diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py b/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
index 0fb9f193a8..2a8203827a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/custom_column_widgets.py
@@ -874,6 +874,11 @@ def get_field_list(db, use_defaults=False, pref_data_override=None):
         return [(k,v) for k,v in result.items()]
 
 
+def get_custom_columns_to_display_in_editor(db):
+    return list([k[0] for k in
+        get_field_list(db, use_defaults=db.prefs['edit_metadata_ignore_display_order']) if k[1]])
+
+
 def populate_metadata_page(layout, db, book_id, bulk=False, two_column=False, parent=None):
     def widget_factory(typ, key):
         if bulk:
@@ -886,7 +891,7 @@ def populate_metadata_page(layout, db, book_id, bulk=False, two_column=False, pa
     fm = db.field_metadata
 
     # Get list of all non-composite custom fields. We must make widgets for these
-    cols = [k[0] for k in get_field_list(db, use_defaults=db.prefs['edit_metadata_ignore_display_order']) if k[1]]
+    cols = get_custom_columns_to_display_in_editor(db)
     # This deals with the historical behavior where comments fields go to the
     # bottom, starting on the left hand side. If a comment field is moved to
     # somewhere else then it isn't moved to either side.
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py
index 2e05348c13..ceaa5efbdb 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/metadata/single.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ from calibre.constants import ismacos
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import authors_to_string, string_to_authors
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, gprefs, pixmap_to_data
-from calibre.gui2.custom_column_widgets import Comments, populate_metadata_page
+from calibre.gui2.custom_column_widgets import (
+    Comments, populate_metadata_page, get_custom_columns_to_display_in_editor)
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.metadata.basic_widgets import (
     AuthorsEdit, AuthorSortEdit, BuddyLabel, CommentsEdit, Cover, DateEdit,
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ class MetadataSingleDialogBase(QDialog):
 
         self.create_basic_metadata_widgets()
 
-        if len(self.db.custom_column_label_map):
+        if len(get_custom_columns_to_display_in_editor(self.db)):
             self.create_custom_metadata_widgets()
         self.comments_edit_state_at_apply = {self.comments:None}