diff --git a/sha1_name.c b/sha1_name.c
index 63ee66fedd..7098b10e3d 100644
--- a/sha1_name.c
+++ b/sha1_name.c
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ static int handle_one_ref(const char *path,
 	}
 	if (object->type != OBJ_COMMIT)
 		return 0;
-	commit_list_insert_by_date((struct commit *)object, list);
+	commit_list_insert((struct commit *)object, list);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1366,6 +1366,7 @@ static int get_sha1_with_context_1(const char *name,
 		if (!only_to_die && namelen > 2 && name[1] == '/') {
 			struct commit_list *list = NULL;
 			for_each_ref(handle_one_ref, &list);
+			commit_list_sort_by_date(&list);
 			return get_sha1_oneline(name + 2, sha1, list);
 		}
 		if (namelen < 3 ||
diff --git a/walker.c b/walker.c
index b929dcc6c0..f8d370913a 100644
--- a/walker.c
+++ b/walker.c
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ static int mark_complete(const char *path, const unsigned char *sha1, int flag,
 	struct commit *commit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(sha1, 1);
 	if (commit) {
 		commit->object.flags |= COMPLETE;
-		commit_list_insert_by_date(commit, &complete);
+		commit_list_insert(commit, &complete);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -267,8 +267,11 @@ int walker_fetch(struct walker *walker, int targets, char **target,
 			goto done;
 		}
 	}
-	if (!walker->get_recover)
+
+	if (!walker->get_recover) {
 		for_each_ref(mark_complete, NULL);
+		commit_list_sort_by_date(&complete);
+	}
 
 	for (i = 0; i < targets; i++) {
 		if (interpret_target(walker, target[i], &sha1[20 * i])) {