diff --git a/platform/vcs-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vcs/changes/ChangeListManagerImpl.java b/platform/vcs-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vcs/changes/ChangeListManagerImpl.java
index 235933356989..145ee1c04b73 100644
--- a/platform/vcs-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vcs/changes/ChangeListManagerImpl.java
+++ b/platform/vcs-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vcs/changes/ChangeListManagerImpl.java
@@ -1247,8 +1247,8 @@ public class ChangeListManagerImpl extends ChangeListManagerEx implements Projec
     synchronized (myDataLock) {
       myIgnoredIdeaLevel.clear();
       new ChangeListManagerSerialization(myIgnoredIdeaLevel, myWorker).readExternal(element);
-      if (!myWorker.isEmpty() && getDefaultChangeList() == null) {
-        setDefaultChangeList(myWorker.getListsCopy().get(0));
+      if (!myWorker.isEmpty() && myWorker.getDefaultListCopy() == null) {
+        myWorker.setDefault(myWorker.getListsCopy().get(0).getName());
       }
     }
     myExcludedConvertedToIgnored = Boolean.parseBoolean(JDOMExternalizerUtil.readField(element, EXCLUDED_CONVERTED_TO_IGNORED_OPTION));