diff --git a/dropmate_py/log_utils.py b/dropmate_py/log_utils.py
index 284bb02..5f08c85 100644
--- a/dropmate_py/log_utils.py
+++ b/dropmate_py/log_utils.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 )
 
 
-def _keyer(short_record: str) -> tuple[str, str]:  # pragma: no cover
+def _keyer(short_record: str) -> tuple[str, int]:  # pragma: no cover
     """
     Sorting key based on consolidated drop record.
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def _keyer(short_record: str) -> tuple[str, str]:  # pragma: no cover
     index.
     """
     split_record = short_record.split(",")
-    return (split_record[0], split_record[1])
+    return (split_record[0], int(split_record[1]))
 
 
 def consolidate_drop_records(
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def consolidate_drop_records(
     log_pattern: str,
     out_filepath: Path,
     keep_headers: abc.Sequence[str] = CONSOLIDATED_HEADERS,
+    write_file: bool = True,
 ) -> list[str]:
     """
     Merge a directory of Dropmate drop record outputs into a deduplicated, simplified drop record.
@@ -61,8 +62,9 @@ def consolidate_drop_records(
 
     consolidated_records.sort(key=_keyer)
 
-    with out_filepath.open("w") as f:
-        f.write(f"{','.join(keep_headers)}\n")
-        f.writelines(f"{record}\n" for record in consolidated_records)
+    if write_file:
+        with out_filepath.open("w") as f:
+            f.write(f"{','.join(keep_headers)}\n")
+            f.writelines(f"{record}\n" for record in consolidated_records)
 
     return consolidated_records
diff --git a/tests/test_consolidate.py b/tests/test_consolidate.py
index 8e7782a..5fd0116 100644
--- a/tests/test_consolidate.py
+++ b/tests/test_consolidate.py
@@ -45,3 +45,43 @@ def test_consolidate_drop_records(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 
     out_data = out_log.read_text()
     assert out_data == TRUTH_CONSOLIDATED
+
+
+SAMPLE_LOG_TEN_RECORDS = dedent(
+    """\
+    serial_number,uid,battery,device_health,firmware_version,log_timestamp,log_altitude,total_flights,flights_over_18kft,recorded_flights,flight_index,start_time_utc,end_time_utc,start_barometric_altitude_msl_ft,end_barometric_altitude_msl_ft,dropmate_internal_time_utc,last_scanned_time_utc,scan_device_type,scan_device_os,dropmate_app_version
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,1,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,2,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,3,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,4,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,5,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,6,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,7,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,8,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,9,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,10000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    0,ABC123,Good,good,5.0,true,true,12,0,12,10,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,1000,0,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00.003Z,SM G965U1,29,1.5.16
+    """
+)
+
+TRUTH_CONSOLIDATED_TEN_RECORDS = [
+    "ABC123,1,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,2,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,3,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,4,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,5,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,6,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,7,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,2023-04-20T14:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,8,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,2023-04-20T18:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,9,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,2023-04-20T16:00:00Z,10000,0",
+    "ABC123,10,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,2023-04-20T13:00:00Z,1000,0",
+]
+
+
+def test_consolidated_record_sorting(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    sample_log = tmp_path / "dropmate_records_ten_records.csv"
+    sample_log.write_text(SAMPLE_LOG_TEN_RECORDS)
+
+    consolidated = consolidate_drop_records(
+        tmp_path, log_pattern="dropmate_records_*", out_filepath=Path(), write_file=False
+    )
+    assert consolidated == TRUTH_CONSOLIDATED_TEN_RECORDS