diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index ed29b05c31..04793117b9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -2397,6 +2397,8 @@ class Cache:
             values, not field ids.
 
         returns books changed by setting the link
+
+        NB: this method doesn't change values not in the value_to_link_map
         '''
         if field not in self.fields:
             raise ValueError(f'Lookup name {field} is not a valid name')
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
index 355a7cf344..d0436dc238 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_list_editor.py
@@ -546,6 +546,8 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
         self.table.blockSignals(False)
 
     def finish_editing(self, edited_item):
+        if edited_item.column != 0:
+            return
         if not edited_item.text():
             error_dialog(self, _('Item is blank'), _(
                 'An item cannot be set to nothing. Delete it instead.'), show=True)
@@ -680,7 +682,5 @@ class TagListEditor(QDialog, Ui_TagListEditor):
     def accepted(self):
         self.links = {}
         for r in range(0, self.table.rowCount()):
-            l = self.table.item(r, 3).text()
-            if l:
-                self.links[self.table.item(r, 0).text()] = l
+            self.links[self.table.item(r, 0).text()] = self.table.item(r, 3).text()
         self.save_geometry()