diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/samples/sample_datatable.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/samples/sample_datatable.js.erb
index 22c646c98..445e778aa 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/samples/sample_datatable.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/samples/sample_datatable.js.erb
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ function changeToEditMode() {
             'data-destroy-html-url="' + data.destroy_html_url + '"' +
             '>' + generateColumnNameTooltip(data.name) + '</th>');
           var colOrder = table.colReorder.order();
-          colOrder.push(colOrder.length);
+          colOrder.splice(2, 0, colOrder.length);
           // Remove all event handlers as we re-initialize them later with
           // new table
           $('#samples').off();
diff --git a/app/models/samples_table.rb b/app/models/samples_table.rb
index 1e8775df7..f1f32498d 100644
--- a/app/models/samples_table.rb
+++ b/app/models/samples_table.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class SamplesTable < ActiveRecord::Base
                                        organization: custom_field.organization)
     org_status = samples_table.first['status']
     if column_index
+      # delete column
       org_status['columns'].delete(column_index)
       org_status['columns'].keys.each do |index|
         p index
@@ -31,10 +32,11 @@ class SamplesTable < ActiveRecord::Base
         end
       end
     else
+      # add column
       index = org_status['columns'].count
       org_status['columns'][index] = SampleDatatable::
         SAMPLES_TABLE_DEFAULT_STATE['columns'].first
-      org_status['ColReorder'] << index.to_s
+      org_status['ColReorder'].insert(2, index)
     end
     samples_table.first.update(status: org_status)
   end