That's an API limitation because the UsageGroupProvider.getActiveRules() doesn't have the same context available that createGroupingActions() has. The default-rules provided by UsageGroupProviderImpl create a different set of Actions based on the UsageViewPresentation, but returns all Rules based on its current settings. Possible solution: Get rid of UsageGroupProvider.createGroupingActions(), change the getActiveRules()-parameters to (UsageView[, Project]) and A: move the Action-creation into UsageGroupingRule.createAction() or B: introduce a new method UsageGroupProvider.createActionForRule(UsageGroupingRule) See the full discussion here: http://www.intellij.net/forums/thread.jsp?forum=23&thread=155452&tstart=0&trange=15#4898636