diff --git a/block_test.go b/block_test.go
index 6aae98557..5d02a1617 100644
--- a/block_test.go
+++ b/block_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func TestSetCompactionFailed(t *testing.T) {
 	testutil.Ok(t, err)
 	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
 
-	b := createEmptyBlock(t, tmpdir)
+	b := createEmptyBlock(t, tmpdir, &BlockMeta{Version: 2})
 
 	testutil.Equals(t, false, b.meta.Compaction.Failed)
 	testutil.Ok(t, b.setCompactionFailed())
@@ -55,10 +55,11 @@ func TestSetCompactionFailed(t *testing.T) {
 	testutil.Equals(t, true, b.meta.Compaction.Failed)
 }
 
-func createEmptyBlock(t *testing.T, dir string) *Block {
+// createEmpty block creates a block with the given meta but without any data.
+func createEmptyBlock(t *testing.T, dir string, meta *BlockMeta) *Block {
 	testutil.Ok(t, os.MkdirAll(dir, 0777))
 
-	testutil.Ok(t, writeMetaFile(dir, &BlockMeta{Version: 2}))
+	testutil.Ok(t, writeMetaFile(dir, meta))
 
 	ir, err := index.NewWriter(filepath.Join(dir, indexFilename))
 	testutil.Ok(t, err)
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 2de474780..404047709 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -522,6 +522,9 @@ func (db *DB) reload(deleteable ...string) (err error) {
 		blocks = append(blocks, b)
 		exist[meta.ULID] = struct{}{}
 	}
+	sort.Slice(blocks, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return blocks[i].Meta().MinTime < blocks[j].Meta().MinTime
+	})
 
 	if err := validateBlockSequence(blocks); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "invalid block sequence")
diff --git a/db_test.go b/db_test.go
index 89d329b92..543ff9c76 100644
--- a/db_test.go
+++ b/db_test.go
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ import (
 	"math"
 	"math/rand"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/oklog/ulid"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/prometheus/tsdb/labels"
 	"github.com/prometheus/tsdb/testutil"
@@ -63,6 +65,31 @@ func query(t testing.TB, q Querier, matchers ...labels.Matcher) map[string][]sam
 	return result
 }
 
+// Ensure that blocks are held in memory in their time order
+// and not in ULID order as they are read from the directory.
+func TestDB_reloadOrder(t *testing.T) {
+	db, close := openTestDB(t, nil)
+	defer close()
+	defer db.Close()
+
+	metas := []*BlockMeta{
+		{ULID: ulid.MustNew(100, nil), MinTime: 90, MaxTime: 100},
+		{ULID: ulid.MustNew(200, nil), MinTime: 70, MaxTime: 80},
+		{ULID: ulid.MustNew(300, nil), MinTime: 100, MaxTime: 110},
+	}
+	for _, m := range metas {
+		bdir := filepath.Join(db.Dir(), m.ULID.String())
+		createEmptyBlock(t, bdir, m)
+	}
+
+	testutil.Ok(t, db.reload())
+	blocks := db.Blocks()
+	testutil.Equals(t, 3, len(blocks))
+	testutil.Equals(t, *metas[1], blocks[0].Meta())
+	testutil.Equals(t, *metas[0], blocks[1].Meta())
+	testutil.Equals(t, *metas[2], blocks[2].Meta())
+}
+
 func TestDataAvailableOnlyAfterCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	db, close := openTestDB(t, nil)
 	defer close()