diff --git a/main/Load.scala b/main/Load.scala
index 07c97bdca..a864de980 100755
--- a/main/Load.scala
+++ b/main/Load.scala
@@ -293,7 +293,9 @@ object Load
 					val (loadedBuild, refs) = loaded(loaders(b))
 					checkBuildBase(loadedBuild.unit.localBase)
 					val newLoader = addOverrides(loadedBuild.unit, addResolvers(loadedBuild.unit, builds.isEmpty, loaders))
-					loadAll(refs.flatMap(Reference.uri) reverse_::: bs, references.updated(b, refs), newLoader, builds.updated(b, loadedBuild))
+					// it is important to keep the load order stable, so we sort the remaining URIs
+					val remainingBases = (refs.flatMap(Reference.uri) reverse_::: bs).sorted
+					loadAll(remainingBases, references.updated(b, refs), newLoader, builds.updated(b, loadedBuild))
 				}
 			case Nil => (references, builds, loaders)
 		}