diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py
index 07e1ab3ab8..c0f84ac198 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialogBase(QDialog):
             self.restoreGeometry(bytes(geom))
         else:
             self.resize(self.sizeHint())
+        self.restore_widget_settings()
     # }}}
 
     def sizeHint(self):
@@ -377,6 +378,12 @@ class MetadataSingleDialogBase(QDialog):
     def do_layout(self):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    def save_widget_settings(self):
+        pass
+
+    def restore_widget_settings(self):
+        pass
+
     def data_changed(self):
         self.was_data_edited = True
 
@@ -657,6 +664,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialogBase(QDialog):
     def save_state(self):
         try:
             gprefs['metasingle_window_geometry3'] = bytearray(self.saveGeometry())
+            self.save_widget_settings()
         except:
             # Weird failure, see https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/995271
             import traceback
@@ -879,6 +887,14 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(MetadataSingleDialogBase):  # {{{
 
         self.set_custom_metadata_tab_order()
 
+    def save_widget_settings(self):
+        gprefs['basic_metadata_widget_splitter_state'] = bytearray(self.splitter.saveState())
+
+    def restore_widget_settings(self):
+        s = gprefs.get('basic_metadata_widget_splitter_state')
+        if s is not None:
+            self.splitter.restoreState(s)
+
 # }}}