diff --git a/src/commit.c b/src/commit.c
index 9b52f4120..2e3e1ba4b 100644
--- a/src/commit.c
+++ b/src/commit.c
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ void git_commit_list_timesort(git_commit_list *list)
                     e = q, q = q->next, q_size--;
 
                 else if (q_size == 0 || q == NULL ||
-                    p->commit->commit_time <= q->commit->commit_time)
+                    p->commit->commit_time >= q->commit->commit_time)
                     e = p, p = p->next, p_size--;
 
                 else
diff --git a/tests/t0403-lists.c b/tests/t0403-lists.c
index c16281e32..ff4fd6b1c 100644
--- a/tests/t0403-lists.c
+++ b/tests/t0403-lists.c
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ BEGIN_TEST(list_timesort_test)
     time_t previous_time;
 
 #define TEST_SORTED() \
-    previous_time = 0;\
+    previous_time = INT_MAX;\
     for (n = list.head; n != NULL; n = n->next)\
     {\
-        must_be_true(n->commit->commit_time >= previous_time);\
+        must_be_true(n->commit->commit_time <= previous_time);\
         previous_time = n->commit->commit_time;\
     }