diff --git a/lib/mu-container.c b/lib/mu-container.c
index ec7b3795..34db96a5 100644
--- a/lib/mu-container.c
+++ b/lib/mu-container.c
@@ -317,22 +317,6 @@ struct _SortFuncData {
 };
 typedef struct _SortFuncData SortFuncData;
 
-static MuContainer*
-get_top_msg (MuContainer *c, MuMsgFieldId mfid)
-{
-  MuContainer *piv, *extreme = c;
-  for (piv = c; piv != NULL && piv->msg != NULL; piv = piv->child) {
-    if (mu_msg_cmp (piv->msg, extreme->msg, mfid) > 0)
-      extreme = piv;
-    if (piv != c && piv->next) {
-      MuContainer *sub = get_top_msg (piv->next, mfid);
-
-      if (sub->msg != NULL && mu_msg_cmp (sub->msg, extreme->msg, mfid) > 0)
-        extreme = sub;
-    }
-  }
-  return extreme;
-}
 
 static int
 sort_func_wrapper (MuContainer *a, MuContainer *b, SortFuncData *data)
@@ -344,9 +328,6 @@ sort_func_wrapper (MuContainer *a, MuContainer *b, SortFuncData *data)
 	for (a1 = a; a1->msg == NULL && a1->child != NULL; a1 = a1->child);
 	for (b1 = b; b1->msg == NULL && b1->child != NULL; b1 = b1->child);
 
-  a1 = get_top_msg (a1, data->mfid);
-  b1 = get_top_msg (b1, data->mfid);
-
 	if (a1 == b1)
 		return 0;
 	else if (!a1->msg)