diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/mod/Mods.java b/core/src/mindustry/mod/Mods.java
index c31f648637..3ece15b1d9 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/mod/Mods.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/mod/Mods.java
@@ -728,8 +728,10 @@ public class Mods implements Loadable{
         Seq<LoadRun> runs = new Seq<>();
 
         for(LoadedMod mod : orderedMods()){
-            ObjectMap<String, LoadRun> currentRun = new ObjectMap<>();
+            Seq<LoadRun> unorderedContent = new Seq<>();
+            ObjectMap<String, LoadRun> orderedContent = new ObjectMap<>();
             String[] contentOrder = mod.meta.contentOrder;
+            ObjectSet<String> orderSet = contentOrder == null ? null : ObjectSet.with(contentOrder);
 
             if(mod.root.child("content").exists()){
                 Fi contentRoot = mod.root.child("content");
@@ -738,30 +740,32 @@ public class Mods implements Loadable{
                     Fi folder = contentRoot.child(lower + (lower.endsWith("s") ? "" : "s"));
                     if(folder.exists()){
                         for(Fi file : folder.findAll(f -> f.extension().equals("json") || f.extension().equals("hjson"))){
-                            if(contentOrder == null){
-                                runs.add(new LoadRun(type, file, mod));
+
+                            //if this is part of the ordered content, put it aside to be dealt with later
+                            if(orderSet != null && orderSet.contains(file.nameWithoutExtension())){
+                                orderedContent.put(file.nameWithoutExtension(), new LoadRun(type, file, mod));
                             }else{
-                                currentRun.put(file.nameWithoutExtension(), new LoadRun(type, file, mod));
+                                unorderedContent.add(new LoadRun(type, file, mod));
                             }
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
 
-            Seq<String> left = currentRun.keys().toSeq();
+            //ordered content will be loaded first, if it exists
             if(contentOrder != null){
-                for (String contentName : contentOrder){
-                    LoadRun run = currentRun.get(contentName);
+                for(String contentName : contentOrder){
+                    LoadRun run = orderedContent.get(contentName);
                     if(run != null){
                         runs.add(run);
-                        left.remove(contentName);
                     }else{
                         Log.warn("Cannot find content defined in contentOrder: @", contentName);
                     }
                 }
             }
 
-            runs.addAll(left.map(name -> currentRun.get(name)).sort());
+            //unordered content is sorted alphabetically per mod
+            runs.addAll(unorderedContent.sort());
         }
 
         for(LoadRun l : runs){