diff --git a/frontends/src/quick_frontend/quick_contact_list.py b/frontends/src/quick_frontend/quick_contact_list.py
index 0b402f53..1f0f64d7 100644
--- a/frontends/src/quick_frontend/quick_contact_list.py
+++ b/frontends/src/quick_frontend/quick_contact_list.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class QuickContactList(QuickWidget):
 
         Contacts will be cleared before refilling them
         """
-        self.clearContacts()
+        self.clearContacts(keep_cache=True)
         def gotContacts(contacts):
             for contact in contacts:
                 self.host.newContactHandler(*contact, profile=self.profile)
@@ -259,10 +259,14 @@ class QuickContactList(QuickWidget):
             return self._special_extras
         return set([extra for extra in self._special_extras if extra.bare in self.getSpecials(special_type)])
 
-    def clearContacts(self):
-        """Clear all the contact list"""
+    def clearContacts(self, keep_cache=False):
+        """Clear all the contact list
+
+        @param keep_cache: if True, don't reset the cache
+        """
         self.unselectAll()
-        self._cache.clear()
+        if not keep_cache:
+            self._cache.clear()
         self._groups.clear()
         self._specials.clear()
         self._special_extras.clear()