diff --git a/model/Versioned.php b/model/Versioned.php
index b30c2635f..03567f95c 100644
--- a/model/Versioned.php
+++ b/model/Versioned.php
@@ -939,23 +939,28 @@ class Versioned extends DataExtension implements TemplateGlobalProvider {
 	 * @param Session $session Optional session within which to store the resulting stage
 	 */
 	public static function choose_site_stage($session = null) {
-		if(!$session) $session = Session::current_session();
+		// Default to Live
+		$mode = 'Stage.Live';
 		
+		// Get reading mode
 		if(isset($_GET['stage'])) {
 			$stage = ucfirst(strtolower($_GET['stage']));
-			
 			if(!in_array($stage, array('Stage', 'Live'))) $stage = 'Live';
-
-			$session->inst_set('readingMode', 'Stage.' . $stage);
-		}
-		if(isset($_GET['archiveDate']) && strtotime($_GET['archiveDate'])) {
-			$session->inst_set('readingMode', 'Archive.' . $_GET['archiveDate']);
+			$mode = 'Stage.' . $stage;
+		} elseif (isset($_GET['archiveDate']) && strtotime($_GET['archiveDate'])) {
+			$mode = 'Archive.' . $_GET['archiveDate'];
+		} elseif($session) {
+			$mode = $session->inst_get('readingMode') ?: $mode;
+		} else {
+			$mode = Session::get('readingMode') ?: $mode;
 		}
 		
-		if($mode = $session->inst_get('readingMode')) {
-			Versioned::set_reading_mode($mode);
+		// Save reading mode
+		Versioned::set_reading_mode($mode);
+		if($session) {
+			$session->inst_set('readingMode', $mode);
 		} else {
-			Versioned::reading_stage("Live");
+			Session::set('readingMode', $mode);
 		}
 
 		if(!headers_sent() && !Director::is_cli()) {
diff --git a/tests/model/VersionedTest.php b/tests/model/VersionedTest.php
index 81d3faaa9..b8330d874 100644
--- a/tests/model/VersionedTest.php
+++ b/tests/model/VersionedTest.php
@@ -439,7 +439,6 @@ class VersionedTest extends SapphireTest {
 		$testData->Content = 'After Content';
 		$testData->write();
 
-		$_GET['archiveDate'] = '2009-01-01 19:00:00';
 		Versioned::reading_archived_date('2009-01-01 19:00:00');
 
 		$fetchedData = VersionedTest_DataObject::get()->byId($id);
@@ -568,6 +567,16 @@ class VersionedTest extends SapphireTest {
 			'Check that subsequent requests in the same session remain in Live mode'
 		);
 		
+		// Test choose_site_stage
+		Session::set('readingMode', 'Stage.Stage');
+		Versioned::choose_site_stage();
+		$this->assertEquals('Stage.Stage', Versioned::get_reading_mode());
+		Session::set('readingMode', 'Archive.2014-01-01');
+		Versioned::choose_site_stage();
+		$this->assertEquals('Archive.2014-01-01', Versioned::get_reading_mode());
+		Session::clear('readingMode');
+		Versioned::choose_site_stage();
+		$this->assertEquals('Stage.Live', Versioned::get_reading_mode());
 	}
 
 }