diff --git a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
index f2bede8b3b..f0dca46c09 100644
--- a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
+++ b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.cpp
@@ -19,12 +19,15 @@
  * with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-#include <lib_tree_model_adapter.h>
 #include <eda_pattern_match.h>
+#include <kiface_i.h>
+#include <lib_tree_model_adapter.h>
 #include <wx/tokenzr.h>
 #include <wx/wupdlock.h>
 
 
+#define LIST_COLUMN_WIDTH_KEY wxT( "SelectorColumnWidth" )
+
 static const int kDataViewIndent = 20;
 
 
@@ -75,13 +78,40 @@ LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER()
      m_col_part( nullptr ),
      m_col_desc( nullptr ),
      m_widget( nullptr )
-{}
+{
+    // Default column widths
+    m_colWidths[PART_COL] = 360;
+    m_colWidths[DESC_COL] = 2000;
+
+    m_config = Kiface().KifaceSettings();
+    m_configPrefix = typeid( this ).name();
+
+    // Read the column width from the config
+    int colWidth = 0;
+
+    if( m_config->Read( m_configPrefix + LIST_COLUMN_WIDTH_KEY, &colWidth ) )
+        m_colWidths[PART_COL] = colWidth;
+}
 
 
 LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::~LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER()
 {}
 
 
+void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::SaveColWidths()
+{
+    if( m_widget )
+    {
+        int colWidth = m_widget->GetColumn( PART_COL )->GetWidth();
+        m_config->Write( m_configPrefix + LIST_COLUMN_WIDTH_KEY, colWidth );
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        wxLogDebug( "Error saving column size, tree view doesn't exist" );
+    }
+}
+
+
 void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::SetFilter( CMP_FILTER_TYPE aFilter )
 {
     m_filter = aFilter;
@@ -184,14 +214,21 @@ void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::UpdateSearchString( wxString const& aSearch )
 void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::AttachTo( wxDataViewCtrl* aDataViewCtrl )
 {
     wxString partHead = _( "Item" );
-    int      partWidth = 360;
     wxString descHead = _( "Description" );
-    int      descWidth = 2000;
 
     if( aDataViewCtrl->GetColumnCount() > 0 )
     {
-        partWidth = aDataViewCtrl->GetColumn( 0 )->GetWidth();
-        descWidth = aDataViewCtrl->GetColumn( 1 )->GetWidth();
+        int partWidth = aDataViewCtrl->GetColumn( PART_COL )->GetWidth();
+        int descWidth = aDataViewCtrl->GetColumn( DESC_COL )->GetWidth();
+
+        // Only use the widths read back if they are non-zero.
+        // GTK returns the displayed width of the column, which is not calculated immediately
+        // this leads to cases of 0 column width if the user types too fast in the filter
+        if( descWidth > 0 )
+        {
+            m_colWidths[PART_COL] = partWidth;
+            m_colWidths[DESC_COL] = descWidth;
+        }
     }
 
     m_widget = aDataViewCtrl;
@@ -199,8 +236,10 @@ void LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::AttachTo( wxDataViewCtrl* aDataViewCtrl )
     aDataViewCtrl->AssociateModel( this );
     aDataViewCtrl->ClearColumns();
 
-    m_col_part = aDataViewCtrl->AppendTextColumn( partHead, 0, wxDATAVIEW_CELL_INERT, partWidth );
-    m_col_desc = aDataViewCtrl->AppendTextColumn( descHead, 1, wxDATAVIEW_CELL_INERT, descWidth );
+    m_col_part = aDataViewCtrl->AppendTextColumn( partHead, PART_COL, wxDATAVIEW_CELL_INERT,
+                                                  m_colWidths[PART_COL] );
+    m_col_desc = aDataViewCtrl->AppendTextColumn( descHead, DESC_COL, wxDATAVIEW_CELL_INERT,
+                                                  m_colWidths[DESC_COL] );
 }
 
 
diff --git a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
index 4863d3e5af..f9677f783d 100644
--- a/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
+++ b/common/lib_tree_model_adapter.h
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
  * - `Compare()` - compare two rows, for sorting
  * - `HasDefaultCompare()` - whether sorted by default
  */
- 
+
 class TOOL_INTERACTIVE;
 
 class LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER: public wxDataViewModel
@@ -114,6 +114,22 @@ public:
         CMP_FILTER_POWER,       ///< list components flagged PWR
     };
 
+    /**
+     * This enum defines the order of the columns in the tree view
+     */
+    enum TREE_COLS
+    {
+        PART_COL = 0,   ///< Part name column
+        DESC_COL,       ///< Part description column
+        NUM_COLS        ///< The number of tree columns
+    };
+
+    /**
+     * Save the column widths to the config file. This requires the tree view to still be
+     * valid.
+     */
+    void SaveColWidths();
+
     /**
      * Set the component filter type. Must be set before adding libraries
      *
@@ -273,7 +289,7 @@ protected:
      */
     wxDataViewItem GetParent( wxDataViewItem const& aItem ) const override;
 
-    unsigned int GetColumnCount() const override { return 2; }
+    unsigned int GetColumnCount() const override { return NUM_COLS; }
 
     /**
      * Return the type of data stored in the column as indicated by wxVariant::GetType()
@@ -322,6 +338,11 @@ private:
     wxDataViewColumn*   m_col_desc;
     wxDataViewCtrl*     m_widget;
 
+    int                 m_colWidths[NUM_COLS];
+
+    wxConfigBase*       m_config;
+    wxString            m_configPrefix;
+
     /**
      * Find any results worth highlighting and expand them, according to given
      * criteria (f(CMP_TREE_NODE const*) -> bool)
diff --git a/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp b/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp
index 8ebfa456a2..f300c22e6d 100644
--- a/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp
+++ b/common/widgets/lib_tree.cpp
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@
 #include <wx/html/htmlwin.h>
 #include <tool/tool_interactive.h>
 #include <tool/tool_manager.h>
-#include <kiface_i.h>
-
-#define LIST_COLUMN_WIDTH_KEY          wxT( "SelectorColumnWidth" )
 
 
 LIB_TREE::LIB_TREE( wxWindow* aParent, LIB_TABLE* aLibTable, LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::PTR& aAdapter,
@@ -43,9 +40,6 @@ LIB_TREE::LIB_TREE( wxWindow* aParent, LIB_TABLE* aLibTable, LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAP
       m_query_ctrl( nullptr ),
       m_details_ctrl( nullptr )
 {
-    m_config = Kiface().KifaceSettings();
-    m_configPrefix = typeid( m_adapter ).name();
-
     auto sizer = new wxBoxSizer( wxVERTICAL );
 
     // Search text control
@@ -116,11 +110,6 @@ LIB_TREE::LIB_TREE( wxWindow* aParent, LIB_TABLE* aLibTable, LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAP
 
     Bind( COMPONENT_PRESELECTED, &LIB_TREE::onPreselect, this );
 
-    int colWidth = 0;
-
-    if( m_config->Read( m_configPrefix + LIST_COLUMN_WIDTH_KEY, &colWidth ) )
-        m_tree_ctrl->GetColumn( 0 )->SetWidth( colWidth );
-
     // If wxTextCtrl::SetHint() is called before binding wxEVT_TEXT, the event
     // handler will intermittently fire.
     if( m_query_ctrl )
@@ -148,8 +137,8 @@ LIB_TREE::LIB_TREE( wxWindow* aParent, LIB_TABLE* aLibTable, LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAP
 
 LIB_TREE::~LIB_TREE()
 {
-    int colWidth = m_tree_ctrl->GetColumn( 0 )->GetWidth();
-    m_config->Write( m_configPrefix + LIST_COLUMN_WIDTH_KEY, colWidth );
+    // Save the column widths to the config file
+    m_adapter->SaveColWidths();
 }
 
 
@@ -412,7 +401,7 @@ void LIB_TREE::onPreselect( wxCommandEvent& aEvent )
 void LIB_TREE::onContextMenu( wxDataViewEvent& aEvent )
 {
     TOOL_INTERACTIVE* tool = m_adapter->GetContextMenuTool();
-    
+
     if( tool )
     {
         tool->Activate();
diff --git a/common/widgets/lib_tree.h b/common/widgets/lib_tree.h
index cdee3afc39..47631e528a 100644
--- a/common/widgets/lib_tree.h
+++ b/common/widgets/lib_tree.h
@@ -158,9 +158,6 @@ protected:
     void onContextMenu( wxDataViewEvent& aEvent );
 
 protected:
-    wxConfigBase*               m_config;
-    wxString                    m_configPrefix;
-
     LIB_TABLE*                  m_lib_table;
     LIB_TREE_MODEL_ADAPTER::PTR m_adapter;