diff --git a/collects/profile/analyzer.ss b/collects/profile/analyzer.ss
index 946e309..664aee7 100644
--- a/collects/profile/analyzer.ss
+++ b/collects/profile/analyzer.ss
@@ -78,10 +78,8 @@
   (set-node-total! *-node total-time)
   ;; convert the nodes from the hash to a list, do a topological sort, and then
   ;; sort by total time (combining both guarantees(?) sensible order)
-  (let* ([nodes (topological-sort *-node)]
-         [nodes (append-map (lambda (nodes) (sort nodes > #:key node-total))
-                            nodes)]
-         [nodes (remq *-node nodes)])
+  (let ([nodes (append-map (lambda (nodes) (sort nodes > #:key node-total))
+                           (topological-sort *-node))])
     ;; sort all the edges in the nodes according to total time
     (for ([n (in-list nodes)])
       (set-node-callees! n (sort (node-callees n) > #:key edge-callee-time))
diff --git a/collects/profile/utils.ss b/collects/profile/utils.ss
index d94f02a..abf5a99 100644
--- a/collects/profile/utils.ss
+++ b/collects/profile/utils.ss
@@ -48,12 +48,13 @@
         [(zero? total-time) (profile-nodes profile)]
         [else (filter hide? (profile-nodes profile))]))
 
-;; A simple topological sort of nodes using the Khan method, starting
-;; from node `x' (which will be given as the special *-node).  The
-;; result is a list of node lists, each one corresponds to one level.
+;; A simple topological sort of nodes using the Khan method, starting from node
+;; `x' (which will be given as the special *-node).  The result is a list of
+;; node lists, each one corresponds to one level.  Conceptually, the input node
+;; is always only item in the first level, so it is not included in the result.
 (provide topological-sort)
 (define (topological-sort x)
-  (let loop ([todo (list x)] [sorted (list (list x))] [seen (list x)])
+  (let loop ([todo (list x)] [sorted '()] [seen (list x)])
     (let* (;; take the next level of nodes
            [next (append-map (lambda (x) (map edge-callee (node-callees x)))
                              todo)]
diff --git a/collects/tests/profile/topsort.ss b/collects/tests/profile/topsort.ss
index 7ab2160..f43dc4a 100644
--- a/collects/tests/profile/topsort.ss
+++ b/collects/tests/profile/topsort.ss
@@ -33,25 +33,25 @@
 (define (topological-sort-tests)
   (test
 
-    (same-levels '(A -> B -> C)
+    (same-levels '(* -> A -> B)
+                 '((A) (B)))
+
+    (same-levels '(* -> A -> B -> *
+                   * -> B -> A -> *)
+                 '((A B)))
+
+    (same-levels '(* -> A -> B -> C
+                   * -> C)
                  '((A) (B) (C)))
 
-    (same-levels '(A -> B -> C -> A
-                   A -> C -> B -> A)
-                 '((A) (B C)))
+    (same-levels '(* -> A
+                   * -> B
+                   B -> B)
+                 '((A B)))
 
-    (same-levels '(A -> B -> C -> D
-                   A -> D)
-                 '((A) (B) (C) (D)))
-
-    (same-levels '(A -> B
-                   A -> C
-                   C -> C)
-                 '((A) (B C)))
-
-    (same-levels '(A -> B
-                   A -> C -> D
-                   A -> D -> C)
-                 '((A) (B C D)))
+    (same-levels '(* -> A
+                   * -> B -> C
+                   * -> C -> B)
+                 '((A B C)))
 
     ))