.
 """
 function set!(tb::Textbox, string::String)
-    if !validate_textbox(string, tb.validator[])
+    if validate_textbox(string, tb.validator[])
+        unsafe_set!(tb, string)
+    else
         error("Invalid string \"$(string)\" for textbox.")
     end
+end
 
+"""
+    unsafe_set!(tb::Textbox, string::String)
+Sets the stored_string of the given `Textbox` to `string`, ignoring the possibility that it might not pass the validator function.
+"""
+function unsafe_set!(tb::Textbox, string::String)
     tb.displayed_string = string
     tb.stored_string = string
     nothing
diff --git a/test/SceneLike/makielayout.jl b/test/SceneLike/makielayout.jl
index 713dd13e6d7..1d8631650b8 100644
--- a/test/SceneLike/makielayout.jl
+++ b/test/SceneLike/makielayout.jl
@@ -571,3 +571,11 @@ end
     Toggle(f[2,1], orientation=:vertical)
     Toggle(f[3,1], orientation=pi/4)
 end
+
+@testset "Textbox set! & unsafe_set!" begin
+    f = Figure()
+    tb = Textbox(f[1,1], validator = isequal("hi"))
+    @test isnothing(Makie.set!(tb, "hi"))
+    @test_throws ErrorException Makie.set!(tb, "there")
+    @test isnothing(Makie.unsafe_set!(tb, "there"))
+end