diff --git a/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua b/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua
index 85074f4bb..073aa86ae 100644
--- a/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua
+++ b/frontend/ui/menusorter.lua
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ function MenuSorter:sort(item_table, order)
             sub_menu_position.text = sub_menu_content.text
             sub_menu_position.sub_item_table = sub_menu_content
             -- remove reference from top level output
-            sub_menu_content = nil
+            menu_table[sub_menu] = nil
             -- remove reference from input so it won't show up as orphaned
             item_table[sub_menu] = nil
         end