diff --git a/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkb.c b/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkb.c
index 401a70686..1a14ae8cc 100644
--- a/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkb.c
+++ b/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkb.c
@@ -52,6 +52,25 @@ xci_desc_to_utf8 (XklConfigItem * ci)
     g_locale_to_utf8 (sd, -1, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
+static GConfValue *
+model_from_widget (GConfPropertyEditor * peditor, GConfValue * value)
+{
+  GConfValue *new_value;
+
+  new_value = gconf_value_new (GCONF_VALUE_STRING);
+
+  if (value->type == GCONF_VALUE_STRING)
+    {
+      GObject* widget = gconf_property_editor_get_ui_control(peditor);
+      gchar* n = g_object_get_data (widget, "xkbModelName");
+      gconf_value_set_string (new_value, n);
+    }
+  else
+    gconf_value_set_string (new_value, _("Unknown"));
+
+  return new_value;
+}
+
 static GConfValue *
 model_to_widget (GConfPropertyEditor * peditor, GConfValue * value)
 {
@@ -64,9 +83,16 @@ model_to_widget (GConfPropertyEditor * peditor, GConfValue * value)
       XklConfigItem ci;
       g_snprintf( ci.name, sizeof (ci.name), "%s", gconf_value_get_string( value ) );
       if ( XklConfigFindModel( &ci ) )
-        gconf_value_set_string( new_value, ci.description );
+      {
+        GObject* widget = gconf_property_editor_get_ui_control(peditor);
+        gchar* d = xci_desc_to_utf8 (&ci);
+
+        g_object_set_data_full (widget, "xkbModelName", g_strdup (ci.name), g_free);
+        gconf_value_set_string (new_value, d);
+        g_free (d);
+      }
       else
-        gconf_value_set_string( new_value, _("Unknown") );
+        gconf_value_set_string (new_value, _("Unknown"));
     }
 
   return new_value;
@@ -111,7 +137,8 @@ setup_xkb_tabs (GladeXML * dialog, GConfChangeSet * changeset)
   gconf_peditor_new_string
     (changeset, (gchar *) GSWITCHIT_CONFIG_XKB_KEY_MODEL,
      WID ("xkb_model"),
-     "conv-to-widget-cb", model_to_widget, NULL);
+     "conv-to-widget-cb", model_to_widget,
+     "conv-from-widget-cb", model_from_widget, NULL);
 
   fill_available_layouts_tree (dialog);
   fill_available_options_tree (dialog);
diff --git a/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkbmc.c b/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkbmc.c
index 8cfb70c4e..cea3ef4f2 100644
--- a/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkbmc.c
+++ b/capplets/keyboard/gnome-keyboard-properties-xkbmc.c
@@ -42,15 +42,24 @@
 
 #define CWID(s) glade_xml_get_widget (chooserDialog, s)
 
+static gchar* currentModelName = NULL;
+
 static void
-add_model_to_list (const XklConfigItemPtr configItem, GtkListStore * listStore)
+add_model_to_list (const XklConfigItemPtr configItem, GtkTreeView * modelsList)
 {
   GtkTreeIter iter;
+  GtkListStore * listStore = GTK_LIST_STORE (gtk_tree_view_get_model (modelsList));
   char *utfModelName = xci_desc_to_utf8 (configItem);
   gtk_list_store_append( listStore, &iter );
   gtk_list_store_set( listStore, &iter, 
                       0, utfModelName,
                       1, configItem->name, -1 );
+
+  if (currentModelName != NULL &&
+      !g_ascii_strcasecmp(configItem->name, currentModelName))
+    {
+       gtk_tree_selection_select_iter (gtk_tree_view_get_selection (modelsList), &iter);
+    }
   g_free (utfModelName);
 }
 
@@ -77,11 +86,11 @@ fill_models_list (GladeXML * chooserDialog)
   gtk_tree_view_column_set_visible (descriptionCol, TRUE);
   gtk_tree_view_append_column (GTK_TREE_VIEW (modelsList), descriptionCol);
 
-  XklConfigEnumModels ((ConfigItemProcessFunc)
-		       add_model_to_list, listStore);
-
   gtk_tree_view_set_model (GTK_TREE_VIEW (modelsList), GTK_TREE_MODEL (listStore) );
 
+  XklConfigEnumModels ((ConfigItemProcessFunc)
+		       add_model_to_list, modelsList);
+
   g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (gtk_tree_view_get_selection (GTK_TREE_VIEW (modelsList))), 
                     "changed",
                     G_CALLBACK (xkb_model_chooser_change_sel),
@@ -119,9 +128,12 @@ choose_model(GladeXML * dialog)
   GladeXML* chooserDialog = glade_xml_new (GNOMECC_DATA_DIR "/interfaces/gnome-keyboard-properties.glade", "xkb_model_chooser", NULL);
   GtkWidget* chooser = CWID ( "xkb_model_chooser");
   gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (chooser), GTK_WINDOW (WID ("keyboard_dialog")));
+  currentModelName = gconf_client_get_string (gconf_client_get_default (),
+			           GSWITCHIT_CONFIG_XKB_KEY_MODEL, NULL);
   fill_models_list (chooserDialog);
   g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (chooser),
 		    "response", G_CALLBACK (xkb_model_chooser_response), chooserDialog);
   gtk_dialog_run (GTK_DIALOG (chooser));
   gtk_widget_destroy (chooser);
+  g_free (currentModelName);
 }