diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/coloring.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/coloring.py
index 7234c93a3f..b79354a5c9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/coloring.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/coloring.py
@@ -159,6 +159,9 @@ class ConditionEditor(QWidget): # {{{
         self.action_box.clear()
         self.action_box.addItem('', '')
         col = self.current_col
+        if not col:
+            self.init_value_box()
+            return
         m = self.fm[col]
         dt = m['datatype']
         if dt in self.action_map:
@@ -184,11 +187,11 @@ class ConditionEditor(QWidget): # {{{
         self.value_box.setInputMask('')
         self.value_box.setValidator(None)
         col = self.current_col
-        m = self.fm[col]
-        dt = m['datatype']
         action = self.current_action
         if not col or not action:
             return
+        m = self.fm[col]
+        dt = m['datatype']
         tt = ''
         if col == 'identifiers':
             tt = _('Enter either an identifier type or an '
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/coloring.py b/src/calibre/library/coloring.py
index 0009b4636a..584cb01e54 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/coloring.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/coloring.py
@@ -79,9 +79,12 @@ class Rule(object): # {{{
         if dt == 'bool':
             return self.bool_condition(col, action, val)
 
-        if dt in ('int', 'float', 'rating'):
+        if dt in ('int', 'float'):
             return self.number_condition(col, action, val)
 
+        if dt == 'rating':
+            return self.rating_condition(col, action, val)
+
         if dt == 'datetime':
             return self.date_condition(col, action, val)
 
@@ -114,9 +117,16 @@ class Rule(object): # {{{
                 'lt': ('1', '', ''),
                 'gt': ('', '', '1')
         }[action]
-        lt, eq, gt = '', '1', ''
         return "cmp(raw_field('%s'), %s, '%s', '%s', '%s')" % (col, val, lt, eq, gt)
 
+    def rating_condition(self, col, action, val):
+        lt, eq, gt = {
+                'eq': ('', '1', ''),
+                'lt': ('1', '', ''),
+                'gt': ('', '', '1')
+        }[action]
+        return "cmp(field('%s'), %s, '%s', '%s', '%s')" % (col, val, lt, eq, gt)
+
     def date_condition(self, col, action, val):
         lt, eq, gt = {
                 'eq': ('', '1', ''),