diff --git includes/simplenews.admin.inc includes/simplenews.admin.inc
index 5400390..d00c778 100644
--- includes/simplenews.admin.inc
+++ includes/simplenews.admin.inc
@@ -738,17 +738,18 @@ function simplenews_subscription_list_add($form, &$form_state) {
     '#rows' => 5,
     '#description' => t('Email addresses must be separated by comma, space or newline.'),
   );
-  $lists = array();
-
-  foreach (simplenews_get_mailing_lists(TRUE) as $list) {
-    $lists[$list->tid] = check_plain($list->name);
-  }
   $form['lists'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'checkboxes',
-    '#title' => t('Subscribe to'),
-    '#options' => $lists,
-    '#required' => TRUE,
+    '#type' => 'fieldset',
+    '#description' => t('Subscribe to'),
   );
+  foreach (simplenews_get_mailing_lists(TRUE) as $list) {
+    $form['lists'][$list->tid] = array(
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#title' => check_plain($list->name),
+      '#description'  => $list->description,
+      '#default_value' => FALSE,
+    );
+  }
 
   // Include language selection when the site is multilingual.
   // Default value is the empty string which will result in receiving emails
@@ -785,7 +786,7 @@ function simplenews_subscription_list_add($form, &$form_state) {
 function simplenews_subscription_list_add_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $added = array();
   $invalid = array();
-  $checked_lists = array_filter($form_state['values']['lists']);
+  $checked_lists = array_keys(array_filter($form_state['values'],'_simplenews_checked'));
   $langcode = $form_state['values']['language'];
 
   $emails = preg_split("/[\s,]+/", $form_state['values']['emails']);
@@ -932,16 +933,18 @@ function simplenews_subscription_list_remove($form, &$form_state) {
     '#rows' => 5,
     '#description' => t('Email addresses must be separated by comma, space or newline.'),
   );
-  $lists = array();
-  foreach (simplenews_get_mailing_lists(TRUE) as $list) {
-    $lists[$list->tid] = check_plain($list->name);
-  }
   $form['lists'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'checkboxes',
-    '#title' => t('Unsubscribe from'),
-    '#options' => $lists,
-    '#required' => TRUE,
+    '#type' => 'fieldset',
+    '#description' => t('Unsubscribe from'),
   );
+  foreach (simplenews_get_mailing_lists(TRUE) as $list) {
+    $form['lists'][$list->tid] = array(
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#title' => check_plain($list->name),
+      '#description'  => $list->description,
+      '#default_value' => FALSE,
+    );
+  }
   $form['submit'] = array(
     '#type' => 'submit',
     '#value' => t('Unsubscribe'),
@@ -952,7 +955,7 @@ function simplenews_subscription_list_remove($form, &$form_state) {
 function simplenews_subscription_list_remove_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   $removed = array();
   $invalid = array();
-  $checked_lists = array_filter($form_state['values']['lists']);
+  $checked_lists = array_keys(array_filter($form_state['values'],'_simplenews_checked'));
 
   $emails = preg_split("/[\s,]+/", $form_state['values']['emails']);
   foreach ($emails as $email) {
diff --git includes/simplenews.subscription.inc includes/simplenews.subscription.inc
index c276725..8e01f21 100644
--- includes/simplenews.subscription.inc
+++ includes/simplenews.subscription.inc
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ function simplenews_subscription_manager_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
   if (!$valid_email) {
     form_set_error('mail', t('The email address you supplied is not valid.'));
   }
-  $checked_newsletters = array_filter($form_state['values']['newsletters']);
+  $checked_newsletters = array_filter($form_state['values'],'_simplenews_checked');
   $account = new stdClass();
   $account->mail = $form_state['values']['mail'];
   if (!count($checked_newsletters) && !simplenews_get_subscription($account)) {
@@ -55,10 +55,11 @@ function simplenews_subscription_manager_form_validate($form, &$form_state) {
 function simplenews_subscription_manager_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
   switch ($form_state['values']['op']) {
     case t('Update'):
-      // We first subscribe, then unsubscribe. This prevents deletion of subscriptions
-      // when unsubscribed from the
-      arsort($form_state['values']['newsletters'], SORT_NUMERIC);
-      foreach ($form_state['values']['newsletters'] as $tid => $checked) {
+      $subscription_checkboxes = array_filter($form_state['values'],'is_int');
+      // Sort subscriptions (value=1) first, then unsubscriptions (value=0).
+      // We first subscribe, then unsubscribe. This prevents deletion of subscribers.
+      arsort($subscription_checkboxes, SORT_NUMERIC);
+      foreach ($checked_newsletters as $tid => $checked) {
         if ($checked) {
           simplenews_subscribe_user($form_state['values']['mail'], $tid, FALSE, 'website');
         }
@@ -69,18 +70,14 @@ function simplenews_subscription_manager_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
       drupal_set_message(t('The newsletter subscriptions for %mail have been updated.', array('%mail' => $form_state['values']['mail'])));
       break;
     case t('Subscribe'):
-      foreach ($form_state['values']['newsletters'] as $tid => $checked) {
-        if ($checked) {
-          simplenews_subscribe_user($form_state['values']['mail'], $tid, TRUE, 'website');
-        }
+      foreach (array_keys(array_filter($form_state['values'],'_simplenews_checked')) as $tid) {
+        simplenews_subscribe_user($form_state['values']['mail'], $tid, TRUE, 'website');
       }
       drupal_set_message(t('You will receive a confirmation email shortly containing further instructions on how to complete your subscription.'));
       break;
     case t('Unsubscribe'):
-      foreach ($form_state['values']['newsletters'] as $tid => $checked) {
-        if ($checked) {
-          simplenews_unsubscribe_user($form_state['values']['mail'], $tid, TRUE, 'website');
-        }
+      foreach (array_keys(array_filter($form_state['values'],'_simplenews_checked')) as $tid) {
+        simplenews_unsubscribe_user($form_state['values']['mail'], $tid, TRUE, 'website');
       }
       drupal_set_message(t('You will receive a confirmation email shortly containing further instructions on how to complete the unsubscription process.'));
       break;
diff --git simplenews.module simplenews.module
index e8bf30d..16b05cf 100644
--- simplenews.module
+++ simplenews.module
@@ -1816,23 +1816,22 @@ function _simplenews_subscription_manager_form($subscription) {
   $default_value = array();
   global $language;
 
+  $form['subscriptions'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'fieldset',
+    '#description' => t('Select the newsletter(s) to which you want to subscribe or unsubscribe.'),
+  );
+
   // Get newsletters for subscription form checkboxes.
   // Newsletters with opt-in/out method 'hidden' will not be listed.
   foreach (simplenews_get_mailing_lists() as $newsletter) {
-    $options[$newsletter->tid] = check_plain($newsletter->name);
-    $default_value[$newsletter->tid] = FALSE;
+    $form['subscriptions'][$newsletter->tid] = array(
+      '#type' => 'checkbox',
+      '#title' => check_plain($newsletter->name),
+      '#description' => $newsletter->description,
+      '#default_value' => in_array($newsletter->tid, $subscription->tids),
+    );
   }
 
-  $form['subscriptions'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'fieldset',
-    '#description' => t('Select the newsletter(s) to which you want to subscribe or unsubscribe.'),
-  );
-  $form['subscriptions']['newsletters'] = array(
-    '#type' => 'checkboxes',
-    '#options' => $options,
-    '#default_value' => array_merge($default_value, (array) $subscription->tids),
-  );
-
   // If current user is logged in, just display email.
   // Anonymous users see an email box and will receive confirmations
   if ($subscription->mail) {
@@ -3230,3 +3229,11 @@ function theme_simplenews_newsletter_footer($variables) {
   }
   return $output;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to filter checked boxes from form values.
+ */
+
+function _simplenews_checked($value) {
+  return ($value === 1);
+}