diff --git a/python/PyQt6/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in b/python/PyQt6/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in
index 35f0f3cfb17..7d2526e88da 100644
--- a/python/PyQt6/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in
+++ b/python/PyQt6/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Base class for database source widget selectors.
     static const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *settingSearchColumn;
     static const QgsSettingsEntryBool *settingSearchRegex;
     static const QgsSettingsEntryBool *settingHoldDialogOpen;
+    static const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *settingColumnWidths;
 
     QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect( QWidget *parent = 0, Qt::WindowFlags fl = QgsGuiUtils::ModalDialogFlags, QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode widgetMode = QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode::Standalone );
 %Docstring
diff --git a/python/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in b/python/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in
index 35f0f3cfb17..7d2526e88da 100644
--- a/python/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in
+++ b/python/gui/auto_generated/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.sip.in
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Base class for database source widget selectors.
     static const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *settingSearchColumn;
     static const QgsSettingsEntryBool *settingSearchRegex;
     static const QgsSettingsEntryBool *settingHoldDialogOpen;
+    static const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *settingColumnWidths;
 
     QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect( QWidget *parent = 0, Qt::WindowFlags fl = QgsGuiUtils::ModalDialogFlags, QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode widgetMode = QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode::Standalone );
 %Docstring
diff --git a/src/gui/providers/ogr/qgsogrdbsourceselect.cpp b/src/gui/providers/ogr/qgsogrdbsourceselect.cpp
index 88c105de663..4e62a6c8754 100644
--- a/src/gui/providers/ogr/qgsogrdbsourceselect.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/providers/ogr/qgsogrdbsourceselect.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,7 @@ QgsOgrDbSourceSelect::QgsOgrDbSourceSelect( const QString &theSettingsKey, const
   setupButtons( buttonBox );
   connect( buttonBox, &QDialogButtonBox::helpRequested, this, &QgsOgrDbSourceSelect::showHelp );
 
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settings.value( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH.arg( mOgrDriverName ) ), false, QgsSettings::Section::Providers ).toBool() );
+  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settingHoldDialogOpen->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH.arg( mOgrDriverName ) } ) );
 
   setWindowTitle( tr( "Add %1 Layer(s)" ).arg( name() ) );
   btnEdit->hide(); // hide the edit button
@@ -76,8 +75,7 @@ QgsOgrDbSourceSelect::QgsOgrDbSourceSelect( const QString &theSettingsKey, const
 
 QgsOgrDbSourceSelect::~QgsOgrDbSourceSelect()
 {
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH.arg( mOgrDriverName ) ), mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked(), QgsSettings::Section::Providers );
+  settingHoldDialogOpen->setValue( mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked(), { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH.arg( mOgrDriverName ) } );
   //store general settings in base class
   storeSettings();
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.cpp b/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.cpp
index 4852a264b63..6be27b5ddcd 100644
--- a/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.cpp
@@ -24,9 +24,10 @@
 #include <QItemDelegate>
 #include <QActionGroup>
 
-const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingSearchColumn = new QgsSettingsEntryInteger( QStringLiteral( "%searchColumn" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState, -1 );
-const QgsSettingsEntryBool *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingSearchRegex = new QgsSettingsEntryBool( QStringLiteral( "%searchRegex" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState );
-const QgsSettingsEntryBool *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingHoldDialogOpen = new QgsSettingsEntryBool( QStringLiteral( "%holdDialogOpen" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState );
+const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingSearchColumn = new QgsSettingsEntryInteger( QStringLiteral( "%1searchColumn" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState, -1 );
+const QgsSettingsEntryBool *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingSearchRegex = new QgsSettingsEntryBool( QStringLiteral( "%1searchRegex" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState );
+const QgsSettingsEntryBool *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingHoldDialogOpen = new QgsSettingsEntryBool( QStringLiteral( "%1holdDialogOpen" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState );
+const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::settingColumnWidths = new QgsSettingsEntryInteger( QStringLiteral( "%1columnWidths/%2" ), QgsSettingsTree::sTreeWindowState );
 
 QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect::QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect( QWidget *parent, Qt::WindowFlags fl, QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode widgetMode )
   : QgsAbstractDataSourceWidget( parent, fl, widgetMode )
diff --git a/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.h b/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.h
index 8de336ae5b4..d0e6e38119d 100644
--- a/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.h
+++ b/src/gui/providers/qgsabstractdbsourceselect.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect : public QgsAbstractDataSourceWidget,
     static const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *settingSearchColumn;
     static const QgsSettingsEntryBool *settingSearchRegex;
     static const QgsSettingsEntryBool *settingHoldDialogOpen;
+    static const QgsSettingsEntryInteger *settingColumnWidths;
 
     //! Constructor
     QgsAbstractDbSourceSelect( QWidget *parent = nullptr, Qt::WindowFlags fl = QgsGuiUtils::ModalDialogFlags, QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode widgetMode = QgsProviderRegistry::WidgetMode::Standalone );
diff --git a/src/providers/mssql/qgsmssqlsourceselect.cpp b/src/providers/mssql/qgsmssqlsourceselect.cpp
index 6f4d930ea01..2bf00cb1903 100644
--- a/src/providers/mssql/qgsmssqlsourceselect.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/mssql/qgsmssqlsourceselect.cpp
@@ -177,11 +177,14 @@ QgsMssqlSourceSelect::QgsMssqlSourceSelect( QWidget *parent, Qt::WindowFlags fl,
   const QgsSettings settings;
   mTablesTreeView->setSelectionMode( QAbstractItemView::ExtendedSelection );
 
-  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settings.value( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH ), false ).toBool() );
+  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settingHoldDialogOpen->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH } ) );
 
   for ( int i = 0; i < mTableModel->columnCount(); i++ )
   {
-    mTablesTreeView->setColumnWidth( i, settings.value( QStringLiteral( "%1columnWidths/%2" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, i ), mTablesTreeView->columnWidth( i ) ).toInt() );
+    if ( settingColumnWidths->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, QString::number( i ) } ) > 0 )
+    {
+      mTablesTreeView->setColumnWidth( i, settingColumnWidths->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, QString::number( i ) } ) );
+    }
   }
 
   cbxAllowGeometrylessTables->setDisabled( true );
@@ -285,12 +288,12 @@ QgsMssqlSourceSelect::~QgsMssqlSourceSelect()
     mColumnTypeThread->wait();
   }
 
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH ), mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked() );
+  settingHoldDialogOpen->setValue( mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked(), { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH } );
 
+  QgsSettings settings;
   for ( int i = 0; i < mTableModel->columnCount(); i++ )
   {
-    settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "%1columnWidths/%2" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, i ), mTablesTreeView->columnWidth( i ) );
+    settingColumnWidths->setValue( mTablesTreeView->columnWidth( i ), { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, QString::number( i ) } );
   }
   //store general settings in base class
   storeSettings();
diff --git a/src/providers/postgres/qgspgsourceselect.cpp b/src/providers/postgres/qgspgsourceselect.cpp
index 9687e41fe43..0dd884d3b55 100644
--- a/src/providers/postgres/qgspgsourceselect.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/postgres/qgspgsourceselect.cpp
@@ -232,11 +232,15 @@ QgsPgSourceSelect::QgsPgSourceSelect( QWidget *parent, Qt::WindowFlags fl, QgsPr
   mTablesTreeView->setSelectionMode( QAbstractItemView::ExtendedSelection );
 
   QgsSettings settings;
-  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settings.value( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH ), false ).toBool() );
+
+  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settingHoldDialogOpen->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH } ) );
 
   for ( int i = 0; i < mTableModel->columnCount(); i++ )
   {
-    mTablesTreeView->setColumnWidth( i, settings.value( QStringLiteral( "%1columnWidths/%2" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, i ), mTablesTreeView->columnWidth( i ) ).toInt() );
+    if ( settingColumnWidths->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, QString::number( i ) } ) > 0 )
+    {
+      mTablesTreeView->setColumnWidth( i, settingColumnWidths->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, QString::number( i ) } ) );
+    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -331,12 +335,10 @@ QgsPgSourceSelect::~QgsPgSourceSelect()
     finishList();
   }
 
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH ), mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked() );
-
+  settingHoldDialogOpen->setValue( mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked(), { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH } );
   for ( int i = 0; i < mTableModel->columnCount(); i++ )
   {
-    settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "%1columnWidths/%1" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, i ), mTablesTreeView->columnWidth( i ) );
+    settingColumnWidths->setValue( mTablesTreeView->columnWidth( i ), { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH, QString::number( i ) } );
   }
   //store general settings in base class
   storeSettings();
diff --git a/src/providers/spatialite/qgsspatialitesourceselect.cpp b/src/providers/spatialite/qgsspatialitesourceselect.cpp
index 8f3725026a0..c69f794be86 100644
--- a/src/providers/spatialite/qgsspatialitesourceselect.cpp
+++ b/src/providers/spatialite/qgsspatialitesourceselect.cpp
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect::QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect( QWidget *parent, Qt::Windo
   setupButtons( buttonBox );
   connect( buttonBox, &QDialogButtonBox::helpRequested, this, &QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect::showHelp );
 
-  const QgsSettings settings;
-  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settings.value( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH ), false ).toBool() );
+  mHoldDialogOpen->setChecked( settingHoldDialogOpen->value( { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH } ) );
 
   setWindowTitle( tr( "Add SpatiaLite Layer(s)" ) );
   btnEdit->hide(); // hide the edit button
@@ -90,8 +89,7 @@ QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect::QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect( QWidget *parent, Qt::Windo
 
 QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect::~QgsSpatiaLiteSourceSelect()
 {
-  QgsSettings settings;
-  settings.setValue( QStringLiteral( "%1HoldDialogOpen" ).arg( SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH ), mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked() );
+  settingHoldDialogOpen->setValue( mHoldDialogOpen->isChecked(), { SETTINGS_WINDOWS_PATH } );
   //store general settings in base class
   storeSettings();
 }