diff --git a/lib/controller/checks.py b/lib/controller/checks.py
index f7c145a8a..c9830c6b2 100644
--- a/lib/controller/checks.py
+++ b/lib/controller/checks.py
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ from lib.core.threads import getCurrentThreadData
 from lib.core.unescaper import unescaper
 from lib.request.connect import Connect as Request
 from lib.request.templates import getPageTemplate
-from lib.techniques.inband.union.use import configUnion
 from lib.techniques.inband.union.test import unionTest
+from lib.techniques.inband.union.use import configUnion
 
 def unescape(string, dbms):
     if string is None:
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ def checkSqlInjection(place, parameter, value):
             stype = test.stype
             clause = test.clause
 
+            if stype == 3 and test.request.columns == "[COLSTART]-[COLSTOP]":
+                if conf.uCols is None:
+                    continue
+                else:
+                    configUnion()
+                    title = title.replace("[COLSTART]", str(conf.uColsStart))
+                    title = title.replace("[COLSTOP]", str(conf.uColsStop))
+
             # Skip test if the user's wants to test only for a specific
             # technique
             if conf.technique and isinstance(conf.technique, int) and stype != conf.technique:
@@ -383,13 +391,20 @@ def checkSqlInjection(place, parameter, value):
                             # current test settings for proper unescaping
                             kb.misc.forcedDbms = dbms
 
+                            if conf.uCols is not None and test.request.columns != "[COLSTART]-[COLSTOP]":
+                                debugMsg = "skipping test '%s' because custom " % title
+                                debugMsg += "UNION columns range was provided"
+                                logger.debug(debugMsg)
+                                continue
+
+                            configUnion(test.request.char, test.request.columns)
+
                             if not getIdentifiedDBMS():
                                 warnMsg = "using unescaped version of the test "
                                 warnMsg += "because of zero knowledge of the "
                                 warnMsg += "back-end DBMS"
                                 logger.warn(warnMsg)
 
-                            configUnion(test.request.char, test.request.columns)
                             reqPayload, vector = unionTest(comment, place, parameter, value, prefix, suffix)
 
                             if isinstance(reqPayload, basestring):
diff --git a/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py b/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
index 1cc04c79a..6d2f5fb4d 100644
--- a/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
+++ b/lib/techniques/inband/union/use.py
@@ -32,6 +32,41 @@ from lib.utils.resume import resume
 
 reqCount = 0
 
+def __configUnionChar(char):
+    if char.isdigit() or char == "NULL":
+        conf.uChar = char
+    elif not char.startswith("'") or not char.endswith("'"):
+        conf.uChar = "'%s'" % char
+
+def __configUnionCols(columns):
+    if "-" not in columns or len(columns.split("-")) != 2:
+        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range with hyphon (e.g. 1-10)"
+
+    columns = columns.replace(" ", "")
+    conf.uColsStart, conf.uColsStop = columns.split("-")
+
+    if not conf.uColsStart.isdigit() or not conf.uColsStop.isdigit():
+        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range of integers"
+
+    conf.uColsStart = int(conf.uColsStart)
+    conf.uColsStop = int(conf.uColsStop)
+
+    if conf.uColsStart > conf.uColsStop:
+        errMsg = "--union-cols range has to be from lower to "
+        errMsg += "higher number of columns"
+        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, errMsg
+
+def configUnion(char=None, columns=None):
+    if isinstance(conf.uChar, basestring):
+        __configUnionChar(conf.uChar)
+    elif isinstance(char, basestring):
+        __configUnionChar(char)
+
+    if isinstance(conf.uCols, basestring):
+        __configUnionCols(conf.uCols)
+    elif isinstance(columns, basestring):
+        __configUnionCols(columns)
+
 def unionUse(expression, direct=False, unescape=True, resetCounter=False, unpack=True, dump=False):
     """
     This function tests for an inband SQL injection on the target
@@ -236,38 +271,3 @@ def unionUse(expression, direct=False, unescape=True, resetCounter=False, unpack
         logger.debug(debugMsg)
 
     return value
-
-def __configUnionChar(char):
-    if char.isdigit() or char == "NULL":
-        conf.uChar = char
-    elif not char.startswith("'") or not char.endswith("'"):
-        conf.uChar = "'%s'" % char
-
-def __configUnionCols(columns):
-    if "-" not in columns or len(columns.split("-")) != 2:
-        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range with hyphon (e.g. 1-10)"
-
-    columns = columns.replace(" ", "")
-    conf.uColsStart, conf.uColsStop = columns.split("-")
-
-    if not conf.uColsStart.isdigit() or not conf.uColsStop.isdigit():
-        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, "--union-cols must be a range of integers"
-
-    conf.uColsStart = int(conf.uColsStart)
-    conf.uColsStop = int(conf.uColsStop)
-
-    if conf.uColsStart > conf.uColsStop:
-        errMsg = "--union-cols range has to be from lower to "
-        errMsg += "higher number of columns"
-        raise sqlmapSyntaxException, errMsg
-
-def configUnion(char, columns):
-    if isinstance(conf.uChar, basestring):
-        __configUnionChar(conf.uChar)
-    elif isinstance(char, basestring):
-        __configUnionChar(char)
-
-    if isinstance(conf.uCols, basestring):
-        __configUnionCols(conf.uCols)
-    elif isinstance(columns, basestring):
-        __configUnionCols(columns)
diff --git a/xml/payloads.xml b/xml/payloads.xml
index 372943511..67cf4e5b0 100644
--- a/xml/payloads.xml
+++ b/xml/payloads.xml
@@ -2082,6 +2082,28 @@ Formats:
 
 
     <!-- UNION query tests -->
+    <test>
+        <title>MySQL NULL UNION query - [COLSTART] to [COLSTOP] columns</title>
+        <stype>3</stype>
+        <level>1</level>
+        <risk>1</risk>
+        <clause>1,2,3,4,5</clause>
+        <where>1</where>
+        <vector>[UNION]</vector>
+        <request>
+            <payload/>
+            <comment>#</comment>
+            <char>NULL</char>
+            <columns>[COLSTART]-[COLSTOP]</columns>
+        </request>
+        <response>
+            <union/>
+        </response>
+        <details>
+            <dbms>MySQL</dbms>
+        </details>
+    </test>
+
     <test>
         <title>MySQL NULL UNION query - 1 to 3 columns</title>
         <stype>3</stype>
@@ -2192,6 +2214,25 @@ Formats:
         </details>
     </test>
 
+    <test>
+        <title>Generic NULL UNION query - [COLSTART] to [COLSTOP] columns</title>
+        <stype>3</stype>
+        <level>1</level>
+        <risk>1</risk>
+        <clause>1,2,3,4,5</clause>
+        <where>1</where>
+        <vector>[UNION]</vector>
+        <request>
+            <payload/>
+            <comment>--</comment>
+            <char>NULL</char>
+            <columns>[COLSTART]-[COLSTOP]</columns>
+        </request>
+        <response>
+            <union/>
+        </response>
+    </test>
+
     <test>
         <title>Generic NULL UNION query - 1 to 3 columns</title>
         <stype>3</stype>