diff --git a/src/engine/FileIO.c b/src/engine/FileIO.c
index 715094cda0..5ce4979569 100644
--- a/src/engine/FileIO.c
+++ b/src/engine/FileIO.c
@@ -370,6 +370,9 @@ xaccReadAccountGroup( int fd )
 
   maingrp = NULL;
 
+  /* set up various state that is not normally stored in the byte stream */
+  xaccGroupRecomputeBalance (grp);
+
   xaccLogEnable();
   return grp;
 }