diff --git a/app/models/my_projects_overview.rb b/app/models/my_projects_overview.rb
index 495e4833e4..3b07c87596 100644
--- a/app/models/my_projects_overview.rb
+++ b/app/models/my_projects_overview.rb
@@ -21,13 +21,19 @@ class MyProjectsOverview < ActiveRecord::Base
     "top" => [],
     "hidden" => [] }
 
-  def after_initialize
-    hs = attributes
-    DEFAULTS.each_pair do |k, v|
-      if hs[k].blank?
-        update_attribute(k, v.to_yaml)
+  def initialize(attributes = nil)
+    super
+
+    if attributes.nil?
+      DEFAULTS.each_pair do |k, v|
         self.send("#{k}=", v)
       end
+    else
+      not_provided = DEFAULTS.keys - attributes.keys.collect(&:to_s)
+
+      not_provided.each do |k|
+        self.send("#{k}=", [])
+      end
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/my_projects_overview_spec.rb b/spec/models/my_projects_overview_spec.rb
index 54dc7eef26..ea8bb9ed24 100644
--- a/spec/models/my_projects_overview_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/my_projects_overview_spec.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,31 @@ describe MyProjectsOverview do
     @overview = MyProjectsOverview.create(:project_id => @project.id)
   end
 
+  it 'sets default elements for new records if no elements are provided' do
+    o = MyProjectsOverview.new
+    o.left.should =~ ["wiki", "projectdetails", "issuetracking"]
+    o.right.should =~ ["members", "news"]
+    o.top.should =~ []
+    o.hidden.should =~ []
+  end
+
+  it 'does not set default elements if elements are provided' do
+    o = MyProjectsOverview.new :left => ["members"]
+    o.left.should =~ ["members"]
+    o.right.should =~ []
+    o.top.should =~ []
+    o.hidden.should =~ []
+  end
+
+
+  it 'does not enforce default elements' do
+    @overview.right = []
+    @overview.save!
+
+    @overview.reload
+    @overview.right.should =~ []
+  end
+
   it 'creates a new custom element' do
     @overview.new_custom_element.should_not be_nil
   end