diff --git a/Engine/Knob.cpp b/Engine/Knob.cpp
index 2a45dc488a..430f7d6d14 100644
--- a/Engine/Knob.cpp
+++ b/Engine/Knob.cpp
@@ -260,10 +260,8 @@ KnobI::restoreLinks(const NodesList & allNodes,
                     const std::map<std::string, std::string>& oldNewScriptNamesMapping,
                     bool throwOnFailure)
 {
-    int i = 0;
     KnobIPtr thisKnob = shared_from_this();
     for (std::vector<Link>::const_iterator l = _links.begin(); l != _links.end(); ++l) {
-
         KnobIPtr linkedKnob = findMaster(thisKnob, allNodes, l->nodeNameFull, l->nodeName, l->trackName, l->knobName, oldNewScriptNamesMapping);
         if (!linkedKnob) {
             if (throwOnFailure) {
@@ -287,7 +285,8 @@ KnobI::restoreLinks(const NodesList & allNodes,
        } else if (l->dimension == -1) {
             setKnobAsAliasOfThis(linkedKnob, true);
         } else {
-            slaveTo(i, linkedKnob, l->dimension);
+            assert(l->slaveDimension >= 0);
+            slaveTo(l->slaveDimension, linkedKnob, l->dimension);
         }
     }
     _links.clear();
diff --git a/Engine/Knob.h b/Engine/Knob.h
index fee08c8f09..a90fa3c088 100644
--- a/Engine/Knob.h
+++ b/Engine/Knob.h
@@ -1189,13 +1189,14 @@ class KnobI
     bool slaveTo(int dimension, const KnobIPtr & other, int otherDimension, bool ignoreMasterPersistence = false);
 
 
-    void storeLink(const std::string& nodeNameFull,
+    void storeLink(int slaveDimension,
+                   const std::string& nodeNameFull,
                    const std::string& nodeName,
                    const std::string& trackName,
                    const std::string& knobName,
                    int dimension)
     {
-        _links.push_back(Link(nodeNameFull, nodeName, trackName, knobName, dimension));
+        _links.push_back(Link(slaveDimension, nodeNameFull, nodeName, trackName, knobName, dimension));
     }
 
     void restoreLinks(const NodesList & allNodes,
@@ -1204,18 +1205,21 @@ class KnobI
 
 private:
     struct Link {
+        int slaveDimension;
         std::string nodeNameFull;
         std::string nodeName;
         std::string trackName;
         std::string knobName;
         int dimension; // -1 means alias
 
-        Link(const std::string& nodeNameFull_,
+        Link(int slaveDimension_,
+             const std::string& nodeNameFull_,
              const std::string& nodeName_,
              const std::string& trackName_,
              const std::string& knobName_,
              int dimension_)
-        : nodeNameFull(nodeNameFull_)
+        : slaveDimension(slaveDimension_)
+        , nodeNameFull(nodeNameFull_)
         , nodeName(nodeName_)
         , trackName(trackName_)
         , knobName(knobName_)
diff --git a/Engine/KnobSerialization.cpp b/Engine/KnobSerialization.cpp
index 4c35c188e9..7a58077452 100644
--- a/Engine/KnobSerialization.cpp
+++ b/Engine/KnobSerialization.cpp
@@ -199,8 +199,6 @@ KnobSerialization::createKnob(const std::string & typeName,
 void
 KnobSerialization::storeKnobLinks(const KnobIPtr & knob)
 {
-    int i = 0;
-
     if (_masterIsAlias) {
         /*
          * _masters can be empty for example if we expand a group: the slaved knobs are no longer slaves
@@ -210,14 +208,15 @@ KnobSerialization::storeKnobLinks(const KnobIPtr & knob)
             const std::string& aliasNodeName = _masters.front().masterNodeName;
             const std::string& masterTrackName  = _masters.front().masterTrackName;
             const std::string& aliasKnobName = _masters.front().masterKnobName;
-            knob->storeLink(aliasNodeNameFull, aliasNodeName, masterTrackName, aliasKnobName, -1);
+            knob->storeLink(-1, aliasNodeNameFull, aliasNodeName, masterTrackName, aliasKnobName, -1);
         }
     } else {
-        for (std::list<MasterSerialization>::iterator it = _masters.begin(); it != _masters.end(); ++it) {
+        assert(_masters.size() == _dimension);
+        int slaveDim = 0;
+        for (std::list<MasterSerialization>::iterator it = _masters.begin(); it != _masters.end(); ++it, ++slaveDim) {
             if (it->masterDimension != -1) {
-                knob->storeLink(it->masterNodeNameFull, it->masterNodeName, it->masterTrackName, it->masterKnobName, it->masterDimension);
+                knob->storeLink(slaveDim, it->masterNodeNameFull, it->masterNodeName, it->masterTrackName, it->masterKnobName, it->masterDimension);
             }
-            ++i;
         }
     }
 }