diff --git a/Netdisco/share/views/ajax/datatabledefaults.tt b/Netdisco/share/views/ajax/datatabledefaults.tt
index b9774b9a..ad3b9a49 100644
--- a/Netdisco/share/views/ajax/datatabledefaults.tt
+++ b/Netdisco/share/views/ajax/datatabledefaults.tt
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
       });
     },
     "stateSaveParams": function (settings, data) {
+      var pgtitle = update_page_title('[% tabname %]');
+      update_browser_history('[% tabname %]', pgtitle, '');
+      // TODO: would be nice to update CSV link too
+
       var datatable = $('#[% tabname %]_pane').find('table').first().DataTable();
       // if no existing state, all columns default to visible.
       // on table load, state is saved... we can find out whether there was
@@ -23,9 +27,11 @@
       // visibility.
       if (datatable.state.loaded() === null) {
         $('#[% tabname %]_form').find('input[type="checkbox"]').each( function() {
-          var id = $(this).attr('id');
-          if (datatable.column( id + ':name' ).length === 1) {
-            datatable.column( id + ':name' ).visible( $(this).prop('checked') );
+          var id  = $(this).attr('id');
+          var col = datatable.column( id + ':name' );
+          if (col.length === 1) {
+            col.visible( $(this).prop('checked') );
+            data.columns[col.index()].visible = $(this).prop('checked');
           }
         });
       }
diff --git a/Netdisco/share/views/js/device.js b/Netdisco/share/views/js/device.js
index 1a480e86..028768d6 100644
--- a/Netdisco/share/views/js/device.js
+++ b/Netdisco/share/views/js/device.js
@@ -148,16 +148,6 @@
       update_csv_download_link('device', '[% tab.tag %]', '[% tab.provides_csv %]');
 
       [% 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();
-      $('#ports_form').find('input[type="checkbox"]').map(function() {
-        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', uri_base + '/device/[% tab.tag %]?reset=on&' +
         $('#ports_form')
diff --git a/Netdisco/share/views/sidebar/device/ports.tt b/Netdisco/share/views/sidebar/device/ports.tt
index 9f176388..88a377ce 100644
--- a/Netdisco/share/views/sidebar/device/ports.tt
+++ b/Netdisco/share/views/sidebar/device/ports.tt
@@ -58,17 +58,17 @@
               <div id="nd_columns" class="collapse in">
                 <ul id="nd_column-controls" class="nd_inputs-list unstyled">
                   [% FOREACH entry IN settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.columns %]
-                  [% NEXT IF entry.keys.first == 'c_admin' AND NOT user_has_role('port_control') %]
+                  [% SET keyname = entry.keys.first %]
+                  [% NEXT IF keyname == 'c_admin' AND NOT user_has_role('port_control') %]
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
-                      <!-- FIXME look at param not default -->
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp"
-                        [% ' checked="checked"' IF entry.item(entry.keys.first).default %]
-                        id="[% entry.keys.first | html_entity %]" name="[% entry.keys.first | html_entity %]" />
-                      [% IF entry.item(entry.keys.first).highlight %]
-                        <span class="label label-info">[% entry.item(entry.keys.first).label | html_entity %]</span>
+                        [% ' checked="checked"' IF (params.$keyname || entry.item(keyname).default) %]
+                        id="[% keyname | html_entity %]" name="[% keyname | html_entity %]" />
+                      [% IF entry.item(keyname).highlight %]
+                        <span class="label label-info">[% entry.item(keyname).label | html_entity %]</span>
                       [% ELSE %]
-                        [% entry.item(entry.keys.first).label | html_entity %]
+                        [% entry.item(keyname).label | html_entity %]
                       [% END %]
                     </label>
                   </li>
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="neigh_id"
-                        name="neigh_id"[% ' checked="checked"' IF params.neigh_id %] />
+                        name="neigh_id"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.neigh_id || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.neigh_id) %] />
                       Connected Device ID
                     </label>
                   </li>
@@ -135,42 +136,48 @@
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="n_age"
-                        name="n_age"[% ' checked="checked"' IF settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_age %] />
+                        name="n_age"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.n_age || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_age) %] />
                       Age Stamp
                     </label>
                   </li>
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="n_ip"
-                        name="n_ip"[% ' checked="checked"' IF settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_ip %] />
+                        name="n_ip"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.n_ip || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_ip) %] />
                       IP Address
                     </label>
                   </li>
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="n_netbios"
-                        name="n_netbios"[% ' checked="checked"' IF settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_netbios %] />
+                        name="n_netbios"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.n_netbios || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_netbios) %] />
                       NetBIOS
                     </label>
                   </li>
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="n_ssid"
-                        name="n_ssid"[% ' checked="checked"' IF settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_ssid %] />
+                        name="n_ssid"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.n_ssid || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_ssid) %] />
                       SSID
                     </label>
                   </li>
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="n_vendor"
-                        name="n_vendor"[% ' checked="checked"' IF settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_vendor %] />
+                        name="n_vendor"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.n_vendor || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_vendor) %] />
                       Vendor
                     </label>
                   </li>
                   <li>
                     <label class="checkbox">
                       <input type="checkbox" class="nd_dynamic-dp" id="n_archived"
-                        name="n_archived"[% ' checked="checked"' IF settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_archived %] />
+                        name="n_archived"[% ' checked="checked"' IF
+                          (params.n_archived || settings.table_display.$section.${tab.tag}.content.n_archived) %] />
                       Archived Data
                     </label>
                   </li>