diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index da871d4..26088f2 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 ### GENERAL
-    * delete files should behave like /move_files (stay on same page) as well as the status messages above
-
     * all routes should be consistent naming conventions (with or without _ )
 
-    * change the rotation code to use that jpeg util to reduce/remove compression loss?
-
     * get build process to create a random string for secret for PROD, otherwise use builtin for dev
 
     * think about security - in job_mgr anywhere I can os.replace/remove NEED to protect, etc
 
+    * change the rotation code to use that jpeg util to reduce/remove compression loss?
+
     * read this: https://flask.palletsprojects.com/en/2.2.x/testing/#faking-resources-and-context
 
     * could get better AI optim, by keeping track of just new files since scan (even if we did this from the DB), 
diff --git a/internal/js/files_support.js b/internal/js/files_support.js
index 9c43b34..d6c0ae3 100644
--- a/internal/js/files_support.js
+++ b/internal/js/files_support.js
@@ -74,18 +74,18 @@ function GetExistingDirsAsDiv( dt, divname, ptype )
     } )
 }
 
-// wrapper to do some clean up before POST to /move_files
-// used to remove the highlighted item(s) -- effectively removing them from view/selection so continued 'Moves' can occur
-function MoveSubmit()
+// wrapper to do some clean up before POST to /move_files or /delete_files
+// used to remove the highlighted item(s) && reset the numbering so highlighting continues to work
+function MoveOrDelCleanUpUI()
 {
     // remove the images being moved (so UI immediately 'sees' the move)
     $("[name^=eid-]").each( function() { $('#'+$(this).attr('value')).remove() } )
     // reorder the images via ecnt again, so future highlighting can work
     document.mf_id=0; $('.figure').each( function() { $(this).attr('ecnt', document.mf_id ); document.mf_id++ } )
     $('#dbox').modal('hide')
-    $.ajax({ type: 'POST', data: $('#mv_fm').serialize(), url: '/move_files', success: function(data) { CheckForJobs() } })
 }
 
+
 // show the DBox for a move file, includes all thumbnails of selected files to move
 // and a pre-populated folder to move them into, with text field to add a suffix
 function MoveDBox(path_details, db_url)
@@ -126,10 +126,12 @@ function MoveDBox(path_details, db_url)
         </div>
         <div class="form-row col-12 mt-2">
             <button onClick="$('#dbox').modal('hide'); return false;" class="btn btn-outline-secondary offset-1 col-2">Cancel</button>
-            <button id="move_submit" onClick="MoveSubmit(); return false;" class="btn btn-outline-primary col-2">Ok</button>
+            <button id="move_submit" onClick="MoveOrDelCleanUpUI(); $.ajax({ type: 'POST', data: $('#mv_fm').serialize(), url: '/move_files', success: function(data) { 
+                if( $(location).attr('pathname').match('search') !== null ) { window.location='/' }; CheckForJobs() } }); return false" class="btn btn-outline-primary col-2">Ok</button>
         </div>
         </form>
     `
+
     $('#dbox-content').html(div)
     $('#dbox').modal('show')
     $("#prefix").keypress(function (e) { if (e.which == 13) { $("#move_submit").click(); return false; } } )
@@ -148,18 +150,22 @@ function DelDBox(del_or_undel)
             <button onClick="$('#dbox').modal('hide')" class="btn btn-outline-secondary col-2">Cancel</button>
     `
     div+=`
-    <button onClick="$('#dbox').modal('hide'); $.ajax({ type: 'POST', data: to_del, url:
+    <button onClick="MoveOrDelCleanUpUI(); $.ajax({ type: 'POST', data: to_del, url:
     `
     if( del_or_undel == "Delete" )
         div+=`
         '/delete_files',
-        success: function(data){ window.location='/'; CheckForJobs() } })" class="btn btn-outline-danger col-2">Ok</button>
+        success: function(data){ 
+            if( $(location).attr('pathname').match('search') !== null ) { window.location='/' }; CheckForJobs() } }); return false" class="btn btn-outline-danger col-2">Ok</button>
         </div>
         `
     else
+        // just force page reload to / for now if restoring files from a search path -- a search (by name) 
+        // would match the deleted/restored file, so it would be complex to clean up the UI (and can't reload, as DB won't be changed yet)
         div+=`
         '/restore_files',
-        success: function(data){ window.location='/'; CheckForJobs() } })" class="btn btn-outline-success col-2">Ok</button>
+        success: function(data){ 
+            if( $(location).attr('pathname').match('search') !== null ) { window.location='/' }; CheckForJobs() } }); return false" class="btn btn-outline-success col-2">Ok</button>
         </div>
         `
     $('#dbox-content').html(div)
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 0e3a2ca..7faf47d 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ def save_user(dn, username, data, memberships):
     # if we already have a valid user/session, and say the web has restarted, just re-use it, dont make more users
     if pau:
         return pau
-    pau=PAUser(dn=dn, default_import_noo="Oldest", default_storage_noo="A to Z", default_search_noo="Newest", default_grouping="None", default_how_many=50, default_size=128, default_import_folders=False, default_storage_folders=True )
+    pau=PAUser(dn=dn, default_import_noo="Newest", default_storage_noo="A to Z", default_search_noo="Newest", default_grouping="None", default_how_many=50, default_size=128, default_import_folders=False, default_storage_folders=True )
     db.session.add(pau)
     db.session.commit()
     return pau