diff --git a/satellite/metabase/delete.go b/satellite/metabase/delete.go
index 02864d906..fc99cfb06 100644
--- a/satellite/metabase/delete.go
+++ b/satellite/metabase/delete.go
@@ -166,8 +166,9 @@ deleted_copies AS (
 ),
 -- lowest stream_id becomes new ancestor
 promoted_ancestors AS (
-	SELECT
-		min(segment_copies.stream_id::text)::bytea AS new_ancestor_stream_id,
+	-- select only one child to promote per ancestor
+	SELECT DISTINCT ON (segment_copies.ancestor_stream_id)
+		segment_copies.stream_id AS new_ancestor_stream_id,
 		segment_copies.ancestor_stream_id AS deleted_stream_id
 	FROM segment_copies
 	-- select children about to lose their ancestor
@@ -181,8 +182,6 @@ promoted_ancestors AS (
 		SELECT stream_id
 		FROM deleted_objects
 	)
-	-- select only one child to promote per ancestor
-	GROUP BY segment_copies.ancestor_stream_id
 )
 SELECT
 	deleted_objects.stream_id,
diff --git a/satellite/metabase/delete_test.go b/satellite/metabase/delete_test.go
index 621c4d015..25f2eb31b 100644
--- a/satellite/metabase/delete_test.go
+++ b/satellite/metabase/delete_test.go
@@ -1131,20 +1131,43 @@ func TestDeleteCopy(t *testing.T) {
 					})
 					require.NoError(t, err)
 
-					remainingStreamIDs := []uuid.UUID{copyObject1.StreamID, copyObject2.StreamID}
-					uuid.SortAscending(remainingStreamIDs)
+					var expectedAncestorStreamID uuid.UUID
+					var expectedCopyStreamID uuid.UUID
 
 					var copies []metabase.RawCopy
+
 					if numberOfSegments > 0 {
+						segments, err := db.TestingAllSegments(ctx)
+						require.NoError(t, err)
+						require.NotEmpty(t, segments)
+
+						if segments[0].PiecesInAncestorSegment() {
+							if segments[0].StreamID == copyObject1.StreamID {
+								expectedCopyStreamID = copyObject1.StreamID
+								expectedAncestorStreamID = copyObject2.StreamID
+							} else {
+								expectedCopyStreamID = copyObject2.StreamID
+								expectedAncestorStreamID = copyObject1.StreamID
+							}
+
+						} else {
+
+							if segments[0].StreamID == copyObject1.StreamID {
+								expectedCopyStreamID = copyObject2.StreamID
+								expectedAncestorStreamID = copyObject1.StreamID
+							} else {
+								expectedCopyStreamID = copyObject1.StreamID
+								expectedAncestorStreamID = copyObject2.StreamID
+							}
+						}
+
 						copies = []metabase.RawCopy{
 							{
-								StreamID:         remainingStreamIDs[1],
-								AncestorStreamID: remainingStreamIDs[0],
+								StreamID:         expectedCopyStreamID,
+								AncestorStreamID: expectedAncestorStreamID,
 							}}
 					}
 
-					expectedAncestorStreamID := remainingStreamIDs[0]
-
 					// set pieces in expected ancestor for verifcation
 					for _, segments := range [][]metabase.RawSegment{copySegments1, copySegments2} {
 						for i := range segments {