diff --git a/packages/core/__tests__/utils.test.js b/packages/core/__tests__/utils.test.js
index 1cd83682c..4ee3bd501 100644
--- a/packages/core/__tests__/utils.test.js
+++ b/packages/core/__tests__/utils.test.js
@@ -1,25 +1,20 @@
-import { groupBy } from "../utils";
-
-test("groupBy should work", () => {
-  let ret = groupBy([1, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3], (x) => x.toString());
-  expect(ret.length).toBe(15);
-  expect(ret.some((i) => i.title === "1")).toBeTruthy();
-  expect(ret.some((i) => i.title === "2")).toBeTruthy();
-  expect(ret.some((i) => i.title === "3")).toBeTruthy();
-});
+import { groupArray } from "../utils/grouping";
 
 test("group alphabetically", () => {
-  const sortedAlphabet = "abcdefghijlmnopqrstuvwxyz".split("");
-  const alphabet = "nopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijlm".split("");
-  let ret = groupBy(
-    alphabet,
-    (x) => x[0],
-    (x) => x[0],
-    "asc"
-  ).filter((v) => v.title);
+  const sortedAlphabet = "abcdefghijlmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+    .split("")
+    .map((a) => ({ title: a }));
+  const alphabet = "nopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijlm"
+    .split("")
+    .map((a) => ({ title: a, item: true }));
+  let ret = groupArray(alphabet, {
+    groupId: "abc",
+    sortDirection: "asc",
+    sortBy: "title",
+  }).filter((v) => !v.item);
   expect(
     sortedAlphabet.every((alpha, index) => {
-      return ret[index].title === alpha;
+      return ret[index].title === alpha.title.toUpperCase();
     })
   ).toBeTruthy();
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/__tests__/utils/index.js b/packages/core/__tests__/utils/index.js
index 00db71e4b..c36430bd3 100644
--- a/packages/core/__tests__/utils/index.js
+++ b/packages/core/__tests__/utils/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import DB from "../../api";
 import StorageInterface from "../../__mocks__/storage.mock";
 import { getLastWeekTimestamp } from "../../utils/date";
+import { groupArray } from "../../utils/grouping";
 
 const TEST_NOTEBOOK = {
   title: "Test Notebook",
@@ -54,7 +55,12 @@ const groupedTest = (type) =>
       title: "Some title and title title",
       dateCreated: getLastWeekTimestamp() - 604800000 * 2,
     });
-    let grouped = db.notes.group(type);
+    let grouped = groupArray(db.notes.all, {
+      groupId: type,
+      sortDirection: "desc",
+      sortBy: "dateCreated",
+      groupBy: "dateCreated",
+    });
     expect(grouped.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
     expect(grouped.some((i) => i.type === "header")).toBe(true);
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/api/settings.js b/packages/core/api/settings.js
index b673b0e24..f74d47723 100644
--- a/packages/core/api/settings.js
+++ b/packages/core/api/settings.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Settings {
   }
 
   async merge(item) {
-    if (this.settings.dateEdited > (await this._db.lastSynced())) {
+    if (this._settings.dateEdited > (await this._db.lastSynced())) {
       this._settings.pins = setManipulator.union(
         this._settings.pins,
         item.pins
diff --git a/packages/core/utils/grouping.js b/packages/core/utils/grouping.js
index c74b0615b..0f462d754 100644
--- a/packages/core/utils/grouping.js
+++ b/packages/core/utils/grouping.js
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@ const KEY_SELECTORS = {
  * @returns Grouped array
  */
 export function groupArray(array, options) {
-  const keySelector = KEY_SELECTORS[options.groupId];
-  if (sortSelector) fastsort(array).by(getSortSelectors(options));
+  const keySelector = KEY_SELECTORS[options.groupId || "default"];
+  if (options.sortBy && options.sortDirection)
+    fastsort(array).by(getSortSelectors(options));
 
   let groups = new Map();
   array.forEach((item) => {