diff --git a/static/js/UI.js b/static/js/UI.js
index df2b7de2..3b4c2b2b 100644
--- a/static/js/UI.js
+++ b/static/js/UI.js
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ pandora.UI = (function() {
                     // if find has changed list
                     Ox.forEach(listSettings, function(listSetting, setting) {
                         // then for each setting that corresponds to a list setting
-                        if (!pandora.user.ui.lists[list]) {
+                        if (!pandora.user.ui.lists[list]
+                            || Ox.isUndefined(pandora.user.ui.lists[list][listSetting])) {
                             // either add the default setting
                             add[setting] = pandora.site.user.ui[setting];
                         } else {
@@ -131,6 +132,16 @@ pandora.UI = (function() {
                     add[key] = pandora.site.user.ui[setting];
                 }
             });
+            // set nested lisColumnWidth updates
+            Ox.forEach(args, function(value, key) {
+                if (Ox.startsWith(key, 'listColumnWidth.')) {
+                    key = 'lists.' + that.encode(list) + '.columnWidth.'
+                        + key.slice('listColumnWidth.'.length);
+                    if (!(key in add)) {
+                        add[key] = value;
+                    }
+                }
+            });
 
             if (args.item) {
                 // when switching to an item, update list selection