diff --git a/internal/gatewayapi/sort.go b/internal/gatewayapi/sort.go
index 00a5fc6389d..75d9ebc503a 100644
--- a/internal/gatewayapi/sort.go
+++ b/internal/gatewayapi/sort.go
@@ -18,33 +18,33 @@ func (x XdsIRRoutes) Swap(i, j int) { x[i], x[j] = x[j], x[i] }
 func (x XdsIRRoutes) Less(i, j int) bool {
 
 	// 1. Sort based on path match type
-	// Exact > PathPrefix > RegularExpression
+	// Exact > RegularExpression > PathPrefix
 	if x[i].PathMatch != nil && x[i].PathMatch.Exact != nil {
 		if x[j].PathMatch != nil {
-			if x[j].PathMatch.Prefix != nil {
+			if x[j].PathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
 				return false
 			}
-			if x[j].PathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
+			if x[j].PathMatch.Prefix != nil {
 				return false
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if x[i].PathMatch != nil && x[i].PathMatch.Prefix != nil {
+	if x[i].PathMatch != nil && x[i].PathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
 		if x[j].PathMatch != nil {
 			if x[j].PathMatch.Exact != nil {
 				return true
 			}
-			if x[j].PathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
+			if x[j].PathMatch.Prefix != nil {
 				return false
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if x[i].PathMatch != nil && x[i].PathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
+	if x[i].PathMatch != nil && x[i].PathMatch.Prefix != nil {
 		if x[j].PathMatch != nil {
 			if x[j].PathMatch.Exact != nil {
 				return true
 			}
-			if x[j].PathMatch.Prefix != nil {
+			if x[j].PathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
 				return true
 			}
 		}
@@ -96,12 +96,12 @@ func pathMatchCount(pathMatch *ir.StringMatch) int {
 		if pathMatch.Exact != nil {
 			return len(*pathMatch.Exact)
 		}
-		if pathMatch.Prefix != nil {
-			return len(*pathMatch.Prefix)
-		}
 		if pathMatch.SafeRegex != nil {
 			return len(*pathMatch.SafeRegex)
 		}
+		if pathMatch.Prefix != nil {
+			return len(*pathMatch.Prefix)
+		}
 	}
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/internal/gatewayapi/testdata/grpcroute-with-service-match.out.yaml b/internal/gatewayapi/testdata/grpcroute-with-service-match.out.yaml
index 9624ffcaab1..ca598b9d046 100644
--- a/internal/gatewayapi/testdata/grpcroute-with-service-match.out.yaml
+++ b/internal/gatewayapi/testdata/grpcroute-with-service-match.out.yaml
@@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ xdsIR:
             weight: 1
         hostname: '*'
         isHTTP2: true
-        name: grpcroute/default/grpcroute-1/rule/0/match/0/*
+        name: grpcroute/default/grpcroute-1/rule/0/match/1/*
         pathMatch:
           distinct: false
           name: ""
-          prefix: /com.ExampleExact
+          safeRegex: /com.[A-Z]+/[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z_0-9]*
       - backendWeights:
           invalid: 0
           valid: 0
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ xdsIR:
             weight: 1
         hostname: '*'
         isHTTP2: true
-        name: grpcroute/default/grpcroute-1/rule/0/match/1/*
+        name: grpcroute/default/grpcroute-1/rule/0/match/0/*
         pathMatch:
           distinct: false
           name: ""
-          safeRegex: /com.[A-Z]+/[A-Za-z_][A-Za-z_0-9]*
+          prefix: /com.ExampleExact