diff --git a/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml b/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml
index bf651469e..53c40bc4e 100644
--- a/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/astrid/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@
     <!-- ====================================================== Activities = -->
         
     <!-- Activity that displays task list -->
-    <activity android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.activity.TaskListActivity" 
+    <activity android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.activity.TaskListActivity"
+              android:windowSoftInputMode="stateHidden" 
               android:theme="@style/Theme">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
@@ -68,6 +69,8 @@
     </activity>
     <!-- Activity that displays filter list -->
     <activity android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.activity.FilterListActivity"
+              android:launchMode="singleInstance"
+              android:allowTaskReparenting="true"
               android:theme="@style/Theme">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="android.intent.action.SEARCH" />
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@
     </activity>
     <!-- Activity that creates or edits tasks -->
     <activity android:name="com.todoroo.astrid.activity.TaskEditActivity"
+              android:windowSoftInputMode="stateHidden"
               android:label="@string/taskEdit_label">
       <intent-filter>
         <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/filters/CoreFilterExposer.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/filters/CoreFilterExposer.java
index fda931386..1be582bce 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/filters/CoreFilterExposer.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/filters/CoreFilterExposer.java
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import android.graphics.drawable.BitmapDrawable;
 
 import com.timsu.astrid.R;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.Criterion;
-import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.Functions;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.Order;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.QueryTemplate;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.DateUtilities;
@@ -68,10 +67,7 @@ public final class CoreFilterExposer extends BroadcastReceiver {
         Filter inbox = new Filter(CorePlugin.IDENTIFIER, r.getString(R.string.BFE_Inbox),
                 r.getString(R.string.BFE_Inbox_title),
                 new QueryTemplate().where(Criterion.and(TaskCriteria.isActive(),
-                        TaskCriteria.isVisible(DateUtilities.now()))).orderBy(
-                                Order.asc(Functions.caseStatement(Task.DUE_DATE.eq(0),
-                                        String.format("(%d + 1000000 * %s)", DateUtilities.now(), Task.IMPORTANCE),
-                                        String.format("(%s + 1000000 * %s)", Task.DUE_DATE, Task.IMPORTANCE)))),
+                        TaskCriteria.isVisible(DateUtilities.now()))),
                 null);
         inbox.listingIcon = ((BitmapDrawable)r.getDrawable(R.drawable.tango_home)).getBitmap();
         return inbox;
diff --git a/astrid/res/layout/filter_list_activity.xml b/astrid/res/layout/filter_list_activity.xml
index dae02138c..ed91846a3 100644
--- a/astrid/res/layout/filter_list_activity.xml
+++ b/astrid/res/layout/filter_list_activity.xml
@@ -2,23 +2,22 @@
 <!-- See the file "LICENSE" for the full license governing this code. -->
 <FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
-    android:layout_height="fill_parent">
+    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
+    android:background="@drawable/background_gradient">
 
     <!-- Loading Filters label -->
     <TextView android:id="@android:id/empty"
         android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
         android:layout_height="fill_parent"
         android:text="@string/FLA_loading"
-        android:background="@drawable/background_gradient"
         style="@style/TextAppearance.TLA_NoItems"/>
 
     <!-- List -->
     <ExpandableListView android:id="@android:id/list"
         android:layout_width="fill_parent"
         android:layout_height="fill_parent"
-        android:background="@drawable/background_gradient"
         android:scrollbars="vertical"
-        />
+        android:cacheColorHint="#00000000"/>
     
 </FrameLayout>
     
diff --git a/astrid/res/layout/task_list_activity.xml b/astrid/res/layout/task_list_activity.xml
index 2617f6559..77190497c 100644
--- a/astrid/res/layout/task_list_activity.xml
+++ b/astrid/res/layout/task_list_activity.xml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
     android:layout_height="fill_parent"
+    android:background="@drawable/background_gradient"
     android:orientation="vertical">
     
     <!-- Header -->
@@ -46,13 +47,12 @@
             android:layout_height="fill_parent"
             android:visibility="gone"
             android:text="@string/TLA_no_items"
-            style="@style/TextAppearance.TLA_NoItems"
-            android:background="@drawable/background_gradient"/>
+            style="@style/TextAppearance.TLA_NoItems"/>
     
         <!-- Task List -->
         <ListView android:id="@android:id/list"
-            android:background="@drawable/background_gradient"
             android:scrollbars="vertical"
+            android:cacheColorHint="#00000000"
             android:layout_width="fill_parent"
             android:layout_height="fill_parent"/>
         
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListActivity.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListActivity.java
index 3f1898a9d..fb887c391 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListActivity.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskListActivity.java
@@ -18,20 +18,20 @@ import android.database.Cursor;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Parcelable;
 import android.view.ContextMenu;
+import android.view.ContextMenu.ContextMenuInfo;
 import android.view.Menu;
 import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
-import android.view.Window;
-import android.view.ContextMenu.ContextMenuInfo;
 import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
+import android.view.Window;
 import android.widget.AbsListView;
+import android.widget.AbsListView.OnScrollListener;
+import android.widget.AdapterView.AdapterContextMenuInfo;
 import android.widget.ImageButton;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.ListView;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 import android.widget.Toast;
-import android.widget.AbsListView.OnScrollListener;
-import android.widget.AdapterView.AdapterContextMenuInfo;
 
 import com.flurry.android.FlurryAgent;
 import com.timsu.astrid.R;
@@ -39,8 +39,11 @@ import com.todoroo.andlib.data.TodorooCursor;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.service.Autowired;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.service.DependencyInjectionService;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.service.ExceptionService;
+import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.Functions;
+import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.Order;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.sql.QueryTemplate;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.AndroidUtilities;
+import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.DateUtilities;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.DialogUtilities;
 import com.todoroo.andlib.utility.Pair;
 import com.todoroo.astrid.adapter.TaskAdapter;
@@ -407,6 +410,14 @@ public class TaskListActivity extends ListActivity implements OnScrollListener {
 
     /** Fill in the Action Item List with current items */
     protected void setUpTaskList() {
+        if(!filter.sqlQuery.toUpperCase().contains("ORDER BY")) {
+            // use default ordering if none specified
+            filter.sqlQuery += " ORDER BY " + Order.asc(Functions.caseStatement(Task.DUE_DATE.eq(0),
+                    DateUtilities.now() + DateUtilities.ONE_WEEK,
+                    Task.DUE_DATE) + " + 200000000 * " +
+                    Task.IMPORTANCE + " + " + Task.COMPLETION_DATE);
+        }
+
         // perform query
         TodorooCursor<Task> currentCursor = taskService.fetchFiltered(
                 TaskAdapter.PROPERTIES, filter);
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/FilterAdapter.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/FilterAdapter.java
index 583ca032c..54b6dfcca 100644
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/FilterAdapter.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/adapter/FilterAdapter.java
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ public class FilterAdapter extends BaseExpandableListAdapter {
 
             ImageView icon = new ImageView(activity);
             icon.setImageBitmap(filter.listingIcon);
+            icon.setScaleType(ScaleType.CENTER);
             icon.setPadding(0, 0, 15, 0);
             layout.addView(icon);
             layout.addView(textView);