diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py b/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
index bc708d8b79e..d1fe1fe785d 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/base/controller.py
@@ -800,6 +800,12 @@ class UsesHistoryDatasetAssociationMixin:
             history_id = trans.security.encode_id( hda.history.id ),
             history_content_id = trans.security.encode_id( hda.id ) )
 
+        # resubmitted is not a real state
+        hda_dict[ 'resubmitted' ] = False
+        if hda.state == trans.app.model.Dataset.states.RESUBMITTED:
+            hda_dict[ 'state' ] = hda.dataset.state
+            hda_dict[ 'resubmitted' ] = True
+
         # indeces, assoc. metadata files, etc.
         meta_files = []
         for meta_type in hda.metadata.spec.keys():
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py
index 58a8e48a242..b229a126a34 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py
@@ -132,15 +132,12 @@ class HistoryContentsController( BaseAPIController, UsesHistoryDatasetAssociatio
         api_type = "file"
         encoded_id = trans.security.encode_id( hda.id )
         # TODO: handle failed_metadata here as well
-        state = hda.state
-        if state == trans.app.model.Dataset.states.RESUBMITTED:
-            state = hda.dataset.state
         return {
             'id'    : encoded_id,
             'history_id' : encoded_history_id,
             'name'  : hda.name,
             'type'  : api_type,
-            'state'  : state,
+            'state'  : hda.dataset.state,
             'deleted': hda.deleted,
             'visible': hda.visible,
             'purged': hda.purged,
@@ -162,9 +159,6 @@ class HistoryContentsController( BaseAPIController, UsesHistoryDatasetAssociatio
             hda_dict = self.get_hda_dict( trans, hda )
             hda_dict[ 'display_types' ] = self.get_old_display_applications( trans, hda )
             hda_dict[ 'display_apps' ] = self.get_display_apps( trans, hda )
-            if hda_dict[ 'state' ] == trans.app.model.Dataset.states.RESUBMITTED:
-                hda_dict[ 'state' ] = hda.dataset.state
-                hda_dict[ 'resubmitted' ] = True
             return hda_dict
         except Exception, exc:
             # catch error here - returning a briefer hda_dict with an error attribute