diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/app.py b/src/wuttaweb/app.py
index 845b41f..88318b4 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/app.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/app.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class WebAppProvider(AppProvider):
         return self.web_handler
 
 
-def make_wutta_config(settings):
+def make_wutta_config(settings, config_maker=None, **kwargs):
     """
     Make a WuttaConfig object from the given settings.
 
@@ -93,8 +93,9 @@ def make_wutta_config(settings):
                          "section of config to the path of your "
                          "config file.  Lame, but necessary.")
 
-    # make config per usual, add to settings
-    wutta_config = make_config(path)
+    # make config, add to settings
+    config_maker = config_maker or make_config
+    wutta_config = config_maker(path, **kwargs)
     settings['wutta_config'] = wutta_config
 
     # configure database sessions
diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/forms/schema.py b/src/wuttaweb/forms/schema.py
index a3a464b..4402fde 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/forms/schema.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/forms/schema.py
@@ -258,7 +258,12 @@ class PersonRef(ObjectRef):
 
     This is a subclass of :class:`ObjectRef`.
     """
-    model_class = Person
+
+    @property
+    def model_class(self):
+        """ """
+        model = self.app.model
+        return model.Person
 
     def sort_query(self, query):
         """ """
diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/forms/widgets.py b/src/wuttaweb/forms/widgets.py
index 6c77fe0..837b6f1 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/forms/widgets.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/forms/widgets.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class UserRefsWidget(WuttaCheckboxChoiceWidget):
         users = []
         if cstruct:
             for uuid in cstruct:
-                user = self.session.query(model.User).get(uuid)
+                user = self.session.get(model.User, uuid)
                 if user:
                     users.append(dict([(key, getattr(user, key))
                                        for key in columns + ['uuid']]))
diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/grids/base.py b/src/wuttaweb/grids/base.py
index 5d5984f..0f2c812 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/grids/base.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/grids/base.py
@@ -1047,7 +1047,13 @@ class Grid:
         filters = filters or {}
 
         if self.model_class:
-            for key in self.get_model_columns():
+            # TODO: i tried using self.get_model_columns() here but in
+            # many cases that will be too aggressive.  however it is
+            # often the case that the *grid* columns are a subset of
+            # the unerlying *table* columns.  so until a better way
+            # is found, we choose "too few" instead of "too many"
+            # filters here.  surely must improve it at some point.
+            for key in self.columns:
                 if key in filters:
                     continue
                 prop = getattr(self.model_class, key, None)
diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/views/people.py b/src/wuttaweb/views/people.py
index a19df57..78cf931 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/views/people.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/views/people.py
@@ -123,6 +123,12 @@ class PersonView(MasterView):
     @classmethod
     def defaults(cls, config):
         """ """
+
+        # nb. Person may come from custom model
+        wutta_config = config.registry.settings['wutta_config']
+        app = wutta_config.get_app()
+        cls.model_class = app.model.Person
+
         cls._defaults(config)
         cls._people_defaults(config)
 
diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/views/settings.py b/src/wuttaweb/views/settings.py
index a20e1f6..aa28416 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/views/settings.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/views/settings.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ class AppInfoView(MasterView):
     model_name = 'AppInfo'
     model_title_plural = "App Info"
     route_prefix = 'appinfo'
+    filterable = False
     sort_on_backend = False
     sort_defaults = 'name'
     paginated = False
diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/views/users.py b/src/wuttaweb/views/users.py
index 91ed2e0..5e28a26 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/views/users.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/views/users.py
@@ -207,6 +207,17 @@ class UserView(MasterView):
             role = session.get(model.Role, uuid)
             user.roles.remove(role)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def defaults(cls, config):
+        """ """
+
+        # nb. User may come from custom model
+        wutta_config = config.registry.settings['wutta_config']
+        app = wutta_config.get_app()
+        cls.model_class = app.model.User
+
+        cls._defaults(config)
+
 
 def defaults(config, **kwargs):
     base = globals()