diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Web/Device.pm b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Web/Device.pm
index 099246ba..4e66ac27 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Web/Device.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/App/Netdisco/Web/Device.pm
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ hook 'before' => sub {
   my $cookie = cookie('nd_ports-form');
   my $cdata = url_params_mixed($cookie);
 
-  if ($cdata and ref {} eq ref $cdata) {
+  if ($cdata and ref {} eq ref $cdata and not param('reset')) {
       foreach my $item (@{ var('port_columns') }) {
           my $key = $item->{name};
           next unless defined $cdata->{$key}
diff --git a/Netdisco/share/views/device.tt b/Netdisco/share/views/device.tt
index 88f26312..3a9284ae 100644
--- a/Netdisco/share/views/device.tt
+++ b/Netdisco/share/views/device.tt
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
         rel="tooltip" data-placement="left" data-offset="5" data-title="Hide Sidebar" data-container="body"></i>
       <i class="nd_sidebar-pin icon-pushpin nd_sidebar-pin-clicked"
         rel="tooltip" data-placement="left" data-offset="5" data-title="Unpin Sidebar" data-container="body"></i>
-      <i class="nd_sidebar-reset icon-undo"
-        rel="tooltip" data-placement="left" data-offset="5" data-title="Reset to Defaults" data-container="body"></i>
+      <a id="nd_sidebar-reset-link" href="#">
+        <i class="nd_sidebar-reset icon-undo"
+          rel="tooltip" data-placement="left" data-offset="5" data-title="Reset to Defaults" data-container="body"></i>
+      </a>
       <div class="tab-content">
         [% FOREACH tab IN settings._device_tabs %]
         <div id="[% tab.tag %]_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == tab.tag %]">
diff --git a/Netdisco/share/views/js/common.js b/Netdisco/share/views/js/common.js
index 3f1dc021..61d246f0 100644
--- a/Netdisco/share/views/js/common.js
+++ b/Netdisco/share/views/js/common.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     var form = '#' + tab + '_form';
     var query = $(form).serialize();
 
-    if (show == '1') {
+    if (show.length) {
       $('#nd_csv-download')
         .attr('href', '/ajax/content/' + type + '/' + tab + '?' + query)
         .attr('download', 'netdisco-' + type + '-' + tab + '.csv')
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@
       copy_navbar_to_sidebar('[% tab.tag %]');
 
       [% IF tab.tag == 'ports' %]
+      // to be fair I can't remember why we do this in JS and not from the app
+      // perhaps because selecting form fields to go in the cookie is easier?
       var cookie = $('#ports_form').find('input,select')
         .not('#nd_port-query,input[name="q"],input[name="tab"]')
         .serializeArray();
@@ -88,6 +90,10 @@
         cookie.push({'name': 'columns', 'value': $(this).attr('name')});
       });
       $.cookie('nd_ports-form', $.param(cookie) ,{ expires: 365 });
+
+      // form reset icon on ports tab
+      $('#nd_sidebar-reset-link').attr('href', '/device?tab=ports&reset=on&' +
+        $('#ports_form').find('input[name="q"],input[name="f"],input[name="partial"]').serialize())
       [% END %]
 
       do_search(event, '[% tab.tag %]');