diff --git a/exposurefinalizer/exposurefinalizer.py b/exposurefinalizer/exposurefinalizer.py
index 2e68d63f758f8c7917359d234a536f7144169ff6..3a9d1187f30e94a5c9ec1d18e30205b4ac23ba9b 100644
--- a/exposurefinalizer/exposurefinalizer.py
+++ b/exposurefinalizer/exposurefinalizer.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class ExposureFinalizer:
             SELECT quadkey, completeness
             FROM {self.exposure_db.tile_table}
             WHERE country_iso_code = '{country_iso_code}'
-            ORDER BY quadkey
+            ORDER BY ST_MaxY({self.exposure_db.geometry_field}) DESC
             """
         self.exposure_db.cursor.execute(sql_statement)
         tiles = self.exposure_db.cursor.fetchall()