diff --git a/app/models/miq_group.rb b/app/models/miq_group.rb
index 3af3f045e1e..4acaa8b1b65 100644
--- a/app/models/miq_group.rb
+++ b/app/models/miq_group.rb
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ def name
     description
   end
 
+  def settings
+    super && super.with_indifferent_access
+  end
+
   def self.with_allowed_roles_for(user_or_group)
     includes(:miq_user_role).where.not({:miq_user_roles => {:name => user_or_group.disallowed_roles}})
   end
diff --git a/spec/models/miq_group_spec.rb b/spec/models/miq_group_spec.rb
index bddf31a9133..48febe106f2 100644
--- a/spec/models/miq_group_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/miq_group_spec.rb
@@ -312,6 +312,15 @@
       ws3 = FactoryGirl.create(:miq_widget_set, :name => 'B2', :owner => group)
       expect(group.ordered_widget_sets).to eq([ws1, ws3, ws2])
     end
+
+    it "works when settings use strings" do
+      ws1 = FactoryGirl.create(:miq_widget_set, :name => 'A1', :owner => group)
+      _ws2 = FactoryGirl.create(:miq_widget_set, :name => 'C3', :owner => group)
+      ws3 = FactoryGirl.create(:miq_widget_set, :name => 'B2', :owner => group)
+      group.update_attributes(:settings => {"dashboard_order" => [ws3.id.to_s, ws1.id.to_s]})
+
+      expect(group.ordered_widget_sets).to eq([ws3, ws1])
+    end
   end
 
   context ".sort_by_desc" do