diff --git a/db/migrate/20190903165443_issue_2595_gitlab_placeholder.rb b/db/migrate/20190903165443_issue_2595_gitlab_placeholder.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7e3467db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20190903165443_issue_2595_gitlab_placeholder.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+class Issue2595GitlabPlaceholder < ActiveRecord::Migration[5.2]
+  def change
+    # return if it's a new setup
+    return if !Setting.find_by(name: 'system_init_done')
+
+    setting = Setting.find_by(name: 'auth_gitlab_credentials')
+    setting.options['form'].last['placeholder'] = 'https://gitlab.YOURDOMAIN.com/api/v4/'
+    setting.save!
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/seeds/settings.rb b/db/seeds/settings.rb
index c5d08b69b..aa4db0fa0 100644
--- a/db/seeds/settings.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/settings.rb
@@ -1450,7 +1450,7 @@ Setting.create_if_not_exists(
         null:        true,
         name:        'site',
         tag:         'input',
-        placeholder: 'https://gitlab.YOURDOMAIN.com',
+        placeholder: 'https://gitlab.YOURDOMAIN.com/api/v4/',
       },
     ],
   },