diff --git a/dzgui/init/migrate.py b/dzgui/init/migrate.py
index 55af183..0ab7518 100644
--- a/dzgui/init/migrate.py
+++ b/dzgui/init/migrate.py
@@ -18,15 +18,20 @@ def has_new_config(config: Path) -> bool:
 
 
 def migrate_cols_file(res: Path) -> None:
-    # NOTE: dzg.columns.json is API 7 spec
+    # NOTE: filename "dzg.columns.json" is API 7 spec
     old_res = Path.home() / LEGACY_COLS_PATH
     if old_res.is_file():
         j = read_json(old_res)
         cols = j["cols"]
+        # NOTE: implies prior conversion
         if "View" in cols:
             return
-        cols["View"] = cols.pop("Perspective")
-        cols["Max"] = cols.pop("Maximum")
+        # NOTE: user may not have changed these widths in API 6
+        try:
+            cols["View"] = cols.pop("Perspective")
+            cols["Max"] = cols.pop("Maximum")
+        except Exception:
+            pass
         write_json(j, res)
 
 
diff --git a/dzgui/views/trees/tree_servers.py b/dzgui/views/trees/tree_servers.py
index c1174fe..ac2b2e3 100644
--- a/dzgui/views/trees/tree_servers.py
+++ b/dzgui/views/trees/tree_servers.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ class ServerTreeView(ContextMixin, TreeView):  # type: ignore
             logger.critical(e)
             valid_json = False
 
+        # NOTE: reasonable defaults for long columns
         width_map = {
             "Name": 800,
             "Map": 300,
@@ -96,8 +97,9 @@ class ServerTreeView(ContextMixin, TreeView):  # type: ignore
                 column.set_fixed_width(saved_size)
                 column.set_expand(True)
             else:
-                w = width_map[column_title]
-                column.set_fixed_width(w)
+                if column_title in width_map:
+                    w = width_map[column_title]
+                    column.set_fixed_width(w)
             if column_title == "Ping":
                 column.set_cell_data_func(renderer, self._get_ping)