diff --git a/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays.py b/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays.py
index 0977f3729b4..eb7b44b8a3d 100644
--- a/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays.py
+++ b/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays.py
@@ -182,6 +182,13 @@ class hr_holidays(osv.osv):
                 }
         return result
 
+    def onchange_employee(self, cr, uid, ids, employee_id):
+        result = {'value': {'department_id': False}}
+        if employee_id:
+            employee = self.pool.get('hr.employee').browse(cr, uid, employee_id)
+            result['value'] = {'department_id': employee.department_id.id}
+        return result
+
     # TODO: can be improved using resource calendar method
     def _get_number_of_days(self, date_from, date_to):
         """Returns a float equals to the timedelta between two dates given as string."""
diff --git a/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays_view.xml b/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays_view.xml
index 1808e216906..ea9a7fe3a66 100644
--- a/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays_view.xml
+++ b/addons/hr_holidays/hr_holidays_view.xml
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
                         </group>
                         <group>
                             <field name="holiday_type" on_change="onchange_type(holiday_type)" attrs="{'readonly':[('state','!=','draft')]}" width="130" string="Mode" groups="base.group_hr_user"/>
-                            <field name="employee_id" attrs="{'required':[('holiday_type','=','employee')],'invisible':[('holiday_type','=','category')]}" groups="base.group_hr_user"/>
+                            <field name="employee_id" attrs="{'required':[('holiday_type','=','employee')],'invisible':[('holiday_type','=','category')]}" on_change="onchange_employee(employee_id)" groups="base.group_hr_user"/>
                             <field name="department_id" attrs="{'readonly':[('holiday_type','=','category')]}" groups="base.group_hr_user"/>
                         </group>
                     </group>