diff --git a/app/ui/__init__.py b/app/ui/__init__.py
index df4af34e..a7cd2491 100644
--- a/app/ui/__init__.py
+++ b/app/ui/__init__.py
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ def error(window, title, text):
 	m.destroy()
 
 
+def remove_children(container):
+	container.foreach(lambda x, _: container.remove(x), None)
+
+
 # def find_children(container, *child_names):
 # 	assert container is not None
 # 	assert isinstance(container, Gtk.Container)
diff --git a/app/ui/config_panel.py b/app/ui/config_panel.py
index 77412f23..e5f76563 100644
--- a/app/ui/config_panel.py
+++ b/app/ui/config_panel.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_litera
 
 from gi.repository import Gtk, GObject
 
+import ui
 from logitech.unifying_receiver import settings as _settings
 
 #
@@ -150,6 +151,15 @@ def _update_setting_item(sbox, value):
 		raise NotImplemented
 	control.set_sensitive(True)
 
+#
+#
+#
+
+def create():
+	b = Gtk.VBox(homogeneous=False, spacing=4)
+	b.set_property('margin', 8)
+	return b
+
 
 def update(frame):
 	box = frame._config_box
@@ -159,7 +169,7 @@ def update(frame):
 	if device is None:
 		# remove all settings widgets
 		# if another device gets paired here, it will add its own widgets
-		box.foreach(lambda x, _: box.remove(x), None)
+		ui.remove_children(box)
 		return
 
 	if not box.get_visible():
@@ -172,15 +182,12 @@ def update(frame):
 
 	force_read = False
 	items = box.get_children()
-	if not items:
+	if len(device.settings) != len(items):
+		ui.remove_children(box)
 		if device.status:
 			items = list(_add_settings(box, device))
 			assert len(device.settings) == len(items)
 			force_read = True
-		else:
-			# don't bother adding settings for offline devices,
-			# they're useless and might not guess all of them anyway
-			return
 
 	device_active = bool(device.status)
 	# if the device just became active, re-read the settings
diff --git a/app/ui/main_window.py b/app/ui/main_window.py
index 2a2ef6c7..1765835e 100644
--- a/app/ui/main_window.py
+++ b/app/ui/main_window.py
@@ -218,10 +218,8 @@ def _make_device_box(index):
 	vbox.pack_start(Gtk.HSeparator(), False, False, 0)
 	vbox.pack_start(info_label, False, False, 0)
 
-	config_box = Gtk.VBox(homogeneous=False, spacing=4)
-	config_box.set_property('margin', 8)
-	vbox.pack_start(config_box, False, False, 0)
-	frame._config_box = config_box
+	frame._config_box = _config_panel.create()
+	vbox.pack_start(frame._config_box, False, False, 0)
 
 	unpair = Gtk.Button('Unpair')
 	unpair.set_image(Gtk.Image.new_from_icon_name('edit-delete', Gtk.IconSize.BUTTON))