diff --git a/src/js/core/column/Column.js b/src/js/core/column/Column.js
index 89f6caad9..9bf9bec94 100644
--- a/src/js/core/column/Column.js
+++ b/src/js/core/column/Column.js
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ class Column extends CoreFeature{
 		this._initialize();
 	}
 
+	get widthInitiallyFixed() {
+		return !!this.definition.width;
+	}
+
 	createElement (){
 		var el = document.createElement("div");
 
@@ -836,6 +840,7 @@ class Column extends CoreFeature{
 		//set width if present
 		if(typeof this.definition.width !== "undefined" && !force){
 			// maxInitialWidth ignored here as width specified
+			console.log("reinitializeWidth", "setWidth");
 			this.setWidth(this.definition.width);
 		}
 
@@ -852,7 +857,7 @@ class Column extends CoreFeature{
 			return;
 		}
 
-		if(!this.widthFixed){
+		if(!this.widthInitiallyFixed){
 			this.element.style.width = "";
 
 			this.cells.forEach((cell) => {
@@ -861,8 +866,12 @@ class Column extends CoreFeature{
 		}
 
 		var maxWidth = this.element.offsetWidth;
+		console.log("fitToData[mid]", this.getField(), { maxWidth, width: this.width, fixed: this.widthInitiallyFixed });
+		if (this.getField() === 'description') {
+			window.col = this;
+		}
 
-		if(!this.width || !this.widthFixed){
+		if(!this.width || !this.widthInitiallyFixed){
 			this.cells.forEach((cell) => {
 				var width = cell.getWidth();
 
@@ -871,11 +880,13 @@ class Column extends CoreFeature{
 				}
 			});
 
+
 			if(maxWidth){
 				var setTo = maxWidth + 1;
 				if (this.maxInitialWidth && !force) {
 					setTo = Math.min(setTo, this.maxInitialWidth);
 				}
+				console.log("fitToData", this.getField(), "setting", { setTo, force, mI: this.maxInitialWidth });
 				this.setWidthActual(setTo);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/js/core/column/ColumnComponent.js b/src/js/core/column/ColumnComponent.js
index 1678aa02e..e29d917b3 100644
--- a/src/js/core/column/ColumnComponent.js
+++ b/src/js/core/column/ColumnComponent.js
@@ -139,9 +139,11 @@ export default class ColumnComponent {
 
 	setWidth(width){
 		var result;
-
+		
 		if(width === true){
 			result =  this._column.reinitializeWidth(true);
+		} else if(width === 'initial') {
+			result = this._column.reinitializeWidth(false);
 		}else{
 			result =  this._column.setWidth(width);
 		}
@@ -150,4 +152,4 @@ export default class ColumnComponent {
 
 		return result;
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/js/modules/Persistence/Persistence.js b/src/js/modules/Persistence/Persistence.js
index 3fa71c46e..61ff9a69c 100644
--- a/src/js/modules/Persistence/Persistence.js
+++ b/src/js/modules/Persistence/Persistence.js
@@ -190,6 +190,23 @@ class Persistence extends Module{
 	}
 
 	setColumnLayout(layout){
+		const autoSize = [];
+		layout.forEach((layoutItem) => {
+			if ([true, 'initial'].includes(layoutItem.width)) {
+				autoSize.push({...layoutItem});
+				delete layoutItem.width;
+			}
+		});
+
+		autoSize.forEach((c) => {
+			const candidate = this.table.columnManager.getColumnByField(c.field);
+			console.log('candidate', candidate);
+			if (candidate) {
+				candidate.getComponent().setWidth(c.width);
+				const update = layout.find((l) => l.field === c.field);
+				if (update) update.width = candidate.getComponent().getWidth();
+			}
+		});
 		this.table.columnManager.setColumns(this.mergeDefinition(this.table.options.columns, layout));
 		return true;
 	}
@@ -455,4 +472,4 @@ Persistence.moduleInitOrder = -10;
 Persistence.readers = defaultReaders;
 Persistence.writers = defaultWriters;
 
-export default Persistence;
\ No newline at end of file
+export default Persistence;