diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/space_spreadsheet.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/space_spreadsheet.cc
index d57709d1351..b6b6464806c 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/space_spreadsheet.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/space_spreadsheet.cc
@@ -384,15 +384,11 @@ static void update_visible_columns(SpreadsheetTable &table, DataSource &data_sou
   Set<std::reference_wrapper<const SpreadsheetColumnID>> handled_columns;
   Vector<SpreadsheetColumn *, 32> new_columns;
   for (SpreadsheetColumn *column : Span{table.columns, table.num_columns}) {
-    const bool still_exists = data_source.get_column_values(*column->id) != nullptr;
-    if (still_exists) {
-      if (handled_columns.add(*column->id)) {
-        new_columns.append(column);
-        continue;
-      }
+    if (handled_columns.add(*column->id)) {
+      const bool has_data = data_source.get_column_values(*column->id) != nullptr;
+      SET_FLAG_FROM_TEST(column->flag, !has_data, SPREADSHEET_COLUMN_FLAG_UNAVAILABLE);
+      new_columns.append(column);
     }
-    /* Free columns that don't exist anymore or are duplicates for some reason. */
-    spreadsheet_column_free(column);
   }
 
   data_source.foreach_default_column_ids(
@@ -468,8 +464,9 @@ static void spreadsheet_main_region_draw(const bContext *C, ARegion *region)
 
   for (SpreadsheetColumn *column : Span{table->columns, table->num_columns}) {
     std::unique_ptr<ColumnValues> values_ptr = data_source->get_column_values(*column->id);
-    /* Should have been removed before if it does not exist anymore. */
-    BLI_assert(values_ptr);
+    if (!values_ptr) {
+      continue;
+    }
     const ColumnValues *values = scope.add(std::move(values_ptr));
 
     if (column->width <= 0.0f) {
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/spreadsheet_ops.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/spreadsheet_ops.cc
index 8ab019449bd..2ed6e4c2e25 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/spreadsheet_ops.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_spreadsheet/spreadsheet_ops.cc
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ SpreadsheetColumn *find_hovered_column_edge(SpaceSpreadsheet &sspreadsheet,
   }
   const float cursor_x_view = UI_view2d_region_to_view_x(&region.v2d, cursor_re.x);
   for (SpreadsheetColumn *column : Span{table->columns, table->num_columns}) {
+    if (column->flag & SPREADSHEET_COLUMN_FLAG_UNAVAILABLE) {
+      continue;
+    }
     if (std::abs(cursor_x_view - column->runtime->right_x) < SPREADSHEET_EDGE_ACTION_ZONE) {
       return column;
     }
@@ -213,6 +216,9 @@ SpreadsheetColumn *find_hovered_column(SpaceSpreadsheet &sspreadsheet,
   }
   const float cursor_x_view = UI_view2d_region_to_view_x(&region.v2d, cursor_re.x);
   for (SpreadsheetColumn *column : Span{table->columns, table->num_columns}) {
+    if (column->flag & SPREADSHEET_COLUMN_FLAG_UNAVAILABLE) {
+      continue;
+    }
     if (cursor_x_view > column->runtime->left_x && cursor_x_view <= column->runtime->right_x) {
       return column;
     }
@@ -321,6 +327,26 @@ struct ReorderColumnData {
   View2DEdgePanData pan_data{};
 };
 
+static std::optional<int> find_first_available_column_index(const SpreadsheetTable &table)
+{
+  for (int i = 0; i < table.num_columns; i++) {
+    if (!(table.columns[i]->flag & SPREADSHEET_COLUMN_FLAG_UNAVAILABLE)) {
+      return i;
+    }
+  }
+  return std::nullopt;
+}
+
+static std::optional<int> find_last_available_column_index(const SpreadsheetTable &table)
+{
+  for (int i = table.num_columns - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+    if (!(table.columns[i]->flag & SPREADSHEET_COLUMN_FLAG_UNAVAILABLE)) {
+      return i;
+    }
+  }
+  return std::nullopt;
+}
+
 static wmOperatorStatus reorder_columns_invoke(bContext *C, wmOperator *op, const wmEvent *event)
 {
   SpaceSpreadsheet &sspreadsheet = *CTX_wm_space_spreadsheet(C);
@@ -384,10 +410,10 @@ static wmOperatorStatus reorder_columns_modal(bContext *C, wmOperator *op, const
   }
   else {
     if (cursor_re.x > sspreadsheet.runtime->left_column_width) {
-      new_index = columns.size() - 1;
+      new_index = *find_last_available_column_index(table);
     }
     else {
-      new_index = 0;
+      new_index = *find_first_available_column_index(table);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_enums.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_enums.h
index 13befddb5d5..4f4c007002a 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_enums.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_enums.h
@@ -1019,6 +1019,15 @@ typedef enum eSpreadsheetColumnValueType {
   SPREADSHEET_VALUE_TYPE_FLOAT4X4 = 12,
 } eSpreadsheetColumnValueType;
 
+typedef enum eSpreadsheetColumnFlag {
+  /**
+   * There is no data for this column currently, so it's not displayed. However, it is still kept
+   * around so that the column remembers its position and width when the data becomes available
+   * again.
+   */
+  SPREADSHEET_COLUMN_FLAG_UNAVAILABLE = (1 << 0),
+} eSpreadsheetColumnFlag;
+
 typedef enum eSpreadsheetTableIDType {
   /** This table uses the #SpreadsheetTableIDGeometry key. */
   SPREADSHEET_TABLE_ID_TYPE_GEOMETRY = 0,
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h
index 37fc65d1eb1..8645d1f2f72 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_space_types.h
@@ -1091,7 +1091,9 @@ typedef struct SpreadsheetColumn {
    * #eSpreadsheetColumnValueType.
    */
   uint8_t data_type;
-  char _pad0[3];
+  char _pad0[1];
+  /** #eSpreadsheetColumnFlag. */
+  uint16_t flag;
   /** Width in SPREADSHEET_WIDTH_UNIT. */
   float width;