diff --git a/internal/exec/stages/files/units.go b/internal/exec/stages/files/units.go
index b7f93c8032..e582087e4a 100644
--- a/internal/exec/stages/files/units.go
+++ b/internal/exec/stages/files/units.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"sort"
 
 	"github.com/coreos/ignition/v2/config/shared/errors"
 	cutil "github.com/coreos/ignition/v2/config/util"
@@ -151,7 +152,16 @@ func (s *stage) createSystemdPresetFile(presets map[string]*Preset) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	hasInstanceUnit := false
-	for _, value := range presets {
+
+	// sort the units before writing to the systemd presets file
+	unitNames := make([]string, 0, len(presets))
+	for unit, _ := range(presets) {
+		unitNames = append(unitNames, unit)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(unitNames)
+
+	for i := range unitNames {
+		value := presets[unitNames[i]]
 		unitString := value.unit
 		if value.instantiatable {
 			hasInstanceUnit = true