diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
index 570e13296..e58f0c347 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
@@ -1101,16 +1101,16 @@ int MleRouter::ComparePartitions(bool              aSingletonA,
 {
     int rval = 0;
 
-    if (aSingletonA != aSingletonB)
-    {
-        ExitNow(rval = aSingletonB ? 1 : -1);
-    }
-
     if (aLeaderDataA.GetWeighting() != aLeaderDataB.GetWeighting())
     {
         ExitNow(rval = aLeaderDataA.GetWeighting() > aLeaderDataB.GetWeighting() ? 1 : -1);
     }
 
+    if (aSingletonA != aSingletonB)
+    {
+        ExitNow(rval = aSingletonB ? 1 : -1);
+    }
+
     if (aLeaderDataA.GetPartitionId() != aLeaderDataB.GetPartitionId())
     {
         ExitNow(rval = aLeaderDataA.GetPartitionId() > aLeaderDataB.GetPartitionId() ? 1 : -1);