diff --git a/pkg_resources/__init__.py b/pkg_resources/__init__.py
index 645eda813c..72b03bc1f8 100644
--- a/pkg_resources/__init__.py
+++ b/pkg_resources/__init__.py
@@ -1972,6 +1972,7 @@ def find_on_path(importer, path_item, only=False):
 
             path_item_entries = os.listdir(path_item)
             # Reverse so we find the newest version of a distribution,
+            path_item_entries.sort()
             path_item_entries.reverse()
             for entry in path_item_entries:
                 lower = entry.lower()