diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 0401562b..e402f1fd 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ procps-ng-NEXT
   * docs: Use correct symbols for -h option in free.1      Debian #898774
   * docs: ps.1 now warns about command name length         issue #101
   * pgrep: Match on runstate                               issue #109, Debian #919381
+  * sysctl: Match systemd directory order
+  * sysctl: Document directory order                       Debian #951550
   * top: can now exploit 256-color terminals               issue #96
   * top: preserves 'other filters' in configuration file   issue #99
   * top: can now collapse/expand forest view children      issue #99
diff --git a/sysctl.8 b/sysctl.8
index 587b98ed..d65f22c2 100644
--- a/sysctl.8
+++ b/sysctl.8
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 .\" but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 .\" MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
 .\" GNU General Public License for more details."
-.TH SYSCTL "8" "2018-02-19" "procps-ng" "System Administration"
+.TH SYSCTL "8" "2020-02-27" "procps-ng" "System Administration"
 .SH NAME
 sysctl \- configure kernel parameters at runtime
 .SH SYNOPSIS
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ directories in the following list in given order from top to bottom.
 Once a file of a given filename is loaded, any file of the same name
 in subsequent directories is ignored.
 .br
-/run/sysctl.d/*.conf
-.br
 /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
 .br
+/run/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
 /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
 .br
 /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
@@ -152,6 +152,16 @@ echo 256 > /proc/sys/net/ipv6/neigh/eth0/base_reachable_time
 .SH FILES
 .I /proc/sys
 .br
+.I /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
 .I /etc/sysctl.conf
 .SH SEE ALSO
 .BR sysctl.conf (5)
diff --git a/sysctl.c b/sysctl.c
index 12fdafce..1a07bb5e 100644
--- a/sysctl.c
+++ b/sysctl.c
@@ -619,8 +619,8 @@ static int PreloadSystem(void)
 {
 	unsigned di, i;
 	const char *dirs[] = {
-		"/run/sysctl.d",
 		"/etc/sysctl.d",
+		"/run/sysctl.d",
 		"/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d",
 		"/usr/lib/sysctl.d",
 		"/lib/sysctl.d",
diff --git a/sysctl.conf.5 b/sysctl.conf.5
index 762a1ffe..476c8514 100644
--- a/sysctl.conf.5
+++ b/sysctl.conf.5
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 .\" but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 .\" MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
 .\" GNU General Public License for more details."
-.TH SYSCTL.CONF "5" "2019-09-21" "procps-ng" "File Formats"
+.TH SYSCTL.CONF "5" "2020-02-27" "procps-ng" "File Formats"
 .SH NAME
 sysctl.conf \- sysctl preload/configuration file
 .SH DESCRIPTION
@@ -55,22 +55,22 @@ to list all possible parameters. The description of individual parameters can be
 .RE
 .PP
 .SH FILES
-.TP
-/run/sysctl.d/*.conf
-.TQ
-/etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
-.TQ
-/usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
-.TQ
-/usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
-.TQ
-/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
-.TQ
-/etc/sysctl.conf
+.I /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /usr/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
+.br
+.I /etc/sysctl.conf
+
 The paths where
-sysctl
+.B sysctl
 preload files usually exist.  See also
-sysctl
+.B sysctl
 option
 .IR \-\-system .
 .SH SEE ALSO