diff --git a/src/server/distrend.c b/src/server/distrend.c
--- a/src/server/distrend.c
+++ b/src/server/distrend.c
@@ -580,7 +580,8 @@ int createQueueFromXML(struct distrenjob
   // moves into the children elements of job_list
   cur = cur->xmlChildrenNode;
 
-  // scans the list of all jobs that were in queue before DistRen shutdown
+  reCreateQueueFromXML(doc, cur);
+  /* scans the list of all jobs that were in queue before DistRen shutdown
   while(cur != NULL)
     {
       tmp = xmlNodeListGetString(doc, cur->xmlChildrenNode, 1);
@@ -588,15 +589,42 @@ int createQueueFromXML(struct distrenjob
       // add job from job number @TODO create function with parameters (struct distrenjob *head, int job_number)
       // LordOfWar calls dibs on above todo
 
+
       xmlFree(tmp);
       cur = cur->next; // go to next child element of job_list element
-    }
+    }*/
 
   xmlFreeDoc(doc);
 
   return 1;
 }
 
+// inserts jobs at front of queue, starting with the last job in the job_list xml file
+// to preserve the order of the queue
+int reCreateQueueFromXML(struct distrenjob *head, xmlDocPtr doc, xmlNodePtr current)
+{
+  struct distrenjob *holder; // holds the job that "was" after head, so that the new struct can be inserted after head
+  struct distrenjob *job; // job to be added
+  xmlChar *tmp;
+  if(current == NULL) // base case, if element doesn't exist then don't do anything
+    return 0;
+
+  // recursively call itself so that the next job in the queue is added to the front before the current one
+  reCreateQueueFromXML(head, doc, current->next);
+
+  // now actual work is done, adding the job to the front of the queue
+  holder = head->next; // initialize holder
+  tmp = xmlNodeListGetString(doc, current->xmlChildrenNode, 1); // get job number
+  // job = another function that reads data from xml for that job, prepares the job, and returns a pointer to the job
+  xmlFree(tmp); // free xml char (that holds the job number)
+
+  // insert job at front of the queue
+  head->next = job;
+  job->next = holder;
+
+  return 1;
+}
+
 /* ************************** Test Functions ************************* */
 void printFrameInfo(struct frameset *frame)
 {