diff --git a/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list.go b/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list.go
index 6a76a0826..c85a764c2 100644
--- a/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list.go
+++ b/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list.go
@@ -44,19 +44,24 @@ func newAlphabetList(sidechain, mainnet keys.PublicKeys) (keys.PublicKeys, error
 	newNodes := 0
 	newNodeLimit := (ln - 1) / 3
 
-	for i := 0; i < ln; i++ {
-		if newNodes == newNodeLimit {
+	for _, node := range mainnet {
+		if len(result) == ln {
 			break
 		}
 
-		mainnetAddr := mainnet[i].Address()
+		limitReached := newNodes == newNodeLimit
+
+		mainnetAddr := node.Address()
 		if _, ok := hmap[mainnetAddr]; !ok {
+			if limitReached {
+				continue
+			}
 			newNodes++
 		} else {
 			hmap[mainnetAddr] = true
 		}
 
-		result = append(result, mainnet[i])
+		result = append(result, node)
 	}
 
 	if newNodes == 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go b/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go
index 3b4137204..e0121ab62 100644
--- a/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go
+++ b/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go
@@ -68,6 +68,15 @@ func TestNewAlphabetList(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.True(t, equalPublicKeyLists(exp, got)) // expect {1, 2, 4, 5}, not {1, 2, 3, 5}
 	})
+
+	t.Run("new keys in the middle", func(t *testing.T) {
+		orig := keys.PublicKeys{k[0], k[1], k[2], k[6], k[7], k[8], k[9]}
+		// `exp` should contain maximum amount of new keys (2) in the middle
+		exp := keys.PublicKeys{k[0], k[3], k[4], k[6], k[7], k[8], k[9]}
+		got, err := newAlphabetList(orig, exp)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.True(t, equalPublicKeyLists(exp, got))
+	})
 }
 
 func TestUpdateInnerRing(t *testing.T) {