diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/fixture_set/table_rows.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/fixture_set/table_rows.rb
index e8335a2e10..3e3c0bc7ab 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/fixture_set/table_rows.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/fixture_set/table_rows.rb
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ module ActiveRecord
         # track any join tables we need to insert later
         @tables = Hash.new { |h, table| h[table] = [] }
 
+        # ensure this table is loaded before any HABTM associations
+        @tables[table_name] = nil
+
         build_table_rows_from(fixtures, config)
       end
 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/fixtures_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/fixtures_test.rb
index 82ca15b415..1092b9553f 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/fixtures_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/fixtures_test.rb
@@ -619,6 +619,10 @@ class HasManyThroughFixture < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     assert_equal load_has_and_belongs_to_many["parrots_treasures"], rows["parrot_treasures"]
   end
 
+  def test_has_and_belongs_to_many_order
+    assert_equal ["parrots", "parrots_treasures"], load_has_and_belongs_to_many.keys
+  end
+
   def load_has_and_belongs_to_many
     parrot = make_model "Parrot"
     parrot.has_and_belongs_to_many :treasures