diff --git a/app/pods/components/x-select/component.js b/app/pods/components/x-select/component.js
index eada7b0..e4274b6 100644
--- a/app/pods/components/x-select/component.js
+++ b/app/pods/components/x-select/component.js
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 import Ember from 'ember';
 
-const { Component } = Ember;
+const { Component, isEmpty } = Ember;
 
 export default Component.extend({
   tagName: 'select',
 
-  value: null,
   nameAttr: null,
   listItems: null,
   placeholder: null,
   selected: null,
   selectize: null,
+  multiple: false,
 
   attributeBindings: [
     'multiple',
@@ -29,11 +29,29 @@ export default Component.extend({
   },
 
   didInsertElement: function() {
+    this._super(...arguments);
+
     this.$().selectize({
+      closeAfterSelect: true,
+      selectOnTab: true,
       plugins: ['drag_drop'],
       items: this.get('selected'),
     });
+
     this.set('selectize', this.$()[0].selectize);
   },
 
+  didRender: function() {
+    this._super(...arguments);
+
+    const selected = this.get('selected');
+    if (!isEmpty(selected)) {
+      this.get('selected').forEach((item) => {
+        this.get('selectize').addItem(item, true);
+      });
+    } else {
+      this.get('selectize').clear(true);
+    }
+  },
+
 });
diff --git a/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js b/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js
index f98999d..9c1687d 100644
--- a/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js
+++ b/app/pods/protected/compare/select-form/component.js
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@ export default Component.extend({
   selectedStrains: null,
   selectedCharacteristics: null,
 
-  // updateStrains: function(selection) {
-  //   this.set('selectedStrains', selection);
-  //   this.attrs['update-strains'](this.get('selectedStrains'));
-  // },
+  updateStrains: function(selection) {
+    this.set('selectedStrains', selection);
+    this.attrs["update-strains"](selection);
+  },
 
   updateCharacteristics: function(selection) {
     this.set('selectedCharacteristics', selection);
@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@ export default Component.extend({
       strains.forEach((strain) => {
         strain_ids.push(strain.get('id'));
       });
-      this.updateStrains(strain_ids.join(","));
+      this.updateStrains(strain_ids);
     },
 
     deselectAllStrains: function() {
-      this.updateStrains("");
+      this.updateStrains([]);
     },
 
     selectAllCharacteristics: function() {
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ export default Component.extend({
     },
 
     updateStrainSelection: function(selection) {
-      this.set('selectedStrains', selection);
-      this.attrs["update-strains"](selection);
+      this.updateStrains(selection);
     },
   },
 });