diff --git a/artiq/browser/datasets.py b/artiq/browser/datasets.py
index 8059fd599..33bb44ca3 100644
--- a/artiq/browser/datasets.py
+++ b/artiq/browser/datasets.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class DatasetsDock(QtWidgets.QDockWidget):
             QtWidgets.QAbstractItemView.SingleSelection)
         grid.addWidget(self.table, 1, 0)
 
-        self.table_model = Model(dict())
+        self.set_model(Model(dict()))
         datasets_sub.add_setmodel_callback(self.set_model)
 
     def _search_datasets(self):
diff --git a/artiq/browser/experiments.py b/artiq/browser/experiments.py
index e6a4db792..ebe64ef6d 100644
--- a/artiq/browser/experiments.py
+++ b/artiq/browser/experiments.py
@@ -332,6 +332,10 @@ class _ExperimentDock(QtWidgets.QMdiSubWindow):
 
 
 class LocalDatasetDB:
+    def __init__(self, datasets_sub):
+        self.datasets_sub = datasets_sub
+        datasets_sub.add_setmodel_callback(self.init)
+
     def init(self, data):
         self._data = data
 
@@ -339,6 +343,7 @@ class LocalDatasetDB:
         return self._data.backing_store[key][1]
 
     def update(self, mod):
+        self.datasets_sub.update(mod)
         process_mod(self._data, mod)
 
 
@@ -351,8 +356,7 @@ class ExperimentsArea(QtWidgets.QMdiArea):
 
         self.open_experiments = []
 
-        self._ddb = LocalDatasetDB()
-        datasets_sub.add_setmodel_callback(self._ddb.init)
+        self._ddb = LocalDatasetDB(datasets_sub)
 
         self.worker_handlers = {
             "get_device_db": lambda: None,
diff --git a/artiq/gui/models.py b/artiq/gui/models.py
index 3bc47470a..df4750509 100644
--- a/artiq/gui/models.py
+++ b/artiq/gui/models.py
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@ class LocalModelManager(ModelManager):
         ModelManager.__init__(self, model_factory)
         self.notify_cbs = []
 
-    def init(self, struct):
-        self._create_model(struct)
-        mod = {"action": "init", "struct": struct}
+    def update(self, mod):
         for notify_cb in self.notify_cbs:
             notify_cb(mod)
 
+    def init(self, struct):
+        self._create_model(struct)
+        self.update({"action": "init", "struct": struct})
+
 
 class _SyncSubstruct:
     def __init__(self, update_cb, ref):