diff --git a/src/file.cpp b/src/file.cpp
index a404f930..d4aa077d 100644
--- a/src/file.cpp
+++ b/src/file.cpp
@@ -451,6 +451,11 @@ bool SolveSpaceUI::LoadFromFile(const std::string &filename) {
             char *key = line, *val = e+1;
             LoadUsingTable(key, val);
         } else if(strcmp(line, "AddGroup")==0) {
+            // legacy files have a spurious dependency between imported groups
+            // and their parent groups, remove
+            if(sv.g.type == Group::IMPORTED)
+                sv.g.opA.v = 0;
+
             SK.group.Add(&(sv.g));
             sv.g = {};
             sv.g.scale = 1; // default is 1, not 0; so legacy files need this
diff --git a/src/group.cpp b/src/group.cpp
index fa704083..3cf091d0 100644
--- a/src/group.cpp
+++ b/src/group.cpp
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ void Group::MenuGroup(int id) {
 
         case GraphicsWindow::MNU_GROUP_IMPORT: {
             g.type = IMPORTED;
-            g.opA = SS.GW.activeGroup;
             if(g.impFile.empty()) {
                 if(!GetOpenFile(g.impFile, "", SLVS_PATTERN)) return;
             }