diff --git a/frappe/model/utils/list_settings.py b/frappe/model/utils/list_settings.py
index 1e1948d008..0f6b91359e 100644
--- a/frappe/model/utils/list_settings.py
+++ b/frappe/model/utils/list_settings.py
@@ -5,19 +5,28 @@ def get_list_settings(doctype, for_update=False):
 		'{0}::{1}'.format(doctype, frappe.session.user))
 
 	if list_settings is None:
-		list_settings = frappe.db.sql('''select * from __ListSettings
-			where user=%s and doctype=%s''', (frappe.session.user, doctype), as_dict=True)
-		list_settings = list_settings and list_settings[0] or '{}'
+		list_settings = frappe.db.sql('''select data from __ListSettings
+			where user=%s and doctype=%s''', (frappe.session.user, doctype))
+		list_settings = list_settings and list_settings[0][0] or '{}'
 
 		if not for_update:
-			update_list_settings(doctype, list_settings)
+			update_list_settings(doctype, list_settings, True)
 
 	return list_settings
 
-def update_list_settings(doctype, list_settings):
+def update_list_settings(doctype, list_settings, for_update=False):
 	'''update list settings in cache'''
-	current = json.loads(get_list_settings(doctype, for_update = True))
-	current.update(list_settings)
+
+	if for_update:
+		current = json.loads(list_settings)
+	else:
+		current = json.loads(get_list_settings(doctype, for_update = True))
+
+		if isinstance(current, basestring):
+			# corrupt due to old code, remove this in a future release
+			current = {}
+
+		current.update(list_settings)
 
 	frappe.cache().hset('_list_settings', '{0}::{1}'.format(doctype, frappe.session.user),
 		json.dumps(current))