diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py b/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py
index a9db82ae78..d5cf38e2ea 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ class InlineAdminFormSet(object):
                     'help_text': help_text_for_field(field_name, self.opts.model),
                 }
             else:
-                form_field = self.formset.form.base_fields[field_name]
+                form_field = self.formset.empty_form.fields[field_name]
                 label = form_field.label
                 if label is None:
                     label = label_for_field(field_name, self.opts.model, self.opts)
diff --git a/tests/admin_inlines/admin.py b/tests/admin_inlines/admin.py
index 64c89ebe99..c3bc8d7698 100644
--- a/tests/admin_inlines/admin.py
+++ b/tests/admin_inlines/admin.py
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ class SomeChildModelForm(forms.ModelForm):
             'position': forms.HiddenInput,
         }
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(SomeChildModelForm, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        self.fields['name'].label = 'new label'
+
 
 class SomeChildModelInline(admin.TabularInline):
     model = SomeChildModel
diff --git a/tests/admin_inlines/tests.py b/tests/admin_inlines/tests.py
index dc94999de4..95e38e8bb7 100644
--- a/tests/admin_inlines/tests.py
+++ b/tests/admin_inlines/tests.py
@@ -95,6 +95,16 @@ class TestInline(TestDataMixin, TestCase):
         response = self.client.get(reverse('admin:admin_inlines_titlecollection_add'))
         self.assertContains(response, '<th class="required">Title1</th>', html=True)
 
+    def test_custom_form_tabular_inline_overridden_label(self):
+        """
+        SomeChildModelForm.__init__() overrides the label of a form field.
+        That label is displayed in the TabularInline.
+        """
+        response = self.client.get(reverse('admin:admin_inlines_someparentmodel_add'))
+        field = list(response.context['inline_admin_formset'].fields())[0]
+        self.assertEqual(field['label'], 'new label')
+        self.assertContains(response, '<th class="required">New label</th>', html=True)
+
     def test_tabular_non_field_errors(self):
         """
         Ensure that non_field_errors are displayed correctly, including the