diff --git a/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtils.java b/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtils.java
index a4f2bf20a00..0e63c829a10 100644
--- a/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtils.java
+++ b/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtils.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class WidgetAppearanceUtils {
     public static final String MINIMAL                  = "minimal";
     public static final String COLUMNS                  = "columns";
     public static final String COLUMNS_N                = "columns-";
-    public static final String COLUMNS_FLEX             = "columns-flex";
+    public static final String COLUMNS_PACK             = "columns-pack";
     @Deprecated public static final String QUICKCOMPACT = "quickcompact";
     @Deprecated public static final String SEARCH       = "search";
     public static final String AUTOCOMPLETE             = "autocomplete";
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ public static int getNumberOfColumns(FormEntryPrompt formEntryPrompt, Context co
                         numColumns = Integer.parseInt(substringFromNumColumns.substring(0, substringFromNumColumns.contains(" ")
                                 ? substringFromNumColumns.indexOf(' ')
                                 : substringFromNumColumns.length()));
+
+                        if (numColumns < 1) {
+                            numColumns = 1;
+                        }
                     }
                 } catch (Exception e) {
                     Timber.e(EXCEPTION_PARSING_COLUMNS);
diff --git a/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/widgets/WidgetFactory.java b/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/widgets/WidgetFactory.java
index 0e718e95a70..ca6693e918f 100644
--- a/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/widgets/WidgetFactory.java
+++ b/collect_app/src/main/java/org/odk/collect/android/widgets/WidgetFactory.java
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public static QuestionWidget createWidgetFromPrompt(FormEntryPrompt fep, Context
                 // This means normal appearances should be put before search().
                 if (!appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COMPACT_N) && (appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COMPACT)
                         || appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.QUICKCOMPACT)
-                        || appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COLUMNS_FLEX))) {
+                        || appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COLUMNS_PACK))) {
                     questionWidget = new GridWidget(context, fep, appearance.contains(WidgetAppearanceUtils.QUICK));
                 } else if (appearance.contains(WidgetAppearanceUtils.MINIMAL)) {
                     questionWidget = new SpinnerWidget(context, fep, appearance.contains(WidgetAppearanceUtils.QUICK));
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ public static QuestionWidget createWidgetFromPrompt(FormEntryPrompt fep, Context
                 // This means normal appearances should be put before search().
                 if (!appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COMPACT_N)
                         && (appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COMPACT)
-                            || appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COLUMNS_FLEX))) {
+                            || appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.COLUMNS_PACK))) {
                     questionWidget = new GridMultiWidget(context, fep);
                 } else if (appearance.startsWith(WidgetAppearanceUtils.MINIMAL)) {
                     questionWidget = new SpinnerMultiWidget(context, fep);
diff --git a/collect_app/src/test/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtilsTest.java b/collect_app/src/test/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtilsTest.java
index 4fecb015d0b..071adc5629a 100644
--- a/collect_app/src/test/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtilsTest.java
+++ b/collect_app/src/test/java/org/odk/collect/android/utilities/WidgetAppearanceUtilsTest.java
@@ -64,5 +64,17 @@ public void getNumberOfColumnsTest() {
 
         when(formEntryPrompt.getAppearanceHint()).thenReturn("compact-5");
         assertEquals(5, WidgetAppearanceUtils.getNumberOfColumns(formEntryPrompt, null));
+
+        when(formEntryPrompt.getAppearanceHint()).thenReturn("compact-9");
+        assertEquals(9, WidgetAppearanceUtils.getNumberOfColumns(formEntryPrompt, null));
+
+        when(formEntryPrompt.getAppearanceHint()).thenReturn("columns-9");
+        assertEquals(9, WidgetAppearanceUtils.getNumberOfColumns(formEntryPrompt, null));
+
+        when(formEntryPrompt.getAppearanceHint()).thenReturn("columns--1");
+        assertEquals(1, WidgetAppearanceUtils.getNumberOfColumns(formEntryPrompt, null));
+
+        when(formEntryPrompt.getAppearanceHint()).thenReturn("columns--10");
+        assertEquals(1, WidgetAppearanceUtils.getNumberOfColumns(formEntryPrompt, null));
     }
 }