diff --git a/html/user/top_hosts.php b/html/user/top_hosts.php
index 60d2131e08..2867b54228 100644
--- a/html/user/top_hosts.php
+++ b/html/user/top_hosts.php
@@ -42,14 +42,6 @@ function get_top_hosts($offset, $sort_by) {
     return BoincHost::enum(null, "order by $sort_order limit $offset, $hosts_per_page");
 }
 
-function hosts_to_store($participants){
-    return serialize($participants);
-}
-
-function store_to_hosts($data){
-    return unserialize($data);
-}
-
 $sort_by = get_str("sort_by", true);
 switch ($sort_by) {
 case "total_credit":
@@ -70,10 +62,10 @@ if ($offset >= ITEM_LIMIT) {
 $cache_args = "sort_by=$sort_by&offset=$offset";
 $cacheddata = get_cached_data(TOP_PAGES_TTL, $cache_args);
 if ($cacheddata){
-    $data = store_to_hosts($cacheddata);
+    $data = unserialize($cacheddata);
 } else {
     $data = get_top_hosts($offset,$sort_by);
-    set_cached_data(TOP_PAGES_TTL, hosts_to_store($data), $cache_args);
+    set_cached_data(TOP_PAGES_TTL, serialize($data), $cache_args);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/html/user/top_teams.php b/html/user/top_teams.php
index 2bdaf5389b..94e3efaafa 100644
--- a/html/user/top_teams.php
+++ b/html/user/top_teams.php
@@ -47,16 +47,6 @@ function get_top_teams($offset, $sort_by, $type){
     return BoincTeam::enum($type_clause, "order by $sort_order limit $offset, $teams_per_page");
 }
 
-// These converter functions are here in case we later decide to use something 
-// else than serializing to save temp data
-//
-function teams_to_store($participants){
-    return serialize($participants);
-}
-function store_to_teams($data){
-    return unserialize($data);
-}
-
 $sort_by = get_str("sort_by", true);
 switch ($sort_by) {
 case "total_credit":
@@ -86,7 +76,7 @@ if ($offset < ITEM_LIMIT) {
     $cacheddata = get_cached_data(TOP_PAGES_TTL,$cache_args);
     //If we have got the data in cache
     if ($cacheddata){
-        $data = store_to_teams($cacheddata); // use the cached data
+        $data = unserialize($cacheddata); // use the cached data
     } else {
         //if not do queries etc to generate new data
         $data = get_top_teams($offset,$sort_by,$type);
@@ -96,7 +86,7 @@ if ($offset < ITEM_LIMIT) {
             $team->nusers = team_count_members($team->id);
         }
         //save data in cache
-        set_cached_data(TOP_PAGES_TTL, teams_to_store($data), $cache_args);
+        set_cached_data(TOP_PAGES_TTL, serialize($data), $cache_args);
     }
 } else {
     error_page(tra("Limit exceeded - Sorry, first %1 items only", ITEM_LIMIT));