diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.html b/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.html
index e8da3559c..373e89b1f 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.html
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.html
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <div class="d-flex flex-row mt-2 align-items-center">
-    {{title}}:
-    <div class="ms-2 d-flex flex-row gap-2 w-100"
+    <span class="me-2">{{title}}:</span>
+    <div class="d-flex flex-row gap-2 w-100 mh-1" style="min-height: 1em;"
         cdkDropList #selectedList="cdkDropList"
         cdkDropListOrientation="horizontal"
         (cdkDropListDropped)="drop($event)"
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     </div>
 </div>
 <div class="d-flex flex-row mt-2 align-items-center bg-light p-2">
-    <div class="d-flex flex-row gap-2 w-100"
+    <div class="d-flex flex-row gap-2 w-100 mh-1" style="min-height: 1em;"
         cdkDropList #unselectedList="cdkDropList"
         cdkDropListOrientation="horizontal"
         (cdkDropListDropped)="drop($event)"
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.spec.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.spec.ts
index 4477c9e92..b5b5bb47d 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.spec.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ describe('DragDropSelectComponent', () => {
       { id: '2', name: 'Item 2' },
       { id: '3', name: 'Item 3' },
     ])
+
+    component.writeValue(null)
+    expect(component.selectedItems).toEqual([])
   })
 
   it('should update selectedItems when an item is dropped within selectedList', () => {
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.ts
index 43e112b8d..2c86bbb45 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/common/input/drag-drop-select/drag-drop-select.component.ts
@@ -34,9 +34,8 @@ export class DragDropSelectComponent extends AbstractInputComponent<string[]> {
 
   writeValue(newValue: string[]): void {
     super.writeValue(newValue)
-    this.selectedItems = newValue.map((id) =>
-      this.items.find((i) => i.id === id)
-    )
+    this.selectedItems =
+      newValue?.map((id) => this.items.find((i) => i.id === id)) ?? []
   }
 
   public drop(event: CdkDragDrop<string[]>) {
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.html b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.html
index f36024bb0..66c40ec13 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.html
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.html
@@ -9,19 +9,19 @@
     <a class="btn-link text-decoration-none" header-buttons [routerLink]="[]" (click)="showAll()" i18n>Show all</a>
   }
 
-  @if (documents.length && (!savedView.display_mode || savedView.display_mode === DashboardViewMode.TABLE)) {
+  @if (documents.length && displayMode === DisplayMode.TABLE) {
     <table content class="table table-hover mb-0 mt-n2 align-middle">
       <thead>
         <tr>
-          @for (column of savedView.display_fields; track column; let i = $index) {
-            @if (activeDisplayFields.includes(column)) {
+          @for (field of displayFields; track field; let i = $index) {
+            @if (displayFields.includes(field)) {
               <th
                 scope="col"
                 [ngClass]="{
                   'd-none d-md-table-cell': i > 1,
-                  'w-25': column === DashboardViewTableColumn.CREATED || column === DashboardViewTableColumn.ADDED
+                  'w-25': field === DisplayField.CREATED || field === DisplayField.ADDED
                 }">
-                {{ getColumnTitle(column) }}
+                {{ getColumnTitle(field) }}
               </th>
             }
           }
@@ -30,44 +30,44 @@
       <tbody>
         @for (doc of documents; track doc.id) {
           <tr>
-            @for (column of savedView.display_fields; track column; let i = $index) {
-              @if (activeDisplayFields.includes(column)) {
+            @for (field of displayFields; track field; let i = $index) {
+              @if (displayFields.includes(field)) {
                 <td class="py-2 py-md-3 position-relative" [ngClass]="{ 'd-none d-md-table-cell': i > 1 }">
-                  @switch (column) {
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.ADDED) {
+                  @switch (field) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.ADDED) {
                       <a routerLink="/documents/{{doc.id}}" class="btn-link text-dark text-decoration-none py-2 py-md-3">{{doc.added | customDate}}</a>
                     }
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.CREATED) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.CREATED) {
                       <a routerLink="/documents/{{doc.id}}" class="btn-link text-dark text-decoration-none py-2 py-md-3">{{doc.created_date | customDate}}</a>
                     }
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.TITLE) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.TITLE) {
                       <a routerLink="/documents/{{doc.id}}" title="Edit" i18n-title class="btn-link text-dark text-decoration-none py-2 py-md-3">{{doc.title | documentTitle}}</a>
                     }
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.CORRESPONDENT) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.CORRESPONDENT) {
                       @if (doc.correspondent) {
                         <a class="btn-link text-dark text-decoration-none" type="button" (click)="clickCorrespondent(doc.correspondent, $event)">{{(doc.correspondent$ | async)?.name}}</a>
                       }
                     }
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.TAGS) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.TAGS) {
                       @for (t of doc.tags$ | async; track t) {
                         <pngx-tag [tag]="t" class="ms-1" (click)="clickTag(t.id, $event)"></pngx-tag>
                       }
                     }
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.DOCUMENT_TYPE) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.DOCUMENT_TYPE) {
                       @if (doc.document_type) {
                         <a class="btn-link text-dark text-decoration-none" type="button" (click)="clickDocType(doc.document_type, $event)">{{(doc.document_type$ | async)?.name}}</a>
                       }
                     }
-                    @case (DashboardViewTableColumn.STORAGE_PATH) {
+                    @case (DisplayField.STORAGE_PATH) {
                       @if (doc.storage_path) {
                         <a class="btn-link text-dark text-decoration-none" type="button" (click)="clickStoragePath(doc.storage_path, $event)">{{(doc.storage_path$ | async)?.name}}</a>
                       }
                     }
                   }
-                  @if (column.startsWith(DashboardViewTableColumn.CUSTOM_FIELD)) {
-                    <pngx-custom-field-display [document]="doc" [fieldDisplayKey]="column"></pngx-custom-field-display>
+                  @if (field.startsWith(DisplayField.CUSTOM_FIELD)) {
+                    <pngx-custom-field-display [document]="doc" [fieldDisplayKey]="field"></pngx-custom-field-display>
                   }
-                  @if (i === savedView.display_fields.length - 1) {
+                  @if (i === displayFields.length - 1) {
                     <div class="btn-group position-absolute top-50 end-0 translate-middle-y">
                       <a [href]="getPreviewUrl(doc)" title="View Preview" i18n-title target="_blank" class="btn px-4 btn-dark border-dark-subtle"
                         [ngbPopover]="previewContent" [popoverTitle]="doc.title | documentTitle"
@@ -89,14 +89,14 @@
         }
       </tbody>
     </table>
-  } @else if (documents.length && savedView.display_mode === DashboardViewMode.SMALL_CARDS) {
+  } @else if (documents.length && displayMode === DisplayMode.SMALL_CARDS) {
     <div class="row row-cols-paperless-cards my-n2">
       @for (d of documents; track d.id) {
         <pngx-document-card-small
           class="p-0"
           (dblClickDocument)="openDocumentDetail(d)"
           [document]="d"
-          [displayFields]="activeDisplayFields"
+          [displayFields]="displayFields"
           (clickTag)="clickTag($event)"
           (clickCorrespondent)="clickCorrespondent($event)"
           (clickStoragePath)="clickStoragePath($event)"
@@ -104,13 +104,13 @@
         </pngx-document-card-small>
       }
     </div>
-  } @else if (documents.length && savedView.display_mode === DashboardViewMode.LARGE_CARDS) {
+  } @else if (documents.length && displayMode === DisplayMode.LARGE_CARDS) {
     <div class="row my-n2">
       @for (d of documents; track d.id) {
         <pngx-document-card-large
           (dblClickDocument)="openDocumentDetail(d)"
           [document]="d"
-          [displayFields]="activeDisplayFields"
+          [displayFields]="displayFields"
           (clickTag)="clickTag($event)"
           (clickCorrespondent)="clickCorrespondent($event)"
           (clickStoragePath)="clickStoragePath($event)"
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.spec.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.spec.ts
index 15b4b5b63..017930075 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.spec.ts
@@ -342,4 +342,39 @@ describe('SavedViewWidgetComponent', () => {
       'Storage path'
     )
   })
+
+  it('should hide fields if no perms', () => {
+    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SavedViewWidgetComponent)
+    component = fixture.componentInstance
+    component.savedView = {
+      sort_field: 'added',
+      sort_reverse: true,
+      show_in_sidebar: true,
+      show_on_dashboard: true,
+      filter_rules: [],
+      display_fields: [DisplayField.TITLE, 'foo' as any, 'bar' as any],
+    }
+    component.ngOnInit()
+    expect(component.displayFields).toEqual([DisplayField.TITLE])
+  })
+
+  it('should use fallback display settings', () => {
+    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SavedViewWidgetComponent)
+    component = fixture.componentInstance
+    component.savedView = {
+      sort_field: 'added',
+      sort_reverse: true,
+      show_in_sidebar: true,
+      show_on_dashboard: true,
+      filter_rules: [],
+    }
+    component.ngOnInit()
+    expect(component.displayMode).toEqual(DisplayMode.TABLE)
+    expect(component.displayFields).toEqual([
+      DisplayField.CREATED,
+      DisplayField.TITLE,
+      DisplayField.TAGS,
+      DisplayField.CORRESPONDENT,
+    ])
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.ts
index 200147f1d..90c03f239 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/saved-view-widget/saved-view-widget.component.ts
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ export class SavedViewWidgetComponent
   extends ComponentWithPermissions
   implements OnInit, OnDestroy
 {
-  public DashboardViewMode = DisplayMode
-  public DashboardViewTableColumn = DisplayField
+  public DisplayMode = DisplayMode
+  public DisplayField = DisplayField
   public CustomFieldDataType = CustomFieldDataType
 
   loading: boolean = true
@@ -80,14 +80,18 @@ export class SavedViewWidgetComponent
   mouseOnPreview = false
   popoverHidden = true
 
-  activeDisplayFields: DisplayField[] = [
-    DisplayField.TITLE,
+  displayMode: DisplayMode
+
+  displayFields: DisplayField[] = [
     DisplayField.CREATED,
-    DisplayField.ADDED,
+    DisplayField.TITLE,
+    DisplayField.TAGS,
+    DisplayField.CORRESPONDENT,
   ]
 
   ngOnInit(): void {
     this.reload()
+    this.displayMode = this.savedView.display_mode ?? DisplayMode.TABLE
     this.consumerStatusService
       .onDocumentConsumptionFinished()
       .pipe(takeUntil(this.unsubscribeNotifier))
@@ -109,19 +113,32 @@ export class SavedViewWidgetComponent
         })
     }
 
-    this.savedView.display_fields?.forEach((column) => {
-      let type: PermissionType = Object.values(PermissionType).find((t) =>
-        t.includes(column)
-      )
-      if (column.startsWith(DisplayField.CUSTOM_FIELD)) {
-        type = PermissionType.CustomField
-      }
-      if (
-        type &&
-        this.permissionsService.currentUserCan(PermissionAction.View, type)
-      )
-        this.activeDisplayFields.push(column)
-    })
+    if (this.savedView.display_fields) {
+      this.displayFields = this.savedView.display_fields
+        ?.map((field) => {
+          if (
+            [
+              DisplayField.TITLE,
+              DisplayField.CREATED,
+              DisplayField.ADDED,
+            ].includes(field)
+          ) {
+            return field
+          }
+
+          let type: PermissionType = Object.values(PermissionType).find((t) =>
+            t.includes(field)
+          )
+          if (field.startsWith(DisplayField.CUSTOM_FIELD)) {
+            type = PermissionType.CustomField
+          }
+          return type &&
+            this.permissionsService.currentUserCan(PermissionAction.View, type)
+            ? field
+            : null
+        })
+        .filter((f) => f)
+    }
   }
 
   ngOnDestroy(): void {
diff --git a/src-ui/src/app/components/document-list/document-list.component.ts b/src-ui/src/app/components/document-list/document-list.component.ts
index 8fed37126..9b6aae402 100644
--- a/src-ui/src/app/components/document-list/document-list.component.ts
+++ b/src-ui/src/app/components/document-list/document-list.component.ts
@@ -102,9 +102,11 @@ export class DocumentListComponent
         this.unmodifiedSavedView.sort_reverse !== this.list.sortReverse ||
         (this.unmodifiedSavedView.page_size &&
           this.unmodifiedSavedView.page_size !== this.list.pageSize) ||
-        this.unmodifiedSavedView.display_mode !== this.list.displayMode ||
-        this.unmodifiedSavedView.display_fields.join(',') !==
-          this.activeDisplayFields.join(',') ||
+        (this.unmodifiedSavedView.display_mode &&
+          this.unmodifiedSavedView.display_mode !== this.list.displayMode) ||
+        (this.unmodifiedSavedView.display_fields &&
+          this.unmodifiedSavedView.display_fields.join(',') !==
+            this.activeDisplayFields.join(',')) ||
         filterRulesDiffer(
           this.unmodifiedSavedView.filter_rules,
           this.list.filterRules
@@ -190,12 +192,6 @@ export class DocumentListComponent
           })
           return
         }
-        if (!view.display_mode) {
-          view.display_mode = this.list.displayMode
-        }
-        if (!view.display_fields) {
-          view.display_fields = this.list.displayFields
-        }
         this.unmodifiedSavedView = view
         this.list.activateSavedViewWithQueryParams(
           view,
diff --git a/src/documents/migrations/1047_savedview_display_mode_and_more.py b/src/documents/migrations/1047_savedview_display_mode_and_more.py
index 85f5d1660..28e13a797 100644
--- a/src/documents/migrations/1047_savedview_display_mode_and_more.py
+++ b/src/documents/migrations/1047_savedview_display_mode_and_more.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
             model_name="savedview",
             name="display_fields",
             field=multiselectfield.db.fields.MultiSelectField(
+                blank=True,
                 choices=[
                     ("title", "Title"),
                     ("created", "Created"),
@@ -51,8 +52,9 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
                     ("correspondent", "Correspondent"),
                     ("storagepath", "Storage Path"),
                 ],
-                default="created,title,tag,correspondent",
                 max_length=128,
+                null=True,
+                verbose_name="Document display fields",
             ),
         ),
     ]
diff --git a/src/documents/models.py b/src/documents/models.py
index 137024576..ede09b94c 100644
--- a/src/documents/models.py
+++ b/src/documents/models.py
@@ -606,7 +606,8 @@ class SavedView(ModelWithOwner):
         verbose_name=_("Document display fields"),
         choices=DisplayFields.choices,
         dyanmic_choices=[DynamicDisplayFields.CUSTOM_FIELD],
-        default=f"{DisplayFields.CREATED},{DisplayFields.TITLE},{DisplayFields.TAGS},{DisplayFields.CORRESPONDENT}",
+        null=True,
+        blank=True,
     )
 
     class Meta: