diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
index ac04652efa..bd9728989b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/edit_metadata.py
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
         '''
         rows = [r.row() for r in \
                 self.gui.library_view.selectionModel().selectedRows()]
+        m = self.gui.library_view.model()
+        ids = [m.id(r) for r in rows]
         if not rows or len(rows) == 0:
             d = error_dialog(self.gui, _('Cannot edit metadata'),
                     _('No books selected'))
@@ -191,6 +193,7 @@ class EditMetadataAction(InterfaceAction):
             self.gui.tags_view.recount()
             if self.gui.cover_flow:
                 self.gui.cover_flow.dataChanged()
+            self.gui.library_view.select_rows(ids)
 
     # Merge books {{{
     def merge_books(self, safe_merge=False):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
index b0ba049a7f..2e5c7838ca 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(QDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
                     if val:
                         val.sort(cmp=lambda x,y: cmp(x.lower(), y.lower()))
                         val = val[0]
+                        if txt == 'authors':
+                            val = val.replace('|', ',')
                     else:
                         val = ''
             else:
@@ -303,6 +305,8 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(QDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
                     # The standard tags and authors values want to be lists.
                     # All custom columns are to be strings
                     val = fm['is_multiple'].join(val)
+                elif field == 'authors':
+                    val = [v.replace('|', ',') for v in val]
             else:
                 val = apply_pattern(val)
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui
index 18d6760ea7..aca7b0cb75 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui
@@ -328,6 +328,9 @@ Future conversion of these books will use the default settings.</string>
            <property name="wordWrap">
             <bool>true</bool>
            </property>
+           <property name="openExternalLinks">
+            <bool>true</bool>
+           </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
          <item row="2" column="0">
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py b/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py
index d67d286aeb..724454dccf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/library/views.py
@@ -479,6 +479,36 @@ class BooksView(QTableView): # {{{
                 sm = self.selectionModel()
                 sm.select(index, sm.ClearAndSelect|sm.Rows)
 
+    def select_rows(self, identifiers, using_ids=True, change_current=True,
+            scroll=True):
+        '''
+        Select rows identified by identifiers. identifiers can be a set of ids,
+        row numbers or QModelIndexes.
+        '''
+        selmode = self.selectionMode()
+        self.setSelectionMode(QAbstractItemView.MultiSelection)
+        try:
+            rows = set([x.row() if hasattr(x, 'row') else x for x in
+                identifiers])
+            if using_ids:
+                rows = set([])
+                identifiers = set(identifiers)
+                m = self.model()
+                for row in range(m.rowCount(QModelIndex())):
+                    if m.id(row) in identifiers:
+                        rows.add(row)
+            if rows:
+                row = list(sorted(rows))[0]
+                if change_current:
+                    self.set_current_row(row, select=False)
+                if scroll:
+                    self.scroll_to_row(row)
+            self.clearSelection()
+            for r in rows:
+                self.selectRow(r)
+        finally:
+            self.setSelectionMode(selmode)
+
     def close(self):
         self._model.close()