diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py b/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
index 1e617adf9..8fbb929e1 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
@@ -193,9 +193,9 @@ organic_pos_key = 'organic_pos'
 def organic_pos():
     "organic_pos() -> (calc_date = str(), pos  = int())"
     try:
-        d,p = get_redditfirst(organic_pos_key, (None,0))
+        d,p = get_redditfirst(organic_pos_key, ('',0))
     except ValueError:
-        d,p = (None,0)
+        d,p = ('',0)
     return d,p
 
 def set_organic_pos(key,pos):
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/organic.py b/r2/r2/lib/organic.py
index ea536e2e1..165eaad1c 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/organic.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/organic.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def organic_links(user):
 
     cookie_key, pos = organic_pos()
     # pos will be 0 if it wasn't specified
-    if links and (cookie_key == cached_key):
+    if links and pos != 0:
         # make sure that we're not running off the end of the list
         pos = pos % len(links)