diff --git a/core/mem_region.c b/core/mem_region.c
index eb48a1a11c2a..003a91812c26 100644
--- a/core/mem_region.c
+++ b/core/mem_region.c
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ static bool maybe_split(struct mem_region *r, uint64_t split_at)
 		return false;
 
 	/* Tail add is important: we may need to split again! */
-	list_add_tail(&regions, &tail->list);
+	list_add_after(&regions, &tail->list, &r->list);
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -763,6 +763,20 @@ static struct mem_region *get_overlap(const struct mem_region *region)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static void add_region_to_regions(struct mem_region *region)
+{
+	struct mem_region *r;
+
+	list_for_each(&regions, r, list) {
+		if (r->start < region->start)
+			continue;
+
+		list_add_before(&regions, &region->list, &r->list);
+		return;
+	}
+	list_add_tail(&regions, &region->list);
+}
+
 static bool add_region(struct mem_region *region)
 {
 	struct mem_region *r;
@@ -807,7 +821,7 @@ static bool add_region(struct mem_region *region)
 	}
 
 	/* Finally, add in our own region. */
-	list_add(&regions, &region->list);
+	add_region_to_regions(region);
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -1091,7 +1105,7 @@ void mem_region_init(void)
 			prerror("MEM: Could not add mem region %s!\n", i->name);
 			abort();
 		}
-		list_add(&regions, &region->list);
+		add_region_to_regions(region);
 		if ((start + len) > top_of_ram)
 			top_of_ram = start + len;
 		unlock(&mem_region_lock);
diff --git a/core/test/run-mem_region_next.c b/core/test/run-mem_region_next.c
index b14e41d07072..bab214f740ac 100644
--- a/core/test/run-mem_region_next.c
+++ b/core/test/run-mem_region_next.c
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ int main(void)
 
 	r = mem_region_next(NULL);
 	assert(r);
-	assert(r->start == 0x2000);
+	assert(r->start == 0x1000);
 	assert(r->len == 0x1000);
 	assert(r->type == REGION_RESERVED);
 
 	r = mem_region_next(r);
 	assert(r);
-	assert(r->start == 0x1000);
+	assert(r->start == 0x2000);
 	assert(r->len == 0x1000);
 	assert(r->type == REGION_RESERVED);
 
diff --git a/core/test/run-mem_region_release_unused_noalloc.c b/core/test/run-mem_region_release_unused_noalloc.c
index aa8c23a2674e..5c4b1ddce374 100644
--- a/core/test/run-mem_region_release_unused_noalloc.c
+++ b/core/test/run-mem_region_release_unused_noalloc.c
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@ int main(void)
 			 * only in test and only for valgrind
 			 */
 			free((void*)r->name);
+			last = r->name;
 		}
-		last = r->name;
 	}
 
 	dt_free(dt_root);