diff --git a/doc/src/manual/methods.md b/doc/src/manual/methods.md
index eb03c6190828f..6ee576cb45332 100644
--- a/doc/src/manual/methods.md
+++ b/doc/src/manual/methods.md
@@ -252,8 +252,8 @@ julia> g(2, 3.0)
 
 julia> g(2.0, 3.0)
 ERROR: MethodError: g(::Float64, ::Float64) is ambiguous. Candidates:
-  g(x, y::Float64) in Main at none:1
   g(x::Float64, y) in Main at none:1
+  g(x, y::Float64) in Main at none:1
 Possible fix, define
   g(::Float64, ::Float64)
 ```
diff --git a/src/gf.c b/src/gf.c
index ba223296d7302..fb1fc392416e4 100644
--- a/src/gf.c
+++ b/src/gf.c
@@ -2815,10 +2815,20 @@ static jl_value_t *ml_matches(jl_methtable_t *mt, int offs,
                 int subt2 = matc2->fully_covers != NOT_FULLY_COVERS;
                 if (!subt2 && subt)
                     break;
-                if (subt == subt2)
-                    if (subt || !jl_has_empty_intersection(m->sig, m2->sig))
-                        if (!jl_type_morespecific((jl_value_t*)m->sig, (jl_value_t*)m2->sig))
+                if (subt == subt2) {
+                    if (lim >= 0) {
+                        if (subt || !jl_has_empty_intersection(m->sig, m2->sig))
+                            if (!jl_type_morespecific((jl_value_t*)m->sig, (jl_value_t*)m2->sig))
+                                break;
+                    }
+                    else {
+                        // if unlimited, use approximate sorting, with the only
+                        // main downside being that it may be overly-
+                        // conservative at reporting existence of ambiguities
+                        if (jl_type_morespecific((jl_value_t*)m2->sig, (jl_value_t*)m->sig))
                             break;
+                    }
+                }
                 jl_array_ptr_set(env.t, i - j, matc2);
             }
             jl_array_ptr_set(env.t, i - j, env.matc);
diff --git a/test/errorshow.jl b/test/errorshow.jl
index 047e34bad69f6..4236e7388317b 100644
--- a/test/errorshow.jl
+++ b/test/errorshow.jl
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ method_c2(x::Int32, y::Int32, z::Int32) = true
 method_c2(x::T, y::T, z::T) where {T<:Real} = true
 
 Base.show_method_candidates(buf, Base.MethodError(method_c2,(1., 1., 2)))
-@test String(take!(buf)) ==  "\nClosest candidates are:\n  method_c2(!Matched::Int32, ::Float64, ::Any...)$cfile$(c2line+2)\n  method_c2(::T, ::T, !Matched::T) where T<:Real$cfile$(c2line+5)\n  method_c2(!Matched::Int32, ::Any...)$cfile$(c2line+1)\n  ..."
+@test String(take!(buf)) ==  "\nClosest candidates are:\n  method_c2(!Matched::Int32, ::Float64, ::Any...)$cfile$(c2line+2)\n  method_c2(!Matched::Int32, ::Any...)$cfile$(c2line+1)\n  method_c2(::T, ::T, !Matched::T) where T<:Real$cfile$(c2line+5)\n  ..."
 
 c3line = @__LINE__() + 1
 method_c3(x::Float64, y::Float64) = true
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ PR16155line2 = @__LINE__() + 1
 (::Type{T})(arg::Any) where {T<:PR16155} = "replace call-to-convert method from sysimg"
 
 Base.show_method_candidates(buf, MethodError(PR16155,(1.0, 2.0, Int64(3))))
-@test String(take!(buf)) == "\nClosest candidates are:\n  $(curmod_prefix)PR16155(::Any, ::Any)$cfile$PR16155line\n  (::Type{T})(::Any) where T<:$(curmod_prefix)PR16155$cfile$PR16155line2\n  $(curmod_prefix)PR16155(!Matched::Int64, ::Any)$cfile$PR16155line"
+@test String(take!(buf)) == "\nClosest candidates are:\n  $(curmod_prefix)PR16155(::Any, ::Any)$cfile$PR16155line\n  $(curmod_prefix)PR16155(!Matched::Int64, ::Any)$cfile$PR16155line\n  (::Type{T})(::Any) where T<:$(curmod_prefix)PR16155$cfile$PR16155line2"
 
 Base.show_method_candidates(buf, MethodError(PR16155,(Int64(3), 2.0, Int64(3))))
 @test String(take!(buf)) == "\nClosest candidates are:\n  $(curmod_prefix)PR16155(::Int64, ::Any)$cfile$PR16155line\n  $(curmod_prefix)PR16155(::Any, ::Any)$cfile$PR16155line\n  (::Type{T})(::Any) where T<:$(curmod_prefix)PR16155$cfile$PR16155line2"