diff --git a/src/register/combocell.c b/src/register/combocell.c
index 34e811aa29..97679b84cc 100644
--- a/src/register/combocell.c
+++ b/src/register/combocell.c
@@ -211,9 +211,20 @@ xaccSetComboCellValue (ComboCell *cell, const char * str)
       } else {
          XmComboBoxClearItemSelection (box->combobox);
       } 
+
+      if ((0 < box->currow) && (0 < box->curcol)) {
+         /* be sure to set the string into the matrix widget as well,
+          * so that we don't end up blanking out the cell when we 
+          * unmap the combobox widget */
+         XbaeMatrixSetCell (box->parent, box->currow, box->curcol, (char *) str); 
+      }
    } else {
       XmComboBoxClearItemSelection (box->combobox);
+      if ((0 < box->currow) && (0 < box->curcol)) {
+         XbaeMatrixSetCell (box->parent, box->currow, box->curcol, "");
+      }
    }
+
 }
 
 /* =============================================== */
@@ -313,7 +324,6 @@ void moveCombo (BasicCell *bcell, int phys_row, int phys_col)
 {
    ComboCell *cell;
    PopBox *box;
-
    cell = (ComboCell *) bcell;
    box = (PopBox *) (cell->cell.gui_private);
 
@@ -448,6 +458,9 @@ static void selectCB (Widget w, XtPointer cd, XtPointer cb )
       return;
    }
 
+   /* be sure to set the string into the matrix widget as well,
+    * so that we don't end up blanking out the cell when we 
+    * unmap the combobox widget */
    XbaeMatrixSetCell (box->parent, box->currow, box->curcol, choice); 
    SET (&(cell->cell), choice);
    XtFree (choice);
diff --git a/src/register/table-allgui.c b/src/register/table-allgui.c
index 554d06a485..8aea2ab651 100644
--- a/src/register/table-allgui.c
+++ b/src/register/table-allgui.c
@@ -439,13 +439,18 @@ void xaccMoveCursorGUI (Table *table, int new_phys_row, int new_phys_col)
          cell = curs->cells[i][j];
          if (cell) {
             char * cell_val = table->entries[i+phys_row_origin][j+phys_col_origin];
-            xaccSetBasicCellValue (cell, cell_val);
-            cell->changed = 0;
-
-            /* if a cell has a GUI, move that too */
+            /* if a cell has a GUI, move that first, before setting
+             * the cell value.  Otherwise, we'll end up putting the 
+             * new values in the old cell locations, and that would 
+             * lead to confusion of all sorts. */
             if (cell->move) {
                (cell->move) (cell, i+phys_row_origin, j+phys_col_origin);
             }
+
+            /* OK, now set the cell value, after the move */
+            xaccSetBasicCellValue (cell, cell_val);
+            cell->changed = 0;
+
          }
       }
    }
@@ -546,7 +551,7 @@ xaccVerifyCursorPosition (Table *table, int phys_row, int phys_col)
    if ((virt_row != table->current_cursor_virt_row) ||
        (virt_col != table->current_cursor_virt_col)) {
 
-      /* before leaving, the current virtual position,
+      /* before leaving the current virtual position,
        * commit any edits that have been accumulated 
        * in the cursor */
       xaccCommitCursor (table);