diff --git a/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js b/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js
index 9c1687d..6c7d0ae 100644
--- a/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js
+++ b/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export default Component.extend({
 
   updateCharacteristics: function(selection) {
     this.set('selectedCharacteristics', selection);
-    this.attrs['update-characteristics'](this.get('selectedCharacteristics'));
+    this.attrs['update-characteristics'](selection);
   },
 
   actions: {
@@ -51,15 +51,19 @@ export default Component.extend({
       chars.forEach((char) => {
         char_ids.push(char.get('id'));
       });
-      this.updateCharacteristics(char_ids.join(","));
+      this.updateCharacteristics(char_ids);
     },
 
     deselectAllCharacteristics: function() {
-      this.updateCharacteristics("");
+      this.updateCharacteristics([]);
     },
 
     updateStrainSelection: function(selection) {
       this.updateStrains(selection);
     },
+
+    updateCharacteristicSelection: function(selection) {
+      this.updateCharacteristics(selection);
+    },
   },
 });
diff --git a/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/template.hbs b/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/template.hbs
index 5068a7c..6bf7985 100644
--- a/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/template.hbs
+++ b/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/template.hbs
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@
         <li>
           <label>Characteristics</label>
           {{
-            select-2
+            x-select
+            listItems=characteristics
+            nameAttr="characteristicName"
+            update=(action "updateCharacteristicSelection")
+            placeholder="Select one ore more characteristics"
             multiple=true
-            content=characteristics
-            value=selectedCharacteristics
-            optionValuePath="id"
-            optionLabelPath="characteristicName"
-            placeholder="Select one or more characteristics"
+            selected=selectedCharacteristics
           }}
         </li>
         <li>