diff --git a/lib/mu-container.c b/lib/mu-container.c
index 1f143441..a7e07e34 100644
--- a/lib/mu-container.c
+++ b/lib/mu-container.c
@@ -365,10 +365,7 @@ sort_func_root (MuContainer *a, MuContainer *b, SortFuncData *data)
 static int
 sort_func_child (MuContainer *a, MuContainer *b, SortFuncData *data)
 {
-	if (data->descending)
-		return container_cmp (a, b, data->mfid);
-	else
-		return container_cmp (b, a, data->mfid);
+	return container_cmp (a, b, data->mfid);
 }
 
 static MuContainer*
diff --git a/mu/test-mu-threads.c b/mu/test-mu-threads.c
index d3be37a1..3bef7345 100644
--- a/mu/test-mu-threads.c
+++ b/mu/test-mu-threads.c
@@ -158,9 +158,9 @@ test_mu_threads_01 (void)
 
 	const tinfo items [] = {
 		{"0",   "root0@msg.id",  "root0"},
-		{"0:0",   "child0.1@msg.id", "Re: child 0.1"},
-		{"0:0:0", "child0.1.0@msg.id", "Re: child 0.1.0"},
-		{"0:1", "child0.0@msg.id", "Re: child 0.0"},
+		{"0:0", "child0.0@msg.id", "Re: child 0.0"},
+		{"0:1",   "child0.1@msg.id", "Re: child 0.1"},
+		{"0:1:0", "child0.1.0@msg.id", "Re: child 0.1.0"},
 		{"1",   "root1@msg.id", "root1"},
 		{"2",   "root2@msg.id", "root2"},
 		/* next one's been promoted 2.0.0 => 2.0 */
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ test_mu_threads_01 (void)
 		{"3", "child3.0.0.0.0@msg.id", "Re: child 3.0.0.0"},
 
 		/* two children of absent root 4.0 */
-		{"4:0", "child4.1@msg.id", "Re: child 4.1"},
-		{"4:1", "child4.0@msg.id", "Re: child 4.0"}
+		{"4:0", "child4.0@msg.id", "Re: child 4.0"},
+		{"4:1", "child4.1@msg.id", "Re: child 4.1"}
 	};
 
 	xpath = fill_database (MU_TESTMAILDIR3);
@@ -194,17 +194,17 @@ test_mu_threads_rogue (void)
 	tinfo *items;
 
 	tinfo items1 [] = {
-		{"0",     "cycle0@msg.id",  "cycle0"},
-		{"0:0",   "cycle0.0@msg.id", "cycle0.0"},
+		{"0",     "cycle0@msg.id",     "cycle0"},
+		{"0:0",   "cycle0.0@msg.id",   "cycle0.0"},
 		{"0:0:0", "cycle0.0.0@msg.id", "cycle0.0.0"},
-		{"0:1",    "rogue0@msg.id", "rogue0"},
+		{"0:1",   "rogue0@msg.id",     "rogue0"},
 	};
 
 	tinfo items2 [] = {
-		{"0",   "cycle0.0@msg.id", "cycle0.0"},
-		{"0:0", "cycle0.0.0@msg.id", "cycle0.0.0"},
-		{"0:1",     "cycle0@msg.id",  "cycle0"},
-		{"0:1:0",  "rogue0@msg.id", "rogue0" }
+		{"0",     "cycle0.0@msg.id",   "cycle0.0"},
+		{"0:0",   "cycle0@msg.id",     "cycle0"},
+		{"0:0:0", "rogue0@msg.id",     "rogue0" },
+		{"0:1",   "cycle0.0.0@msg.id", "cycle0.0.0"}
 	};
 
 	xpath = fill_database (MU_TESTMAILDIR3);
@@ -308,8 +308,8 @@ test_mu_threads_sort_2nd_child_promotes_thread (void)
 		{ "0", "A@msg.id", "A"},
 		{ "1", "D@msg.id", "D"},
 		{ "2", "B@msg.id", "B"},
-		{ "2:0", "E@msg.id", "E"},
-		{ "2:1", "C@msg.id", "C"},
+		{ "2:0", "C@msg.id", "C"},
+		{ "2:1", "E@msg.id", "E"},
 	};
 	const tinfo expected_desc [] = {
 		{ "0", "B@msg.id", "B"},
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ test_mu_threads_sort_orphan_promotes_thread (void)
 	const tinfo expected_asc [] = {
 		{ "0", "A@msg.id", "A"},
 		{ "1", "D@msg.id", "D"},
-		{ "2:0", "E@msg.id", "E"},
-		{ "2:1", "C@msg.id", "C"},
+		{ "2:0", "C@msg.id", "C"},
+		{ "2:1", "E@msg.id", "E"},
 	};
 	const tinfo expected_desc [] = {
 		{ "0:0", "C@msg.id", "C"},
@@ -409,10 +409,10 @@ test_mu_threads_sort_granchild_promotes_only_subthread (void)
 	const tinfo expected_asc [] = {
 		{ "0", "A@msg.id", "A"},
 		{ "1", "B@msg.id", "B"},
-		{ "1:0", "E@msg.id", "E"},
+		{ "1:0", "C@msg.id", "C"},
 		{ "1:1", "D@msg.id", "D"},
 		{ "1:1:0", "F@msg.id", "F"},
-		{ "1:2", "C@msg.id", "C"},
+		{ "1:2", "E@msg.id", "E"},
 		{ "2", "G@msg.id", "G"},
 	};
 	const tinfo expected_desc [] = {