diff --git a/tests/test_configset.py b/tests/test_configset.py
index 881053af..60eace59 100644
--- a/tests/test_configset.py
+++ b/tests/test_configset.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def test_mult_files_mult_Atoms_glob_dir(tmp_path, ats):
     (tmp_path / "dir_0").mkdir()
     (tmp_path / "dir_1").mkdir()
     ase.io.write(tmp_path / "dir_0" / "ats.xyz", ats[0:5])
-    ase.io.write(tmp_path / "dir_1" /"ats.xyz", ats[5:10])
+    ase.io.write(tmp_path / "dir_1" / "ats.xyz", ats[5:10])
     locs = [f" / {i0} / {i1}" for i0 in range(2) for i1 in range(5)]
 
     # glob for dir name, but same filename
diff --git a/wfl/configset.py b/wfl/configset.py
index 7a3bb009..3974c611 100644
--- a/wfl/configset.py
+++ b/wfl/configset.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def __init__(self, items, *, file_root=None, read_kwargs={}, _open_reader=None,
                 raise ValueError(f"Got file_root but file {items} is an absolute path")
             # single item, could be a simple filename or a glob. Former needs to be stored as
             # Path, latter as list(Path)
-            items_expanded = [Path(f) for f in glob.glob(str(file_root / items), recursive=True)]
+            items_expanded = [Path(f) for f in sorted(glob.glob(str(file_root / items), recursive=True))]
             if len(items_expanded) == 1 and file_root / items == items_expanded[0]:
                 self.items = file_root / items
             else:
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def __init__(self, items, *, file_root=None, read_kwargs={}, _open_reader=None,
                 assert isinstance(file_path, (str, Path))
                 if file_root != Path("") and Path(file_path).is_absolute():
                     raise ValueError(f"Got file_root but file {file_path} is an absolute path")
-                self.items.extend([Path(f) for f in glob.glob(str(file_root / file_path), recursive=True)])
+                self.items.extend([Path(f) for f in sorted(glob.glob(str(file_root / file_path), recursive=True))])
         elif isinstance(items[0], ConfigSet):
             self.items = []
             for item in items: