diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py
index 60092e4bd2..7573f04012 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/tag_categories.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class TagCategories(QDialog, Ui_TagCategories):
             index = self.all_items[node.data(Qt.UserRole).toPyObject()].index
             if index not in self.applied_items:
                 self.applied_items.append(index)
-        self.applied_items.sort(key=lambda x:sort_key(self.all_items[x]))
+        self.applied_items.sort(key=lambda x:sort_key(self.all_items[x].name))
         self.display_filtered_categories(None)
 
     def unapply_tags(self, node=None):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/init.py b/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
index 27a6a2352a..fc70f0579d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ class Stack(QStackedWidget): # {{{
                 _('Tag Browser'), I('tags.png'),
                 parent=parent, side_index=0, initial_side_size=200,
                 shortcut=_('Shift+Alt+T'))
+        parent.tb_splitter.state_changed.connect(
+                        self.tb_widget.set_pane_is_visible, Qt.QueuedConnection)
         parent.tb_splitter.addWidget(self.tb_widget)
         parent.tb_splitter.addWidget(parent.cb_splitter)
         parent.tb_splitter.setCollapsible(parent.tb_splitter.other_index, False)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
index 2ede698c85..d6c0156f13 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_view.py
@@ -87,6 +87,13 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView): # {{{
         self.setDragDropMode(self.DropOnly)
         self.setDropIndicatorShown(True)
         self.setAutoExpandDelay(500)
+        self.pane_is_visible = False
+
+    def set_pane_is_visible(self, to_what):
+        pv = self.pane_is_visible
+        self.pane_is_visible = to_what
+        if to_what and not pv:
+            self.recount()
 
     def set_database(self, db, tag_match, sort_by):
         self.hidden_categories = config['tag_browser_hidden_categories']
@@ -300,7 +307,7 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView): # {{{
         return self.isExpanded(idx)
 
     def recount(self, *args):
-        if self.disable_recounting:
+        if self.disable_recounting or not self.pane_is_visible:
             return
         self.refresh_signal_processed = True
         ci = self.currentIndex()
@@ -969,6 +976,7 @@ class TagBrowserWidget(QWidget): # {{{
         self._layout.setContentsMargins(0,0,0,0)
 
         parent.tags_view = TagsView(parent)
+        self.tags_view = parent.tags_view
         self._layout.addWidget(parent.tags_view)
 
         parent.sort_by = QComboBox(parent)
@@ -998,6 +1006,9 @@ class TagBrowserWidget(QWidget): # {{{
                 _('Add your own categories to the Tag Browser'))
         parent.edit_categories.setStatusTip(parent.edit_categories.toolTip())
 
+    def set_pane_is_visible(self, to_what):
+        self.tags_view.set_pane_is_visible(to_what)
+
 
 # }}}
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/save_to_disk.py b/src/calibre/library/save_to_disk.py
index af57d563ac..62a2e28e27 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/save_to_disk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/save_to_disk.py
@@ -119,10 +119,8 @@ class SafeFormat(TemplateFormatter):
             try:
                 b = self.book.get_user_metadata(key, False)
             except:
-                if DEBUG:
-                    traceback.print_exc()
+                traceback.print_exc()
                 b = None
-
             if b is not None and b['datatype'] == 'composite':
                 if key in self.composite_values:
                     return self.composite_values[key]
@@ -135,8 +133,7 @@ class SafeFormat(TemplateFormatter):
                 return val.replace('/', '_').replace('\\', '_')
             return ''
         except:
-            if DEBUG:
-                traceback.print_exc()
+            traceback.print_exc()
             return key
 
 def get_components(template, mi, id, timefmt='%b %Y', length=250,
@@ -155,6 +152,8 @@ def get_components(template, mi, id, timefmt='%b %Y', length=250,
         format_args['tags'] = mi.format_tags()
         if format_args['tags'].startswith('/'):
             format_args['tags'] = format_args['tags'][1:]
+    else:
+        format_args['tags'] = ''
     if mi.series:
         format_args['series'] = tsfmt(mi.series)
         if mi.series_index is not None: