diff --git a/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/tree/TreeImportingParserBase.java b/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/tree/TreeImportingParserBase.java
index 805674098..58468b336 100644
--- a/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/tree/TreeImportingParserBase.java
+++ b/main/src/com/google/refine/importers/tree/TreeImportingParserBase.java
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ abstract public class TreeImportingParserBase implements ImportingParser {
             }
         }
         
+        rootColumnGroup.tabulate();
         XmlImportUtilities.createColumnsFromImport(project, rootColumnGroup);
         project.columnModel.update();
     }