diff --git a/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go b/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go
index 06c3c84fa..3b4137204 100644
--- a/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go
+++ b/pkg/innerring/processors/governance/list_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,19 @@ func TestNewAlphabetList(t *testing.T) {
 			require.True(t, equalPublicKeyLists(list, rounds[i]))
 		}
 	})
+
+	t.Run("unsorted keys", func(t *testing.T) {
+		orig := keys.PublicKeys{k[1], k[2], k[3], k[4]}
+		main := keys.PublicKeys{k[1], k[2], k[5], k[4]}
+
+		exp := make(keys.PublicKeys, len(main))
+		copy(exp, main)
+		sort.Sort(exp)
+
+		got, err := newAlphabetList(orig, main)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.True(t, equalPublicKeyLists(exp, got)) // expect {1, 2, 4, 5}, not {1, 2, 3, 5}
+	})
 }
 
 func TestUpdateInnerRing(t *testing.T) {