diff --git a/src/calibre/db/backend.py b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
index b96855047a..de67437cf9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/backend.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
@@ -318,14 +318,9 @@ class Connection(apsw.Connection):  # {{{
 # }}}
 
 
-def set_global_state(backend, precompiled_user_functions=None):
-    if precompiled_user_functions:
-        load_user_template_functions(backend.library_id,
-                             [],
-                             precompiled_user_functions=precompiled_user_functions)
-    else:
-        load_user_template_functions(backend.library_id,
-                             backend.prefs.get('user_template_functions', []))
+def set_global_state(backend):
+    load_user_template_functions(
+        backend.library_id, (), precompiled_user_functions=backend.get_user_template_functions())
 
 
 class DB(object):
@@ -416,7 +411,7 @@ class DB(object):
         self.set_user_template_functions(compile_user_template_functions(
                                  self.prefs.get('user_template_functions', [])))
         if load_user_formatter_functions:
-            set_global_state(self, precompiled_user_functions = self.get_user_template_functions())
+            set_global_state(self)
 
     def get_user_template_functions(self):
         return self._user_template_functions