diff --git a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
index 41a7eaa074..3349aa7077 100644
--- a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
+++ b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
@@ -386,19 +386,16 @@ unsigned int LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::GetChildren( wxDataViewItem const&   aItem,
 }
 
 
-void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::RefreshTree( LIB_TREE_NODE* aNode )
+void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::RefreshTree()
 {
-    if( !aNode )
-        aNode = &m_tree;
+    // Yes, this is an enormous hack.  But it works on all platforms, it doesn't suffer
+    // the On^2 sorting issues that ItemChanged() does on OSX, and it doesn't lose the
+    // user's scroll position (which re-attaching or deleting/re-inserting columns does).
+    static int walk = 1;
 
-    for( auto const& child: aNode->m_Children )
-    {
-        if( child->m_Score > 0 )
-        {
-            RefreshTree( child.get() );
-            ItemChanged( ToItem( aNode ) );
-        }
-    }
+    m_col_part->SetWidth( m_col_part->GetWidth() + walk );
+    m_col_desc->SetWidth( m_col_desc->GetWidth() - walk );
+    walk = -walk;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
index 6262a258da..eedda7ca81 100644
--- a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
+++ b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ public:
     void Thaw() { m_freeze--; }
     bool IsFrozen() const { return m_freeze; }
 
-    void RefreshTree( LIB_TREE_NODE* aNode = nullptr );
+    void RefreshTree();
 
     // Allows subclasses to nominate a context menu handler.
     virtual TOOL_INTERACTIVE* GetContextMenuTool() { return nullptr; }
diff --git a/eeschema/symbol_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp b/eeschema/symbol_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp
index dfab5e2e68..10fa479746 100644
--- a/eeschema/symbol_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp
+++ b/eeschema/symbol_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::Sync( bool aForce,
     }
 
     // Look for new libraries
-    for( const auto& libName : m_libMgr->GetLibraryNames() )
+    for( const wxString& libName : m_libMgr->GetLibraryNames() )
     {
         if( m_libHashes.count( libName ) == 0 )
         {
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ void SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::Sync( bool aForce,
             }
 
             SYMBOL_LIB_TABLE_ROW* library = m_libMgr->GetLibrary( libName );
+            LIB_TREE_NODE_LIB&    lib_node = DoAddLibraryNode( libName, library->GetDescr() );
 
-            auto& lib_node = DoAddLibraryNode( libName, library->GetDescr() );
             updateLibrary( lib_node );
         }
     }
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ int SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::GetLibrariesCount() const
 {
     int count = LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::GetLibrariesCount();
 
-    for( const auto& libName : m_libMgr->GetLibraryNames() )
+    for( const wxString& libName : m_libMgr->GetLibraryNames() )
     {
         if( m_libHashes.count( libName ) == 0 )
             ++count;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::updateLibrary( LIB_TREE_NODE_LIB& aLibNo
     if( hashIt == m_libHashes.end() )
     {
         // add a new library
-        for( auto alias : m_libMgr->GetAliases( aLibNode.m_Name ) )
+        for( LIB_PART* alias : m_libMgr->GetAliases( aLibNode.m_Name ) )
             aLibNode.AddItem( alias );
     }
     else if( hashIt->second != m_libMgr->GetLibraryHash( aLibNode.m_Name ) )
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ void SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::updateLibrary( LIB_TREE_NODE_LIB& aLibNo
         }
 
         // now the aliases list contains only new aliases that need to be added to the tree
-        for( auto alias : aliases )
+        for( LIB_PART* alias : aliases )
             aLibNode.AddItem( alias );
     }
 
@@ -207,29 +207,38 @@ void SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::GetValue( wxVariant& aVariant, wxDataVie
         return;
     }
 
-    auto node = ToNode( aItem );
+    LIB_TREE_NODE* node = ToNode( aItem );
     wxASSERT( node );
 
     switch( aCol )
     {
     case 0:
-        aVariant = node->m_Name;
+        if( m_frame->GetCurPart() && m_frame->GetCurPart()->GetLibId() == node->m_LibId )
+            node->m_Name = m_frame->GetCurPart()->GetLibId().GetLibItemName();
 
         if( node->m_Pinned )
             aVariant = GetPinningSymbol() + node->m_Name;
+        else
+            aVariant = node->m_Name;
 
-        // mark modified libs with an asterisk
-        if( node->m_Type == LIB_TREE_NODE::LIB && m_libMgr->IsLibraryModified( node->m_Name ) )
-            aVariant = aVariant.GetString() + " *";
-
-        // mark modified parts with an aster-ix
-        if( node->m_Type == LIB_TREE_NODE::LIBID
-                && m_libMgr->IsPartModified( node->m_Name, node->m_Parent->m_Name ) )
-            aVariant = aVariant.GetString() + " *";
+        // mark modified items with an asterisk
+        if( node->m_Type == LIB_TREE_NODE::LIB )
+        {
+            if( m_libMgr->IsLibraryModified( node->m_Name ) )
+                aVariant = aVariant.GetString() + " *";
+        }
+        else if( node->m_Type == LIB_TREE_NODE::LIBID )
+        {
+            if( m_libMgr->IsPartModified( node->m_Name, node->m_Parent->m_Name ) )
+                aVariant = aVariant.GetString() + " *";
+        }
 
         break;
 
     case 1:
+        if( m_frame->GetCurPart() && m_frame->GetCurPart()->GetLibId() == node->m_LibId )
+            node->m_Desc = m_frame->GetCurPart()->GetDescription();
+
         aVariant = node->m_Desc;
         break;
 
@@ -250,7 +259,7 @@ bool SYMBOL_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::GetAttr( wxDataViewItem const& aItem, un
     if( aCol != 0 )
         return false;
 
-    auto node = ToNode( aItem );
+    LIB_TREE_NODE* node = ToNode( aItem );
     wxCHECK( node, false );
 
     switch( node->m_Type )
diff --git a/pcbnew/fp_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp b/pcbnew/fp_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp
index 0d474088b3..e2f51d878c 100644
--- a/pcbnew/fp_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/fp_tree_synchronizing_adapter.cpp
@@ -171,17 +171,13 @@ void FP_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::GetValue( wxVariant& aVariant, wxDataViewIte
     case 0:
         if( node->m_LibId == m_frame->GetLoadedFPID() && !m_frame->IsCurrentFPFromBoard() )
         {
-            auto mod = m_frame->GetBoard()->GetFirstModule();
-
-            wxASSERT( mod );
-
-            wxString currentFPName = mod->GetFPID().GetLibItemName();
+            node->m_Name = m_frame->GetLoadedFPID().GetLibItemName();
 
             // mark modified part with an asterisk
             if( m_frame->GetScreen()->IsModify() )
-                aVariant = currentFPName + " *";
+                aVariant = node->m_Name + " *";
             else
-                aVariant = currentFPName;
+                aVariant = node->m_Name;
         }
         else if( node->m_Pinned )
             aVariant = GetPinningSymbol() + node->m_Name;
@@ -190,6 +186,9 @@ void FP_TREE_SYNCHRONIZING_ADAPTER::GetValue( wxVariant& aVariant, wxDataViewIte
         break;
 
     case 1:
+        if( node->m_LibId == m_frame->GetLoadedFPID() && !m_frame->IsCurrentFPFromBoard() )
+            node->m_Desc = m_frame->GetBoard()->GetFirstModule()->GetDescription();
+
         aVariant = node->m_Desc;
         break;