diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.cpp
index a9b2c867a0..d42560b5e3 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.cpp
@@ -8,10 +8,40 @@
 
 #include <components/esm3/loadland.hpp>
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 namespace CSMWorld
 {
+    namespace
+    {
+        struct GetStringId
+        {
+            std::string operator()(ESM::EmptyRefId /*value*/) const { return std::string(); }
+
+            std::string operator()(ESM::StringRefId value) const { return value.getValue(); }
+
+            std::string operator()(ESM::IndexRefId value) const
+            {
+                switch (value.getRecordType())
+                {
+                    case ESM::REC_SKIL:
+                        return ESM::Skill::sSkillNames[value.getValue()];
+                    default:
+                        break;
+                }
+
+                return value.toDebugString();
+            }
+
+            template <class T>
+            std::string operator()(const T& value) const
+            {
+                return value.toDebugString();
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
     /* LandTextureNicknameColumn */
     LandTextureNicknameColumn::LandTextureNicknameColumn()
         : Column<LandTexture>(Columns::ColumnId_TextureNickname, ColumnBase::Display_String)
@@ -299,4 +329,17 @@ namespace CSMWorld
     {
         return true;
     }
+
+    std::optional<std::uint32_t> getSkillIndex(std::string_view value)
+    {
+        const auto it = std::find(std::begin(ESM::Skill::sSkillNames), std::end(ESM::Skill::sSkillNames), value);
+        if (it == std::end(ESM::Skill::sSkillNames))
+            return std::nullopt;
+        return static_cast<std::uint32_t>(it - std::begin(ESM::Skill::sSkillNames));
+    }
+
+    std::string getStringId(ESM::RefId value)
+    {
+        return visit(GetStringId{}, value);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.hpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.hpp
index 91db8d0c41..ea8bff74b7 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.hpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/columnimp.hpp
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #include <components/esm3/loadskil.hpp>
 #include <components/esm3/variant.hpp>
 
+#include <optional>
+
 #include <QString>
 #include <QVariant>
 #include <QVector>
@@ -31,6 +33,10 @@
 
 namespace CSMWorld
 {
+    std::optional<std::uint32_t> getSkillIndex(std::string_view value);
+
+    std::string getStringId(ESM::RefId value);
+
     /// \note Shares ID with VarValueColumn. A table can not have both.
     template <typename ESXRecordT>
     struct FloatValueColumn : public Column<ESXRecordT>
@@ -63,7 +69,7 @@ namespace CSMWorld
 
         QVariant get(const Record<ESXRecordT>& record) const override
         {
-            return QString::fromStdString(record.get().mId.toString());
+            return QString::fromStdString(getStringId(record.get().mId));
         }
 
         bool isEditable() const override { return false; }
@@ -403,25 +409,16 @@ namespace CSMWorld
 
         QVariant get(const Record<ESXRecordT>& record) const override
         {
-            int skill = record.get().mData.getSkill(mIndex, mMajor);
-
-            return QString::fromStdString(ESM::Skill::indexToRefId(skill).toString());
+            return QString::fromStdString(ESM::Skill::sSkillNames[record.get().mData.getSkill(mIndex, mMajor)]);
         }
 
         void set(Record<ESXRecordT>& record, const QVariant& data) override
         {
-            std::istringstream stream(data.toString().toUtf8().constData());
-
-            int index = -1;
-            char c;
-
-            stream >> c >> index;
-
-            if (index != -1)
+            if (const auto index = getSkillIndex(data.toString().toStdString()))
             {
                 ESXRecordT record2 = record.get();
 
-                record2.mData.getSkill(mIndex, mMajor) = index;
+                record2.mData.getSkill(mIndex, mMajor) = static_cast<int>(*index);
 
                 record.setModified(record2);
             }