diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
index 8c62aed5eb..f981758f0e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/create_custom_column.py
@@ -543,8 +543,6 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog):
 
         default_val = (unicode_type(self.default_value.text()).strip()
                         if col_type != 'composite' else None)
-        if self.editing_col:
-            self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['display'].pop('default_value', None)
 
         if col_type == 'datetime':
             if unicode_type(self.format_box.text()).strip():
@@ -668,6 +666,8 @@ class CreateCustomColumn(QDialog):
         else:
             self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['label'] = col
             self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['name'] = col_heading
+            # Remove any previous default value
+            self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['display'].pop('default_value', None)
             self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['display'].update(display_dict)
             self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['*edited'] = True
             self.parent.custcols[self.orig_column_name]['*must_restart'] = True