diff --git a/lightning_pose/utils/scripts.py b/lightning_pose/utils/scripts.py
index fecefea6..f74f9c2f 100644
--- a/lightning_pose/utils/scripts.py
+++ b/lightning_pose/utils/scripts.py
@@ -236,13 +236,19 @@ def get_loss_factories(
                     # assume user has provided a set of columns that are present in each view
                     num_keypoints = cfg.data.num_keypoints
                     num_views = len(cfg.data.view_names)
-                    loss_params_dict["unsupervised"][loss_name][
-                        "mirrored_column_matches"
-                    ] = [
-                        (v * num_keypoints
-                         + np.array(cfg.data.mirrored_column_matches, dtype=int)).tolist()
-                        for v in range(num_views)
-                    ]
+                    if isinstance(cfg.data.mirrored_column_matches[0], int):
+                        loss_params_dict["unsupervised"][loss_name][
+                            "mirrored_column_matches"
+                        ] = [
+                            (v * num_keypoints
+                             + np.array(cfg.data.mirrored_column_matches, dtype=int)).tolist()
+                            for v in range(num_views)
+                        ]
+                    else:
+                        # allow user to force specific mapping in multiview case
+                        loss_params_dict["unsupervised"][loss_name][
+                            "mirrored_column_matches"
+                        ] = cfg.data.mirrored_column_matches
                 else:
                     # user must provide all matching columns
                     loss_params_dict["unsupervised"][loss_name][