diff --git a/src/wp-admin/js/customize-widgets.js b/src/wp-admin/js/customize-widgets.js
index ba10a89b1f..8134a984d3 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/js/customize-widgets.js
+++ b/src/wp-admin/js/customize-widgets.js
@@ -927,19 +927,50 @@
 		},
 
 		/**
-		 * Get the property that represents the state of an input.
+		 * Get the state for an input depending on its type.
 		 *
-		 * @param {jQuery|DOMElement} input
-		 * @returns {string}
+		 * @param {jQuery|Element} input
+		 * @returns {string|boolean|array|*}
 		 * @private
 		 */
-		_getInputStatePropertyName: function( input ) {
-			var $input = $( input );
-
-			if ( $input.is( ':radio, :checkbox' ) ) {
-				return 'checked';
+		_getInputState: function( input ) {
+			input = $( input );
+			if ( input.is( ':radio, :checkbox' ) ) {
+				return input.prop( 'checked' );
+			} else if ( input.is( 'select[multiple]' ) ) {
+				return input.find( 'option:selected' ).map( function () {
+					return $( this ).val();
+				} ).get();
 			} else {
-				return 'value';
+				return input.val();
+			}
+		},
+
+		/**
+		 * Update an input's state based on its type.
+		 *
+		 * @param {jQuery|Element} input
+		 * @param {string|boolean|array|*} state
+		 * @private
+		 */
+		_setInputState: function ( input, state ) {
+			input = $( input );
+			if ( input.is( ':radio, :checkbox' ) ) {
+				input.prop( 'checked', state );
+			} else if ( input.is( 'select[multiple]' ) ) {
+				if ( ! $.isArray( state ) ) {
+					state = [];
+				} else {
+					// Make sure all state items are strings since the DOM value is a string
+					state = _.map( state, function ( value ) {
+						return String( value );
+					} );
+				}
+				input.find( 'option' ).each( function () {
+					$( this ).prop( 'selected', -1 !== _.indexOf( state, String( this.value ) ) );
+				} );
+			} else {
+				input.val( state );
 			}
 		},
 
@@ -1016,9 +1047,7 @@
 			// we know if it got sanitized; if there is no difference in the sanitized value,
 			// then we do not need to touch the UI and mess up the user's ongoing editing.
 			$inputs.each( function() {
-				var input = $( this ),
-					property = self._getInputStatePropertyName( this );
-				input.data( 'state' + updateNumber, input.prop( property ) );
+				$( this ).data( 'state' + updateNumber, self._getInputState( this ) );
 			} );
 
 			if ( instanceOverride ) {
@@ -1071,16 +1100,15 @@
 						$inputs.each( function( i ) {
 							var $input = $( this ),
 								$sanitizedInput = $( $sanitizedInputs[i] ),
-								property = self._getInputStatePropertyName( this ),
 								submittedState, sanitizedState,	canUpdateState;
 
 							submittedState = $input.data( 'state' + updateNumber );
-							sanitizedState = $sanitizedInput.prop( property );
+							sanitizedState = self._getInputState( $sanitizedInput );
 							$input.data( 'sanitized', sanitizedState );
 
-							canUpdateState = ( submittedState !== sanitizedState && ( args.ignoreActiveElement || ! $input.is( document.activeElement ) )	);
+							canUpdateState = ( ! _.isEqual( submittedState, sanitizedState ) && ( args.ignoreActiveElement || ! $input.is( document.activeElement ) ) );
 							if ( canUpdateState ) {
-								$input.prop( property, sanitizedState );
+								self._setInputState( $input, sanitizedState );
 							}
 						} );