diff --git a/src/python/recoll/recoll/conftree.py b/src/python/recoll/recoll/conftree.py
index 6ff0f5e2..94cca934 100644
--- a/src/python/recoll/recoll/conftree.py
+++ b/src/python/recoll/recoll/conftree.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class ConfSimple(object):
 
     def __init__(self, confname, tildexp = False, readonly = True):
         self.submaps = {}
+        self.subkeys_unsorted = []
         self.dotildexpand = tildexp
         self.readonly = readonly
         self.confname = confname
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ class ConfSimple(object):
                 else:
                     submapkey = line
                 #_debug("Submapkey: [%s]" % submapkey)
+                self.subkeys_unsorted.append(submapkey)
                 continue
 
             nm, sep, value = line.partition(b'=')
@@ -95,6 +97,9 @@ class ConfSimple(object):
                 self.submaps[submapkey] = {}
             self.submaps[submapkey][nm] = value
 
+    def getSubKeys_unsorted(self):
+        return [k.decode('utf-8') for k in self.subkeys_unsorted]
+    
     def getbin(self, nm, sk = b''):
         '''Returns None if not found, empty string if found empty'''
         if type(nm) != type(b'') or type(sk) != type(b''):