diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters.py
index 5d8676caaf0..96408835210 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters.py
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ class ColumnListParameter( SelectToolParameter ):
         SelectToolParameter.__init__( self, tool, elem )
 
         self.tool = tool
-        self.numerical = elem.get( "numerical", False )
+        self.numerical = str_bool( elem.get( "numerical", False ))
         self.assoc_dataset = elem.get( "assoc_dataset", None )
 
     def get_options( self, trans, other_values ):
diff --git a/tools/filters/uniq.py b/tools/filters/uniq.py
index 5c82ca63b59..723b8fdfefd 100644
--- a/tools/filters/uniq.py
+++ b/tools/filters/uniq.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # of occurences of each unique column, inserted before the columns.
 #
 # This executes the command pipeline:
-#       cut -f $fields | sort | uniq -C
+#       cut -f $fields | sort  | uniq -C
 #
 # -i            Input file
 # -o            Output file
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def main():
         print "Usage:"
         print " -i        Input file"
         print " -o        Output file"
-        print " -c          Column list (comma seperated)"
+        print " -c        Column list (comma seperated)"
         print " -d        Delimiter:"
         print "                     T   Tab"
         print "                     C   Comma"
@@ -72,9 +72,8 @@ def main():
         return -4
 
     # All inputs have been specified at this point, now validate.
-
     fileRegEx = re.compile("^[A-Za-z0-9./\-_]+$")
-    columnRegEx = re.compile("(c[0-9]{1,},?)+")
+    columnRegEx = re.compile("([0-9]{1,},?)+")
 
     if not columnRegEx.match(columns):
         print "Illegal column specification."
@@ -86,19 +85,10 @@ def main():
         print "Illegal input filename."
         return -6
 
-    # Remove "c"
-    columns = re.split(",",columns)
-
-    # Convert to integers
-    intcolumns = []
-    for col in columns:
-        intcolumns.append(int(re.search("(\d+)",col).group(1)))
-    maxcol = max(intcolumns)
-    
-    # Check max column
-    if maxcol > len( open(inputfile).readline().split('\t') ):
-        print "Column "+str(maxcol)+" does not exist."
-        return -9
+    column_list = re.split(",",columns)
+    columns_for_display = ""
+    for col in column_list:
+        columns_for_display += "c"+col+", "
 
     commandline = "cut "
     # Set delimiter
@@ -116,16 +106,11 @@ def main():
         commandline += "-d \" \" "
 
     # set columns
-    commandline += "-f "
-    while len(intcolumns)>1:
-        commandline += str(intcolumns[0]) + ","
-        intcolumns = intcolumns[1:]
-    commandline += str(intcolumns[0])
-
+    commandline += "-f " + columns
     commandline += " " + inputfile + " | sed s/\ //g | sort | uniq -c | sed s/^\ *// | tr \" \" \"\t\" > " + outputfile
     errorcode, stdout = commands.getstatusoutput(commandline)
     
-    print "Count of unique values in " + opts.get("-c")
+    print "Count of unique values in " + columns_for_display
     return errorcode
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tools/filters/uniq.xml b/tools/filters/uniq.xml
index 2167c23f3e6..1aa4abf4e7d 100644
--- a/tools/filters/uniq.xml
+++ b/tools/filters/uniq.xml
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
   <description>occurences of each record</description>
   <command interpreter="python">uniq.py -i $input -o $out_file1 -c "$column" -d $delim</command>
   <inputs>
-    <param name="column" size="14" type="text" value="c1,c2" label="Count occurencies of values in column(s)" help="separate column indices with comma. First column is 'c1'"/>
-    <param format="text" name="input" type="data" label="in Query"/>
+    <param name="column" type="columnlist" assoc_dataset="input" multiple="True" numerical="False" label="Count occurencies of values in column(s)" help="Multi-select list - hold the appropriate key while clicking to select multiple columns" />
+    <param name="input" type="data" format="tabular" label="from query" refresh_on_change="True" help="Query missing? See TIP below"/>
     <param name="delim" type="select" label="Delimited by">
       <option value="T">Tab</option>
       <option value="Sp">Whitespace</option>
@@ -26,13 +26,20 @@
     </test>
   </tests>
   <help>
+  
+ .. class:: infomark
+
+**TIP:** If your data is not TAB delimited, use *Edit Queries-&gt;Convert characters*
+
+-----
 
 **Syntax**
 
-This tool grabs unique lines based on the user input columns, and returns those columns with a count of occurences of each unique column, inserted before the columns.
+This tool counts occurences of unique values in selected column(s).
+
+- If multiple columns are selected, counting is performed on each unique group of all values in the selected columns.
+- The first column of the resulting query will be the count of unique values in the selected column(s) and will be followed by each value.
 
-- **Count occurencies of values in column(s):** Columns are referenced with **c** and a **number**. For example, **c1** refers to the first column of the input file.
- 
 -----
 
 **Example**
@@ -48,14 +55,21 @@ This tool grabs unique lines based on the user input columns, and returns those
        chr4   10 1765  gene7
        chr4   10 1765  gene8
 
-- Count occurencies of values in the first column of the above file. The output will look like this::
+- Counting unique values in column c1 will result in::
 
        3 chr1
        2 chr2
        1 chr3
        2 chr4   
 
-       Because in this query values **chr1**, **chr2**, **chr3**, and **chr4** occur 3, 2, 1, and 2 times, respectively.
+- Counting unique values in the grouping of columns c2 and c3 will result in::
+
+       2    10    100
+       2    10    1765
+       1    1000  1900
+       1    105   200
+       1    15    1656
+       1    205   300
 
 </help>
 </tool>