diff --git a/src/register/combocell.c b/src/register/combocell.c
index 9ca8a495da..37a1904ab3 100644
--- a/src/register/combocell.c
+++ b/src/register/combocell.c
@@ -99,10 +99,13 @@ void destroyCombo (BasicCell *bcell)
 
       box = (PopBox *) (cell->cell.gui_private);
    
-      moveCombo (bcell, -1, -1);
-   
-      XtDestroyWidget (box->combobox);
-      free (box);
+      if (box) { 
+         if (XtIsRealized(box->combobox)) {
+            moveCombo (bcell, -1, -1);
+            XtDestroyWidget (box->combobox);
+         }
+         free (box);
+      }
    
       /* allow the widget to be created again */
       cell->cell.gui_private = NULL;
diff --git a/src/register/register.c b/src/register/register.c
index 04441df773..7854c9e18d 100644
--- a/src/register/register.c
+++ b/src/register/register.c
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ void xaccInitBasicRegister (BasicRegister *reg, int type)
 {
    Table * table;
    CellBlock *curs, *header;
+   int phys_r, phys_c;
 
    reg->user_hook = NULL;
    reg->destroy = NULL;
@@ -374,8 +375,13 @@ void xaccInitBasicRegister (BasicRegister *reg, int type)
 
    /* -------------------------------- */   
    table = xaccMallocTable ();
-   xaccSetTableSize (table, header->numRows, header->numCols, 1, 1);
+   phys_r = header->numRows + curs->numRows;
+   phys_c = header->numCols;
+   xaccSetTableSize (table, phys_r, phys_c, 2, 1);
    xaccSetCursor (table, header, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+   xaccSetCursor (table, curs, header->numRows, 0, 1, 0);
+   xaccMoveCursor (table, header->numRows, 0);
+
    reg->table = table;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/register/table-motif.c b/src/register/table-motif.c
index 5ee53de0fb..975b46ec06 100644
--- a/src/register/table-motif.c
+++ b/src/register/table-motif.c
@@ -555,13 +555,10 @@ xaccCreateTable (Table *table, Widget parent, char * name)
       haveQuarks = True;
    }
 
-   /* if a header exists, get alignments, widths from there */
+   /* The 0'th row of the handlers is defeined as the header */
    alignments = NULL;
    widths = NULL;
-   curs = table->current_cursor;
-   if (!curs) {
-      curs = table->handlers[0][0];
-   }
+   curs = table->handlers[0][0];
    alignments = curs->alignments;
    widths = curs->widths;
    num_header_rows = curs->numRows;