diff --git a/include/buttonmanageritems.h b/include/buttonmanageritems.h
index e141ada..813e004 100644
--- a/include/buttonmanageritems.h
+++ b/include/buttonmanageritems.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ public:
 	T* getItemBelow() const;
 
 	void reenumerateAllSiblings();
+	void expandTree(); // expand this and every parent item
 protected:
 	QTreeWidgetItem* mparent = nullptr;
 	uint8_t pos = 0;
diff --git a/src/buttonmanageritems.cpp b/src/buttonmanageritems.cpp
index 51c1cbb..068001b 100644
--- a/src/buttonmanageritems.cpp
+++ b/src/buttonmanageritems.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,14 @@ void ButtonManagerItem::reenumerateAllSiblings() {
 	}
 }
 
+void ButtonManagerItem::expandTree() {
+	ButtonManagerItem* c = this;
+	while(c) {
+		c->setExpanded(true);
+		c = c->getParent<ButtonManagerItem>();
+	}
+}
+
 void ButtonManagerItem::updateAllPosBellow(int8_t diff, uint8_t size) {
 	for(uint8_t i = pos+1; i < size; ++i) {
 		ButtonManagerItem* item = getSibling<ButtonManagerItem>(i);
@@ -149,11 +157,10 @@ void RowItem::moveUp() {
 		Log::error << "row above could not be updated";
 	}
 
-	bool wasexpanded = isExpanded();
 	mparent->removeChild(this);
 
 	mparent->insertChild(pos-1, this);
-	setExpanded(wasexpanded);
+	expandTree();
 
 	pos--;
 	updatePosition();
@@ -233,11 +240,10 @@ void ButtonItem::moveUp() {
 		Log::error << "button above could not be updated";
 	}
 
-	bool wasexpanded = isExpanded();
 	mparent->removeChild(this);
 
 	mparent->insertChild(pos-1, this);
-	setExpanded(wasexpanded);
+	expandTree();
 
 	pos--;
 }
@@ -285,7 +291,6 @@ void ButtonItem::moveToRowAbove() {
 	// updateAllPosBellow(-1, rowconf.size()+1);
 	
 	// remove button from this row and attach to other
-	bool wasExpanded = isExpanded();
 	getParent<RowItem>()->removeChild(this);
 
 	reenumerateAllSiblings(); // depends on mparent beeing set to the old row
@@ -297,7 +302,7 @@ void ButtonItem::moveToRowAbove() {
 	//update local pos
 	pos = newrowconf.size()-1;
 
-	setExpanded(wasExpanded);
+	expandTree();
 }
 
 void ButtonItem::moveToRowBelow() {
@@ -316,7 +321,6 @@ void ButtonItem::moveToRowBelow() {
 	rowconf.erase(rowconf.end());
 
 	// remove button from this row and attach to other
-	bool wasExpanded = isExpanded();
 	getParent<RowItem>()->removeChild(this);
 
 	rowbelow->insertChild(0, this);
@@ -329,7 +333,7 @@ void ButtonItem::moveToRowBelow() {
 	//update new buttons below
 	updateAllPosBellow(1, newrowconf.size());
 
-	setExpanded(wasExpanded);
+	expandTree();
 }
 
 
@@ -400,11 +404,10 @@ void SampleItem::moveUp() {
 		Log::error << "button above could not be updated";
 	}
 
-	bool wasexpanded = isExpanded();
 	mparent->removeChild(this);
 
 	mparent->insertChild(pos-1, this);
-	setExpanded(wasexpanded);
+	expandTree();
 
 	pos--;
 	updatePosition();
@@ -450,7 +453,6 @@ void SampleItem::moveToButtonAbove() {
 	// updateAllPosBellow(-1, rowconf.size()+1);
 	
 	// remove button from this row and attach to other
-	bool wasExpanded = isExpanded();
 	getParent<ButtonItem>()->removeChild(this);
 
 	reenumerateAllSiblings(); // depends on mparent beeing set to the old row
@@ -462,8 +464,7 @@ void SampleItem::moveToButtonAbove() {
 	//update local pos
 	pos = newbuttonconf.size()-1;
 
-	setExpanded(wasExpanded);
-	mparent->setExpanded(true);
+	expandTree();
 
 	updatePosition();
 }
@@ -482,7 +483,6 @@ void SampleItem::moveToButtonBelow() {
 	buttonConf.erase(buttonConf.end());
 
 	// remove button from this row and attach to other
-	bool wasExpanded = isExpanded();
 	getParent<ButtonItem>()->removeChild(this);
 
 	buttonbelow->insertChild(0, this);
@@ -495,6 +495,5 @@ void SampleItem::moveToButtonBelow() {
 	//update new buttons below
 	reenumerateAllSiblings();
 
-	setExpanded(wasExpanded);
-	mparent->setExpanded(true);
+	expandTree();
 }
\ No newline at end of file