Index: wp-admin/includes/screen.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/screen.php	(revision 20563)
+++ wp-admin/includes/screen.php	(working copy)
@@ -773,6 +773,9 @@
 				</div>
 			</div>
 		<?php
+		// Get the screen layout since we need it for class identifiers
+		$this->get_screen_layout();
+		
 		// Add screen options
 		if ( $this->show_screen_options() )
 			$this->render_screen_options();
@@ -902,12 +905,43 @@
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Render the option for number of columns on the page
+	 * Render the HTML for the number of columns on the page.
 	 *
 	 * @since 3.3.0
+	 *
+	 * @global int $screen_layout_columns The number of columns on the page
 	 */
 	function render_screen_layout() {
 		global $screen_layout_columns;
+		$num = $this->get_option( 'layout_columns', 'max' );
+		?>
+		<h5 class="screen-layout"><?php _e('Screen Layout'); ?></h5>
+		<div class='columns-prefs'><?php
+			_e('Number of Columns:');
+			for ( $i = 1; $i <= $num; ++$i ):
+				?>
+				<label class="columns-prefs-<?php echo $i; ?>">
+					<input type='radio' name='screen_columns' value='<?php echo esc_attr( $i ); ?>'
+						<?php checked( $screen_layout_columns, $i ); ?> />
+					<?php echo esc_html( $i ); ?>
+				</label>
+				<?php
+			endfor; ?>
+		</div>
+		<?php
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Set up the global $screen_layout_columns to determine the number of metabox
+	 * columns on the page.
+	 *
+	 * @since 3.4.0
+	 *
+	 * @global int $screen_layout_columns The number of columns on the page
+	 */
+	function get_screen_layout() {
+	
+		global $screen_layout_columns;
 
 		// Back compat for plugins using the filter instead of add_screen_option()
 		$columns = apply_filters( 'screen_layout_columns', array(), $this->id, $this );
@@ -921,28 +955,15 @@
 		}
 
 		$screen_layout_columns = get_user_option("screen_layout_$this->id");
-		$num = $this->get_option( 'layout_columns', 'max' );
 
 		if ( ! $screen_layout_columns || 'auto' == $screen_layout_columns ) {
 			if ( $this->get_option( 'layout_columns', 'default' ) )
 				$screen_layout_columns = $this->get_option( 'layout_columns', 'default' );
 		}
-
-		?>
-		<h5 class="screen-layout"><?php _e('Screen Layout'); ?></h5>
-		<div class='columns-prefs'><?php
-			_e('Number of Columns:');
-			for ( $i = 1; $i <= $num; ++$i ):
-				?>
-				<label class="columns-prefs-<?php echo $i; ?>">
-					<input type='radio' name='screen_columns' value='<?php echo esc_attr( $i ); ?>'
-						<?php checked( $screen_layout_columns, $i ); ?> />
-					<?php echo esc_html( $i ); ?>
-				</label>
-				<?php
-			endfor; ?>
-		</div>
-		<?php
+		
+		/** Have the method return the number of columns as well */
+		return $screen_layout_columns;
+	
 	}
 
 	/**
Index: wp-admin/edit-form-advanced.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/edit-form-advanced.php	(revision 20563)
+++ wp-admin/edit-form-advanced.php	(working copy)
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
 require_once('./admin-header.php');
 ?>
 
-<div class="wrap columns-<?php echo (int) $screen_layout_columns ? (int) $screen_layout_columns : 'auto'; ?>">
+<div class="wrap columns-<?php echo !empty( $screen_layout_columns ) ? (int) $screen_layout_columns : 'auto'; ?>">
 <?php screen_icon(); ?>
 <h2><?php echo esc_html( $title ); ?><?php if ( isset( $post_new_file ) ) : ?> <a href="<?php echo esc_url( $post_new_file ) ?>" class="add-new-h2"><?php echo esc_html($post_type_object->labels->add_new); ?></a><?php endif; ?></h2>
 <?php if ( $notice ) : ?>
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@
 
 <div id="poststuff">
 
-<div id="post-body" class="metabox-holder columns-<?php echo 1 == $screen_layout_columns ? '1' : '2'; ?>">
+<div id="post-body" class="metabox-holder columns-<?php echo !empty( $screen_layout_columns ) && 1 == $screen_layout_columns ? '1' : '2'; ?>">
 <div id="post-body-content">
 <?php if ( post_type_supports($post_type, 'title') ) { ?>
 <div id="titlediv">
Index: wp-admin/edit-link-form.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/edit-link-form.php	(revision 20563)
+++ wp-admin/edit-link-form.php	(working copy)
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 require_once ('admin-header.php');
 ?>
 
-<div class="wrap columns-<?php echo (int) $screen_layout_columns ? (int) $screen_layout_columns : 'auto'; ?>">
+<div class="wrap columns-<?php echo !empty( $screen_layout_columns ) ? (int) $screen_layout_columns : 'auto'; ?>">
 <?php screen_icon(); ?>
 <h2><?php echo esc_html( $title ); ?>  <a href="link-add.php" class="add-new-h2"><?php echo esc_html_x('Add New', 'link'); ?></a></h2>
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 
 <div id="poststuff">
 
-<div id="post-body" class="metabox-holder columns-<?php echo 1 == $screen_layout_columns ? '1' : '2'; ?>">
+<div id="post-body" class="metabox-holder columns-<?php echo !empty( $screen_layout_columns ) && 1 == $screen_layout_columns ? '1' : '2'; ?>">
 <div id="post-body-content">
 <div id="namediv" class="stuffbox">
 <h3><label for="link_name"><?php _ex('Name', 'link name') ?></label></h3>
Index: wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(revision 20563)
+++ wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(working copy)
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@
 	global $screen_layout_columns;
 
 	$screen = get_current_screen();
-	$class = 'columns-' . $screen_layout_columns;
+	if ( !empty( $screen_layout_columns ) )
+		$class = 'columns-' . $screen_layout_columns;
 
 ?>
 <div id="dashboard-widgets" class="metabox-holder <?php echo $class; ?>">