diff --git a/data/System/VarTOPICRECURSE.txt b/data/System/VarTOPICRECURSE.txt
index a69444f..fecf28c 100644
--- a/data/System/VarTOPICRECURSE.txt
+++ b/data/System/VarTOPICRECURSE.txt
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@
      | =header="..."= %BR% \
        =footer="..."=                   | Custom format results: see [[FormattedSearch]] for usage & examples | =*Search: '$rootquery'*$n= %BR% =*Total: $ntopics*= |
      | =format="..."= %BR% \
-     | =branchheader="..."= %BR% \
-       =branchfooter="..."=                   | Custom format results: see [[FormattedSearch]] for usage & examples | |
        =formatbranch="..."= %BR% \
        =formatleaf="..."=               | Custom format results: see [[FormattedSearch]] for usage &amp; examples; "branch" format is for nodes which have descendents; "leaf" format is for terminating nodes for which there are no others below. | =$indent* [<nop>[$web.<nop>$topic][$topic]]= |
+     | =branchheader="..."= %BR% \
+       =branchfooter="..."=                   | Custom format results: see [[FormattedSearch]] for usage &amp; examples | |
      | =separator="..."= | Separator _between_ search hits. See [[#FormatTokens]] | =$n= |
      | =nodelimit= | Maximum number of nodes to be displayed. 0 = no limit. | =50= |
      | =depthlimit= | Maximum depth to recurse to. 0 = no limit. | =0= |
diff --git a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/TopicRecursePlugin/Core.pm b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/TopicRecursePlugin/Core.pm
index e203971..0a55de6 100644
--- a/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/TopicRecursePlugin/Core.pm
+++ b/lib/Foswiki/Plugins/TopicRecursePlugin/Core.pm
@@ -96,8 +96,18 @@ sub formatNodes {
         my $result = renderNode( $node, $spec->{formatbranch} );
 
         if ( not $node->isRoot() ) {
-            push( @renderednodes, $spec->{branchheader}.$result.$spec->{branchfooter} );
+            push( @renderednodes, $result );
         }
+	while ( $node->hasNext() ) {
+        	my $child = $node->next();
+        	push( @renderednodes, formatNodes( $child, $spec ));
+	}
+	if(@renderednodes){
+		my $length = $#renderednodes;
+		$renderednodes[0] = $spec->{branchheader}.$renderednodes[0];
+		$renderednodes[1] = $spec->{branchheader}.$renderednodes[1];
+		$renderednodes[$length] = $renderednodes[$length].$spec->{branchfooter}.$spec->{branchfooter};
+	}
     }
     else {
 
@@ -108,11 +118,6 @@ sub formatNodes {
             push( @renderednodes, $result );
         }
     }
-    while ( $node->hasNext() ) {
-        my $child = $node->next();
-        push( @renderednodes, formatNodes( $child, $spec ) );
-    }
-
     return @renderednodes;
 }