diff --git a/bec_widgets/widgets/editors/dict_backed_table.py b/bec_widgets/widgets/editors/dict_backed_table.py
index 9ab0e301..248b0b5d 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/widgets/editors/dict_backed_table.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/widgets/editors/dict_backed_table.py
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ class DictBackedTableModel(QAbstractTableModel):
 
     def setData(self, index, value, role):
         if role == Qt.ItemDataRole.EditRole:
-            if value in self._disallowed_keys or value in self._other_keys(index.row()):
+            # only keys have to be unique and allowed, values are free
+            if index.column() == 0 and (
+                value in self._disallowed_keys or value in self._other_keys(index.row())
+            ):
                 return False
             self._data[index.row()][index.column()] = str(value)
             self.dataChanged.emit(index, index)
@@ -181,9 +184,8 @@ class DictBackedTable(QWidget):
         self._table_view.setWordWrap(False)
         self._table_view.header().setSectionResizeMode(QtWidgets.QHeaderView.ResizeToContents)
         self._table_view.header().setSectionResizeMode(5, QtWidgets.QHeaderView.Stretch)
+        self._autoscale = False
         self.autoscale = autoscale_to_data
-        if self.autoscale:
-            self.data_changed.connect(self.scale_to_data)
         self._layout.addWidget(self._table_view)
 
         self._button_holder = QWidget()
@@ -258,12 +260,14 @@ class DictBackedTable(QWidget):
 
     @autoscale.setter
     def autoscale(self, autoscale: bool):
-        self._autoscale = autoscale
-        if self._autoscale:
-            self.scale_to_data()
+        # connect or disconnect only on a change, so the slot is never connected twice
+        if autoscale and not self._autoscale:
             self.data_changed.connect(self.scale_to_data)
-        else:
+        elif self._autoscale and not autoscale:
             self.data_changed.disconnect(self.scale_to_data)
+        self._autoscale = autoscale
+        if autoscale:
+            self.scale_to_data()
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_dict_backed_table_model.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_dict_backed_table_model.py
index 4b0cf3e4..4087ab5f 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_dict_backed_table_model.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_dict_backed_table_model.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ process); its failures are collected from the Qt log.
 # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
 import pytest
-from qtpy.QtCore import QItemSelectionModel, QSortFilterProxyModel, Qt
+from qtpy.QtCore import SIGNAL, QItemSelectionModel, QSortFilterProxyModel, Qt
 from qtpy.QtTest import QAbstractItemModelTester
 
 from bec_widgets.tests.utils import create_widget
@@ -185,3 +185,35 @@ def test_scan_metadata_form_drops_deleted_extra_row(qtbot):
     assert received, "deleting a row must re-validate the form"
     assert "k1" not in received[-1]
     assert received[-1]["k2"] == "v2"
+
+
+def test_values_are_not_checked_against_keys(table):
+    model = table._table_model
+    table.update_disallowed_keys(["forbidden"])
+
+    # a value may repeat another row's key or a disallowed key
+    assert model.setData(model.index(0, 1), "key2", Qt.ItemDataRole.EditRole)
+    assert model.setData(model.index(1, 1), "forbidden", Qt.ItemDataRole.EditRole)
+    # keys still have to be unique and allowed
+    assert not model.setData(model.index(0, 0), "key2", Qt.ItemDataRole.EditRole)
+    assert not model.setData(model.index(0, 0), "forbidden", Qt.ItemDataRole.EditRole)
+    assert table.dump_dict() == {"key1": "key2", "key2": "forbidden", "key3": "value3"}
+
+
+def _scale_receivers(widget) -> int:
+    return widget.receivers(SIGNAL("data_changed(QVariantMap)"))
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("autoscale", [True, False])
+def test_autoscale_connects_scale_to_data_once(qtbot, autoscale, recwarn):
+    table = create_widget(qtbot, DictBackedTable, autoscale_to_data=autoscale)
+    assert _scale_receivers(table) == int(autoscale)
+
+    table.autoscale = True
+    table.autoscale = True
+    assert _scale_receivers(table) == 1
+
+    table.autoscale = False
+    table.autoscale = False
+    assert _scale_receivers(table) == 0
+    assert not [w for w in recwarn if "Failed to disconnect" in str(w.message)]