diff --git a/libsmartcols/src/column.c b/libsmartcols/src/column.c
index 269ceea0c..b31b39063 100644
--- a/libsmartcols/src/column.c
+++ b/libsmartcols/src/column.c
@@ -157,6 +157,13 @@ int scols_column_set_flags(struct libscols_column *cl, int flags)
 	if (!cl)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (cl->table) {
+		if (!(cl->flags & SCOLS_FL_TREE) && (flags & SCOLS_FL_TREE))
+			cl->table->ntreecols++;
+		else if ((cl->flags & SCOLS_FL_TREE) && !(flags & SCOLS_FL_TREE))
+			cl->table->ntreecols--;
+	}
+
 	cl->flags = flags;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libsmartcols/src/smartcolsP.h b/libsmartcols/src/smartcolsP.h
index 163417707..9f63c3ad1 100644
--- a/libsmartcols/src/smartcolsP.h
+++ b/libsmartcols/src/smartcolsP.h
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ struct libscols_column {
 
 	struct libscols_cell	header;
 	struct list_head	cl_columns;
+
+	struct libscols_table	*table;
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/libsmartcols/src/table.c b/libsmartcols/src/table.c
index cb4cfae0d..3360d525b 100644
--- a/libsmartcols/src/table.c
+++ b/libsmartcols/src/table.c
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ int scols_table_add_column(struct libscols_table *tb, struct libscols_column *cl
 	DBG(TAB, ul_debugobj(tb, "add column %p", cl));
 	list_add_tail(&cl->cl_columns, &tb->tb_columns);
 	cl->seqnum = tb->ncols++;
+	cl->table = tb;
 	scols_ref_column(cl);
 
 	/* TODO:
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ int scols_table_remove_column(struct libscols_table *tb,
 	DBG(TAB, ul_debugobj(tb, "remove column %p", cl));
 	list_del_init(&cl->cl_columns);
 	tb->ncols--;
+	cl->table = NULL;
 	scols_unref_column(cl);
 	return 0;
 }