diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/index.js b/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/index.js
index 0004dd710..7b37c115b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/index.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/index.js
@@ -239,7 +239,6 @@ var ProtocolsIndex = (function() {
       },
       fnDrawCallback: function() {
         animateSpinner(this, false);
-        initRowSelection();
       },
       preDrawCallback: function() {
         animateSpinner(this);
@@ -267,6 +266,7 @@ var ProtocolsIndex = (function() {
 
         initLocalFileImport();
         initProtocolsFilters();
+        initRowSelection();
       },
       stateLoadCallback: function() {
         // Load the table state for the current team
@@ -309,8 +309,10 @@ var ProtocolsIndex = (function() {
     let protocolsTableScrollHead = protocolsTableEl.closest('.dataTables_scroll').find('.dataTables_scrollHead');
 
     // Handle click on table cells with checkboxes
-    protocolsTableEl.on('click', 'tbody td, thead th:first-child', function() {
-      $(this).parent().find("input[type='checkbox']").trigger('click');
+    protocolsTableEl.on('click', 'tbody td, thead th:first-child', function(ev) {
+      if (ev.target === ev.currentTarget) {
+        $(this).parent().find("input[type='checkbox']").trigger('click');
+      }
     });
 
     // Handle clicks on checkbox
diff --git a/app/datatables/protocols_datatable.rb b/app/datatables/protocols_datatable.rb
index ab784c756..de43e415c 100644
--- a/app/datatables/protocols_datatable.rb
+++ b/app/datatables/protocols_datatable.rb
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ class ProtocolsDatatable < CustomDatatable
 
   def keywords_html(record)
     if record.protocol_keywords.blank?
-      "<i>#{I18n.t('protocols.no_keywords')}</i>"
+      I18n.t('protocols.no_keywords')
     else
       res = []
       record.protocol_keywords.sort_by { |kw| kw.name.downcase }.each do |kw|