diff --git a/js/ui/appDisplay.js b/js/ui/appDisplay.js
index 845a7dba4..178458e62 100644
--- a/js/ui/appDisplay.js
+++ b/js/ui/appDisplay.js
@@ -696,8 +696,7 @@ const AppDisplay = new Lang.Class({
     Name: 'AppDisplay',
 
     _init: function() {
-        this._appSystem = Shell.AppSystem.get_default();
-        this._appSystem.connect('installed-changed', Lang.bind(this, function() {
+        Shell.AppSystem.get_default().connect('installed-changed', Lang.bind(this, function() {
             Main.queueDeferredWork(this._allAppsWorkId);
         }));
         Main.overview.connect('showing', Lang.bind(this, function() {
@@ -818,7 +817,8 @@ const AppDisplay = new Lang.Class({
 
         view.removeAll();
 
-        let tree = this._appSystem.get_tree();
+        let tree = new GMenu.Tree({ menu_basename: "applications.menu" });
+        tree.load_sync();
         let root = tree.get_root_directory();
 
         let iter = root.iter();
diff --git a/src/shell-app-system.c b/src/shell-app-system.c
index 9890bc57a..a9402e3ea 100644
--- a/src/shell-app-system.c
+++ b/src/shell-app-system.c
@@ -390,17 +390,6 @@ on_apps_tree_changed_cb (GMenuTree *tree,
   g_signal_emit (self, signals[INSTALLED_CHANGED], 0);
 }
 
-/**
- * shell_app_system_get_tree:
- *
- * Return Value: (transfer none): The #GMenuTree for apps
- */
-GMenuTree *
-shell_app_system_get_tree (ShellAppSystem *self)
-{
-  return self->priv->apps_tree;
-}
-
 /**
  * shell_app_system_get_default:
  *
diff --git a/src/shell-app-system.h b/src/shell-app-system.h
index 4305878e7..2fc294c8b 100644
--- a/src/shell-app-system.h
+++ b/src/shell-app-system.h
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ struct _ShellAppSystemClass
 GType           shell_app_system_get_type    (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 ShellAppSystem *shell_app_system_get_default (void);
 
-GMenuTree      *shell_app_system_get_tree                     (ShellAppSystem *system);
-
 ShellApp       *shell_app_system_lookup_app                   (ShellAppSystem  *system,
                                                                const char      *id);
 ShellApp       *shell_app_system_lookup_app_for_path          (ShellAppSystem  *system,