diff --git a/rugnux/Rugnux.cpp b/rugnux/Rugnux.cpp
index c95bc3a2..205ca1ea 100644
--- a/rugnux/Rugnux.cpp
+++ b/rugnux/Rugnux.cpp
@@ -1241,18 +1241,8 @@ ProcessResult Rugnux::RunPipeline(RugnuxObserver *observer, bool write_output, b
                 // the WEAK reflections and the filter throws most of them away. Preferring the filtered
                 // arm on a tie cost four crystals their screw axes (P2(1) read as P2) for exactly that
                 // reason, with the point group and every intensity statistic identical.
-                if (order_of(sg_search) <= order_of(alt)) {
-                    if (order_of(alt) > order_of(sg_search))
-                        logger.Info("Space-group search: all-observation merge supports {} where the "
-                                    "Lorentz-filtered one supports {} - taking the higher symmetry",
-                                    alt.point_group_hm, sg_search.point_group_hm);
-                    sg_search = alt;
-                    sm = std::move(sm_all);
-                } else {
-                    logger.Info("Space-group search: Lorentz-filtered merge supports {} where the "
-                                "all-observation one supports {} - taking the higher symmetry",
-                                sg_search.point_group_hm, alt.point_group_hm);
-                }
+                // Checked while both arms are still intact - below, the all-observation arm is adopted
+                // by value and the two become the same result.
                 if (order_of(alt) > 0 && order_of(alt) == order_of(sg_search)
                     && alt.point_group_hm != sg_search.point_group_hm) {
                     // Same order, different symmetry: the two merges disagree about WHICH operators are
@@ -1273,6 +1263,18 @@ ProcessResult Rugnux::RunPipeline(RugnuxObserver *observer, bool write_output, b
                     logger.Warning("{}", msg);
                     stats_text << "  !! " << msg << "\n\n";
                 }
+                if (order_of(sg_search) <= order_of(alt)) {
+                    if (order_of(alt) > order_of(sg_search))
+                        logger.Info("Space-group search: all-observation merge supports {} where the "
+                                    "Lorentz-filtered one supports {} - taking the higher symmetry",
+                                    alt.point_group_hm, sg_search.point_group_hm);
+                    sg_search = alt;
+                    sm = std::move(sm_all);
+                } else {
+                    logger.Info("Space-group search: Lorentz-filtered merge supports {} where the "
+                                "all-observation one supports {} - taking the higher symmetry",
+                                sg_search.point_group_hm, alt.point_group_hm);
+                }
             }
 
             // Twinning evidence measured BEFORE any promotion, on the P1/subgroup merge the search was