diff --git a/app/models/topic_list.rb b/app/models/topic_list.rb
index 4abdc36f09f..228a52311b4 100644
--- a/app/models/topic_list.rb
+++ b/app/models/topic_list.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ class TopicList
   include ActiveModel::Serialization
 
   cattr_accessor :preloaded_custom_fields
-  self.preloaded_custom_fields = []
+  self.preloaded_custom_fields = Set.new
 
   attr_accessor :more_topics_url,
                 :prev_topics_url,
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ class TopicList
     @current_user = current_user
     @topics_input = topics
     @opts = opts || {}
+
+    preloaded_custom_fields << DiscourseTagging::TAGS_FIELD_NAME if SiteSetting.tagging_enabled
   end
 
   def preload_key
@@ -81,11 +83,8 @@ class TopicList
       ft.topic_list = self
     end
 
-    preload_custom_fields = TopicList.preloaded_custom_fields
-    preload_custom_fields << DiscourseTagging::TAGS_FIELD_NAME if SiteSetting.tagging_enabled
-
-    if preload_custom_fields.present?
-      Topic.preload_custom_fields(@topics, preload_custom_fields)
+    if preloaded_custom_fields.present?
+      Topic.preload_custom_fields(@topics, preloaded_custom_fields)
     end
 
     @topics
diff --git a/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb b/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
index 276ee765677..fcb0bb1f8a6 100644
--- a/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/components/topic_query_spec.rb
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ describe TopicQuery do
 
           # returns the topics in reverse posters order if requested" do
           expect(ids_in_order('posters', false)).to eq([archived_topic, closed_topic, invisible_topic, future_topic, regular_topic, pinned_topic].map(&:id))
-    
+
           # sets a custom field for each topic to emulate a plugin
           regular_topic.custom_fields["sheep"] = 26
           pinned_topic.custom_fields["sheep"] = 47
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ describe TopicQuery do
           invisible_topic.custom_fields["sheep"] = 12
           closed_topic.custom_fields["sheep"] = 31
           future_topic.custom_fields["sheep"] = 53
-          
+
           regular_topic.save
           pinned_topic.save
           archived_topic.save
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ describe TopicQuery do
 
           # returns the topics in reverse sheep order if requested" do
           expect(ids_in_order('sheep', false)).to eq([invisible_topic, regular_topic, closed_topic, pinned_topic, future_topic, archived_topic].map(&:id))
-    
+
 
         end
 
diff --git a/spec/models/topic_list_spec.rb b/spec/models/topic_list_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ded7e9231a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/topic_list_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+describe TopicList do
+  let!(:topic) { Fabricate(:topic) }
+  let(:user) { topic.user }
+  let(:topic_list) { TopicList.new("liked", user, [topic]) }
+
+  after do
+    TopicList.preloaded_custom_fields.clear
+  end
+
+  describe ".preloaded_custom_fields" do
+    it "should return a unique set of values" do
+      TopicList.preloaded_custom_fields << "test"
+      TopicList.preloaded_custom_fields << "test"
+      TopicList.preloaded_custom_fields << "apple"
+
+      expect(TopicList.preloaded_custom_fields).to eq(Set.new(%w{test apple}))
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "DiscourseTagging enabled" do
+    before do
+      SiteSetting.tagging_enabled = true
+    end
+
+    after do
+      SiteSetting.tagging_enabled = false
+    end
+
+    it "should add tags to preloaded custom fields" do
+      expect(topic_list.preloaded_custom_fields).to eq(Set.new([DiscourseTagging::TAGS_FIELD_NAME]))
+    end
+  end
+end