diff --git a/modules/organize/controllers/organize.php b/modules/organize/controllers/organize.php
index 24e5bf9751..22f106e99f 100644
--- a/modules/organize/controllers/organize.php
+++ b/modules/organize/controllers/organize.php
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public function tree($album_id) {
     $album = ORM::factory("item", $album_id);
     access::required("view", $album);
 
-    print self::_expanded_tree($album, $album);
+    print self::_expanded_tree($album);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ public function tree($album_id) {
    * include albums along the descendant hierarchy that includes the selected album, and the
    * immediate child albums.
    */
-  private static function _expanded_tree($root, $selected_album) {
+  private static function _expanded_tree($root, $selected_album=null) {
     $v = new View("organize_tree.html");
     $v->album = $root;
     $v->selected = $selected_album;
diff --git a/modules/organize/views/organize_tree.html.php b/modules/organize/views/organize_tree.html.php
index a99d23375a..59f683efc0 100644
--- a/modules/organize/views/organize_tree.html.php
+++ b/modules/organize/views/organize_tree.html.php
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
   <span class="ui-icon ui-icon-minus">
   </span>
   <span class="gAlbumText
-               <?= $album->id == $selected->id ? "selected" : "" ?>
+               <?= $selected && $album->id == $selected->id ? "selected" : "" ?>
                "
         ref="<?= $album->id ?>">
     <?= p::clean($album->title) ?>
   </span>
   <ul>
     <? foreach ($album->children(null, 0, array("type" => "album")) as $child): ?>
-    <? if ($child->is_descendant($selected)): ?>
+    <? if ($selected && $child->is_descendant($selected)): ?>
     <?= View::factory("organize_tree.html", array("selected" => $selected, "album" => $child)); ?>
     <? else: ?>
     <li class="gOrganizeAlbum ui-icon-left <?= access::can("edit", $child) ? "" : "gViewOnly" ?>"