diff --git a/src/xmpp/iq.c b/src/xmpp/iq.c
index dde803cb..e5a74fc4 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/iq.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/iq.c
@@ -1191,17 +1191,7 @@ _command_exec_response_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza, void *const userdata
                     const char *ask = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(child, STANZA_ATTR_ASK);
 
                     GSList *groups = NULL;
-                    xmpp_stanza_t *group_element = xmpp_stanza_get_children(child);
-
-                    while (group_element) {
-                        if (strcmp(xmpp_stanza_get_name(group_element), STANZA_NAME_GROUP) == 0) {
-                            char *groupname = xmpp_stanza_get_text(group_element);
-                            if (groupname) {
-                                groups = g_slist_append(groups, groupname);
-                            }
-                        }
-                        group_element = xmpp_stanza_get_next(group_element);
-                    }
+                    groups = roster_get_groups_from_item(child);
 
                     gboolean pending_out = FALSE;
                     if (ask && (strcmp(ask, "subscribe") == 0)) {
@@ -1209,7 +1199,7 @@ _command_exec_response_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza, void *const userdata
                     }
 
                     PContact contact = p_contact_new(barejid_lower, name, groups, sub, NULL, pending_out);
-                    list = g_slist_append(list, contact);
+                    list = g_slist_insert_sorted(list, contact, (GCompareFunc)roster_compare_name);
                     child = xmpp_stanza_get_next(child);
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/xmpp/roster.c b/src/xmpp/roster.c
index 4fa70052..994269ec 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/roster.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/roster.c
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@ static int _group_add_id_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza, void *const userda
 static int _group_remove_id_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza, void *const userdata);
 static void _free_group_data(GroupData *data);
 
-// helper functions
-GSList* _get_groups_from_item(xmpp_stanza_t *item);
-
 void
 roster_request(void)
 {
@@ -254,7 +251,7 @@ roster_set_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza)
             pending_out = TRUE;
         }
 
-        GSList *groups = _get_groups_from_item(item);
+        GSList *groups = roster_get_groups_from_item(item);
 
         // update the local roster
         PContact contact = roster_get_contact(barejid_lower);
@@ -301,7 +298,7 @@ roster_result_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza)
             pending_out = TRUE;
         }
 
-        GSList *groups = _get_groups_from_item(item);
+        GSList *groups = roster_get_groups_from_item(item);
 
         gboolean added = roster_add(barejid_lower, name, groups, sub, pending_out);
         if (!added) {
@@ -318,7 +315,7 @@ roster_result_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza)
 }
 
 GSList*
-_get_groups_from_item(xmpp_stanza_t *item)
+roster_get_groups_from_item(xmpp_stanza_t *item)
 {
     GSList *groups = NULL;
     xmpp_stanza_t *group_element = xmpp_stanza_get_children(item);
diff --git a/src/xmpp/roster.h b/src/xmpp/roster.h
index 15614377..be710561 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/roster.h
+++ b/src/xmpp/roster.h
@@ -38,5 +38,6 @@
 void roster_request(void);
 void roster_set_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza);
 void roster_result_handler(xmpp_stanza_t *const stanza);
+GSList* roster_get_groups_from_item(xmpp_stanza_t *const item);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/xmpp/roster_list.c b/src/xmpp/roster_list.c
index a2c5653d..71c86ff5 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/roster_list.c
+++ b/src/xmpp/roster_list.c
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ static gboolean _key_equals(void *key1, void *key2);
 static gboolean _datetimes_equal(GDateTime *dt1, GDateTime *dt2);
 static void _replace_name(const char *const current_name, const char *const new_name, const char *const barejid);
 static void _add_name_and_barejid(const char *const name, const char *const barejid);
-static gint _compare_name(PContact a, PContact b);
-static gint _compare_presence(PContact a, PContact b);
 
 void
 roster_create(void)
@@ -397,7 +395,7 @@ roster_get_contacts_by_presence(const char *const presence)
     while (g_hash_table_iter_next(&iter, &key, &value)) {
         PContact contact = (PContact)value;
         if (g_strcmp0(p_contact_presence(contact), presence) == 0) {
-            result = g_slist_insert_sorted(result, value, (GCompareFunc)_compare_name);
+            result = g_slist_insert_sorted(result, value, (GCompareFunc)roster_compare_name);
         }
     }
 
@@ -417,9 +415,9 @@ roster_get_contacts(roster_ord_t order)
 
     GCompareFunc cmp_func;
     if (order == ROSTER_ORD_PRESENCE) {
-        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) _compare_presence;
+        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) roster_compare_presence;
     } else {
-        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) _compare_name;
+        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) roster_compare_name;
     }
 
     g_hash_table_iter_init(&iter, roster->contacts);
@@ -444,7 +442,7 @@ roster_get_contacts_online(void)
     g_hash_table_iter_init(&iter, roster->contacts);
     while (g_hash_table_iter_next(&iter, &key, &value)) {
         if(strcmp(p_contact_presence(value), "offline"))
-            result = g_slist_insert_sorted(result, value, (GCompareFunc)_compare_name);
+            result = g_slist_insert_sorted(result, value, (GCompareFunc)roster_compare_name);
     }
 
     // return all contact structs
@@ -499,9 +497,9 @@ roster_get_group(const char *const group, roster_ord_t order)
 
     GCompareFunc cmp_func;
     if (order == ROSTER_ORD_PRESENCE) {
-        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) _compare_presence;
+        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) roster_compare_presence;
     } else {
-        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) _compare_name;
+        cmp_func = (GCompareFunc) roster_compare_name;
     }
 
     g_hash_table_iter_init(&iter, roster->contacts);
@@ -605,8 +603,8 @@ _add_name_and_barejid(const char *const name, const char *const barejid)
     }
 }
 
-static gint
-_compare_name(PContact a, PContact b)
+gint
+roster_compare_name(PContact a, PContact b)
 {
     const char * utf8_str_a = NULL;
     const char * utf8_str_b = NULL;
@@ -645,8 +643,8 @@ _get_presence_weight(const char *presence)
     }
 }
 
-static gint
-_compare_presence(PContact a, PContact b)
+gint
+roster_compare_presence(PContact a, PContact b)
 {
     const char *presence_a = p_contact_presence(a);
     const char *presence_b = p_contact_presence(b);
@@ -663,6 +661,6 @@ _compare_presence(PContact a, PContact b)
 
     // otherwise order by name
     } else {
-        return _compare_name(a, b);
+        return roster_compare_name(a, b);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/xmpp/roster_list.h b/src/xmpp/roster_list.h
index a0b01625..b7484c04 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/roster_list.h
+++ b/src/xmpp/roster_list.h
@@ -70,5 +70,7 @@ char* roster_group_autocomplete(const char *const search_str, gboolean previous)
 char* roster_barejid_autocomplete(const char *const search_str, gboolean previous);
 GSList* roster_get_contacts_by_presence(const char *const presence);
 char* roster_get_msg_display_name(const char *const barejid, const char *const resource);
+gint roster_compare_name(PContact a, PContact b);
+gint roster_compare_presence(PContact a, PContact b);
 
 #endif