diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/NewOrderedListUpdater.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/NewOrderedListUpdater.java
index 665c34352..6625629c7 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/NewOrderedListUpdater.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/NewOrderedListUpdater.java
@@ -64,25 +64,6 @@ public abstract class NewOrderedListUpdater<LIST> {
         verifyTreeModel(list, filter);
     }
 
-    protected String serializedTreeFromFilter(Filter filter) {
-        JSONArray array = new JSONArray();
-        TodorooCursor<Task> tasks = taskService.fetchFiltered(filter.getSqlQuery(), null, Task.ID);
-        try {
-            for (tasks.moveToFirst(); !tasks.isAfterLast(); tasks.moveToNext()) {
-                try {
-                    JSONObject curr = new JSONObject();
-                    curr.put(Long.toString(tasks.getLong(0)), new JSONArray());
-                    array.put(curr);
-                } catch (JSONException e) {
-                    e.printStackTrace();
-                }
-            }
-        } finally {
-            tasks.close();
-        }
-        return array.toString();
-    }
-
     private void verifyTreeModel(LIST list, Filter filter) {
         boolean addedThings = false;
         TodorooCursor<Task> tasks = taskService.fetchFiltered(filter.getSqlQuery(), null, Task.ID);
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/SubtasksUpdater.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/SubtasksUpdater.java
index 41a86a89f..8961fed96 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/SubtasksUpdater.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/subtasks/SubtasksUpdater.java
@@ -48,16 +48,12 @@ public class SubtasksUpdater extends NewOrderedListUpdater<TagData> {
         String order;
         if (list == null) {
             order = Preferences.getStringValue(ACTIVE_TASKS_ORDER);
-            if (order == null)
-                order = "[]"; //$NON-NLS-1$
         } else {
             order = list.getValue(TagData.TAG_ORDERING);
         }
+        if (order == null || "null".equals(order)) //$NON-NLS-1$
+            order = "[]"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 
-        if (order == null || "[]".equals(order)) { //$NON-NLS-1$
-            order = serializedTreeFromFilter(filter);
-            writeSerialization(list, order);
-        }
         return order;
     }