diff --git a/wintable/new/header.h b/wintable/new/header.h
index 47c13b2..c89b506 100644
--- a/wintable/new/header.h
+++ b/wintable/new/header.h
@@ -55,6 +55,19 @@ static void headerAddColumn(struct table *t, WCHAR *name)
 
 static void updateTableWidth(struct table *t)
 {
+	HDITEMW item;
+	intptr_t i;
+
+	t->width = 0;
+	// TODO count dividers?
+	for (i = 0; i < t->nColumns; i++) {
+		ZeroMemory(&item, sizeof (HDITEMW));
+		item.mask = HDI_WIDTH;
+		if (SendMessageW(t->header, HDM_GETITEM, (WPARAM) i, (LPARAM) (&item)) == FALSE)
+			panic("error getting Table column width for updateTableWidth()");
+		t->width += item.cxy;
+	}
+	// TODO replace this with a call to hscrollby(t, 0)
 	recomputeHScroll(t);
 }
 
diff --git a/wintable/new/hscroll.h b/wintable/new/hscroll.h
index 061cd7b..84ddc3b 100644
--- a/wintable/new/hscroll.h
+++ b/wintable/new/hscroll.h
@@ -18,19 +18,8 @@ static void hscroll(struct table *t, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
 static void recomputeHScroll(struct table *t)
 {
 	SCROLLINFO si;
-	HDITEMW item;
-	intptr_t i, width;
 	RECT r;
 
-	width = 0;
-	// TODO count dividers?
-	for (i = 0; i < t->nColumns; i++) {
-		ZeroMemory(&item, sizeof (HDITEMW));
-		item.mask = HDI_WIDTH;
-		if (SendMessageW(t->header, HDM_GETITEM, (WPARAM) i, (LPARAM) (&item)) == FALSE)
-			panic("error getting Table column width for recomputeHScroll()");
-		width += item.cxy;
-	}
 	if (GetClientRect(t->hwnd, &r) == 0)
 		panic("error getting Table client rect for recomputeHScroll()");
 	ZeroMemory(&si, sizeof (SCROLLINFO));
@@ -38,7 +27,7 @@ static void recomputeHScroll(struct table *t)
 	si.fMask = SIF_PAGE | SIF_RANGE;
 	si.nPage = r.right - r.left;
 	si.nMin = 0;
-	si.nMax = width - 1;		// endpoint inclusive
+	si.nMax = t->width - 1;		// endpoint inclusive
 	SetScrollInfo(t->hwnd, SB_HORZ, &si, TRUE);
 	// TODO what happens if the above call renders the current scroll position moot?
 }
diff --git a/wintable/new/main.c b/wintable/new/main.c
index 2a0ccba..79b00ae 100644
--- a/wintable/new/main.c
+++ b/wintable/new/main.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ struct table {
 	HFONT font;
 	intptr_t nColumns;
 	int *columnTypes;
+	intptr_t width;
 };
 
 #include "util.h"