diff --git a/init.d/sysctl.BSD.in b/init.d/sysctl.BSD.in
index 4a86f878..2bfd0524 100644
--- a/init.d/sysctl.BSD.in
+++ b/init.d/sysctl.BSD.in
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ start()
 	local retval=0 var= comments= conf=
 	ebegin "Configuring kernel parameters"
 	eindent
-	for conf in /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /etc/sysctl.conf; do
+	for conf in /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf; do
 		if [ -r "$conf" ]; then
 			vebegin "applying $conf"
 			while read var comments; do
diff --git a/init.d/sysctl.Linux.in b/init.d/sysctl.Linux.in
index 00b4c334..d202cb31 100644
--- a/init.d/sysctl.Linux.in
+++ b/init.d/sysctl.Linux.in
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ start()
 	ebegin "Configuring kernel parameters"
 	eindent
 
-	for conf in /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf /etc/sysctl.conf; do
+	for conf in /etc/sysctl.conf /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf; do
 		if [ -r "$conf" ]; then
 			vebegin "applying $conf"
 			if ! err=$(sysctl -p "$conf" 2>&1 >/dev/null) ; then