diff --git a/common/src/app/common/logic/variants.cljc b/common/src/app/common/logic/variants.cljc
index 5947d4dc95..e022f29e74 100644
--- a/common/src/app/common/logic/variants.cljc
+++ b/common/src/app/common/logic/variants.cljc
@@ -435,8 +435,9 @@
   "The variant component that the variant copy head `shape` switches to when
    its property at position `pos` takes the value `val`: among the other
    variants with that value, the one whose properties are nearest to the
-   current ones. Nil when the property already has that value or no variant
-   has it."
+   current ones; between equally near ones, the first among the children of
+   the variant container. Nil when the property already has that value or no
+   variant has it."
   [libraries shape pos val]
   (let [component-id (:component-id shape)
         component    (ctf/get-component libraries (:component-file shape) component-id
@@ -446,12 +447,16 @@
             objects       (-> (ctf/get-component-page ldata component) :objects)
             target-props  (-> (:variant-properties component)
                               (update pos assoc :value val))
+            distance      #(ctv/distance target-props (:variant-properties %))
+            ;; in the order of the container's children
             candidates    (->> (cfv/find-variant-components ldata objects (:variant-id component))
                                (remove #(= (:id %) component-id))
                                (filter #(= (get-in % [:variant-properties pos :value]) val))
                                (reverse))]
-        (when (seq candidates)
-          (apply min-key #(ctv/distance target-props (:variant-properties %)) candidates))))))
+        (reduce (fn [nearest candidate]
+                  (if (< (distance candidate) (distance nearest)) candidate nearest))
+                (first candidates)
+                (rest candidates))))))
 
 (defn valid-switch?
   "Whether the variant copy head `shape` can switch its property at position
diff --git a/common/test/common_tests/logic/variants_switch_target_test.cljc b/common/test/common_tests/logic/variants_switch_target_test.cljc
index c098fb6004..58ca9ed299 100644
--- a/common/test/common_tests/logic/variants_switch_target_test.cljc
+++ b/common/test/common_tests/logic/variants_switch_target_test.cljc
@@ -66,6 +66,25 @@
         target (clv/find-switch-target (libraries file) (ths/get-shape file :copy01) 0 "p1v2")]
     (t/is (= (thi/id :c03) (:id target)))))
 
+(t/deftest switch-target-between-equally-near-variants-is-the-first-of-the-container
+  ;; From p1v1, p2v1, setting Property 1 to p1v2 can give c02 (p1v2, p2v2) or
+  ;; c03 (p1v2, p2v3), both one value away; the one placed first among the
+  ;; container's children wins.
+  (let [file   (-> (thf/sample-file :file1)
+                   (thv/add-variant-two-properties :v01 :c01 :m01 :c02 :m02)
+                   (ths/add-sample-shape :m03 :type :frame :parent-label :v01
+                                         :variant-id (thi/id :v01) :variant-name "p1v2, p2v3")
+                   (thc/make-component :c03 :m03)
+                   (thc/update-component :c03 {:variant-id (thi/id :v01)
+                                               :variant-properties [{:name "Property 1" :value "p1v2"}
+                                                                    {:name "Property 2" :value "p2v3"}]})
+                   (thc/instantiate-component :c01 :copy01))
+        target (fn [order]
+                 (let [file (ths/update-shape file :v01 :shapes (mapv thi/id order))]
+                   (:id (clv/find-switch-target (libraries file) (ths/get-shape file :copy01) 0 "p1v2"))))]
+    (t/is (= (thi/id :c02) (target [:m01 :m02 :m03])))
+    (t/is (= (thi/id :c03) (target [:m01 :m03 :m02])))))
+
 (t/deftest switch-into-own-main-is-a-nesting-loop
   (let [file    (-> (thf/sample-file :file1)
                     (thv/add-variant :v01 :c01 :m01 :c02 :m02)