diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_hierarchy.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_hierarchy.py
index 2f31825daa..eeb7c333c7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_hierarchy.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_hierarchy.py
@@ -59,8 +59,18 @@ class TbHierarchyTab(ConfigTabWidget, Ui_Form):
 
     def genesis(self, gui):
         self.gui = gui
-        self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model = TBHierarchicalFields(gui.current_db, self.tb_hierarchical_cats,
-                                              category_icons=gui.tags_view.model().category_custom_icons)
+        self.tab_opened = False
+        self.tb_search_order_up_button.clicked.connect(self.move_tb_search_up)
+        self.tb_search_order_down_button.clicked.connect(self.move_tb_search_down)
+        self.tb_search_order.set_movement_functions(self.move_tb_search_up, self.move_tb_search_down)
+        self.tb_search_order_reset_button.clicked.connect(self.reset_tb_search_order)
+
+    def lazy_populate_content(self):
+        self.tab_opened = True
+        self.fill_tb_search_order_box()
+
+        self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model = TBHierarchicalFields(self.gui.current_db, self.tb_hierarchical_cats,
+                                              category_icons=self.gui.tags_view.model().category_custom_icons)
         self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model.dataChanged.connect(self.changed_signal)
         self.tb_hierarchical_cats.setModel(self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model)
         self.tb_hierarchy_reset_layout_button.clicked.connect(partial(self.reset_layout,
@@ -69,14 +79,6 @@ class TbHierarchyTab(ConfigTabWidget, Ui_Form):
                                                            model=self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model))
         self.tb_hierarchy_import_layout_button.clicked.connect(partial(self.import_layout,
                                                            model=self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model))
-
-        self.fill_tb_search_order_box()
-        self.tb_search_order_up_button.clicked.connect(self.move_tb_search_up)
-        self.tb_search_order_down_button.clicked.connect(self.move_tb_search_down)
-        self.tb_search_order.set_movement_functions(self.move_tb_search_up, self.move_tb_search_down)
-        self.tb_search_order_reset_button.clicked.connect(self.reset_tb_search_order)
-
-    def initialize(self):
         self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model.initialize()
 
     def fill_tb_search_order_box(self):
@@ -170,5 +172,6 @@ class TbHierarchyTab(ConfigTabWidget, Ui_Form):
                              _('<p>Could not read field list. Error:<br>%s')%err, show=True)
 
     def commit(self):
-        self.tb_search_order_commit()
-        self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model.commit()
+        if self.tab_opened:
+            self.tb_search_order_commit()
+            self.tb_hierarchical_cats_model.commit()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_icon_rules.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_icon_rules.py
index bb17bafdd7..0e35bfa260 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_icon_rules.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/look_feel_tabs/tb_icon_rules.py
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ class TbIconRulesTab(ConfigTabWidget, Ui_Form):
                     ('', _('Category'), _('Value'), _('Icon file or template'),_('For children')))
         self.rules_table.setContextMenuPolicy(Qt.ContextMenuPolicy.CustomContextMenu)
         self.rules_table.customContextMenuRequested.connect(self.show_context_menu)
+        self.rules_table.setSelectionMode(QAbstractItemView.SelectionMode.SingleSelection)
 
         for i in range(0, HEADER_SECTION_COUNT):
             item = self.rules_table.horizontalHeaderItem(i)